2018 May 4 evening

 

   Jeremy Tatum writes:

  

   Only one observation reported this evening – namely that a Red Admiral was again on the Mount Tolmie reservoir, at about 6:30 pm.  No California Tortoiseshell seen there this evening.

 

   No further observations this evening, but a nomenclatural problem has arisen.  Viewers will have noticed that on this site I list the elfins in the genus Incisalia.  From time to time, someone will point out to me that the genus “should be” Callophrys and that Incisalia is “invalid”.  I am well aware of the Callophrys/Incisalia problem, and the reasons for it, and there are reasons why I have been using the genus name Incisalia.

 

  However, an enormous new complication has arisen.  Over the years, the Cedar Hairstreak has undergone numerous changes in its scientific and its English names.  I had hoped that it had finally settled down to Mitoura rosneri.  Apparently some taxonomists now declare that it is Callophrys gryneus. This I cannot understand at all  –  I cannot see that the Cedar Hairstreak belongs in Callophrys or in Incisalia at all.  Until the “new” name gets general acceptance I shall continue on this site to list it as Mitoura rosneri.  The pronunciation of Mitoura, by the way, is Myto Yura. It means Thread Tail. Perhaps we shall see some during the Butterfly Walk on Sunday. See you all there.