2015 July 5

   Aziza Cooper writes:  On July 4 I went to look for the Boisduval’s Blue which Dave Robichaud reported weeks ago. It was very hot and dry with very few flowers still in bloom. I was able to find one about 10 metres from the trailhead at the end of Boas Road. It was in the bracken fern on a withering fireweed. Also there was one worn Grey Hairstreak, a flyby hairstreak and two Lorquin’s Admirals along the road.

Boisduval’s Blue Icaricia icarioides (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Aziza Cooper

Grey Hairstreak Strymon melinus (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Aziza Cooper

    Jeremy Tatum writes:  Cheryl Hoyle sends us a photograph of a moth from View Royal today, July 5.  It is a species of Drepanulatrix.  This genus always gives us trouble in identification.  Usually we have to try to choose from D. foeminaria, D. secundaria and D. monicaria.  Often the photographs that we are sent resemble monicaria more than the other two – as does this one.  The snag is that monicaria does not seem to be on the official list of British Columbia moths.  However as far as I can tell the moth in Cheryl’s photograph does seem to be Drepanulatrix monicaria – and that is how I am going to label it.

Drepanulatrix monicaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Cheryl Hoyle