2018 May 19 evening

 

Message from Gordon Hart:

 

Hello Butterfly Counters,

The May count runs nine days from the third Saturday, May 19, to the fourth Sunday, May 27. You can submit a count anytime over this period, and you can do more than one count, just use a separate form for each count. In the case of repeat counts, or more than one person counting an area, I will take the highest count for each species.

Please use the form at https://www.vicnhs.bc.ca/?p=33 on the Victoria Natural History Society website .

The count area is the same as the Christmas Bird Count circle (attached). For butterfly identification there are numerous internet sites, but most or all Victoria species are listed on E-Fauna. If you select by photographer, all the photos under James Miskelly’s name are of Victoria species. Here is the link: http://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/efauna/photoGallery/Gallery.aspx?gr=showall&pid=175&photographer=miskelly,%20james&specrep=0

A lot of butterflies have been sighted recently, so a look at the Invertalert  (https://www.vicnhs.bc.ca/?cat=8) will also show you many species flying now.

 

If you would like a suggestion for an area to count, please send me an email. The weather is finally looking much better this month, so we can hope for a good count.

In addition to the counts, a monthly butterfly walk is held on the first Sunday of each month – the next walk will be on June 3rd. We start at the summit of Mount Tolmie at 1pm, and decide where to go from there. I will send out another reminder near the month-end.

Thank-you for submitting your sightings and happy counting! 

 

Gordon Hart

Butterfly Count Coordinator

Victoria Natural History Society

 

Count circle map link:

http://christmasbirdcount.ca/bcvi/CBCMaps.html#VictoriaMap

 

 

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  A Spotted Tiger Moth emerged yesterday from a cocoon made by a caterpillar last year:

 

Spotted Tiger Moth Lophocampa maculata (Lep.: Erebidae – Arctiinae)  Jeremy Tatum