2018 March 29

 

   Jochen Moehr sends, from Metchosin, a photograph  of a Venusia sp.  No one seems to know the difference – if any – between V. pearsalli and V. obsoleta, so we generally call them just Venusia obsoleta/pearsalli.  To all outward appearances they seem to be identical.  Says Jeremy Tatum – Oh, to find the caterpillars!  If they are really separate species, I bet the caterpillars would be different.

 

Venusia obsoleta/pearsalli (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Moehr

 

  

 

Message from Gordon Hart:

Hello Butterfly Watchers,
It may seem overly optimistic, but the first butterfly walk of the year will be on Easter Sunday, April 1. We meet at the top of Mount Tolmie by the reservoir, at 1.00 p.m. You can park in the parking lot there, or in the large lot north of the summit. After a look around the summit, and depending on the weather, we will decide on a destination from there.
See you on Sunday,
Gordon

 

 

Jeremy Tatum writes:

 

   Among the many emails received this morning was one announcing what may be a similar site to this one but dealing with microscopic organisms, concentrating, as we do, on Vancouver Island.  We have had some quite small animals on this site, such as very small mites, springtails and beetles.  We had a mention of a sighting (but not a photograph) once of a rotifer.  But the new site dealing with truly microscopic organisms sounds an intriguing idea.  Go to micronaturalist.ca to find further details.  We should encourage this new site, and I look forward to its success. 

 

   What happens if you photograph a tiny mite – should you send it to Invert Alert or to Micronaturalist?  I would say either, or, or both!