2018 May 25

   Kirsten Mills writes that at 2:30 yesterday afternoon she saw a Cedar Hairstreak at the end of Nicholson Road at the edge of Christmas Hill.  She saw and photographed a Painted Lady on Mount Tolmie at 7:00 p.m.

   Jochen Möhr writes that he had one each of Biston betularia, Nadata gibbosa, Tyria jacobaeae [for English speakers, writes Jeremy Tatum,  that’s Peppered Moth,  Rough Prominent, Cinnabar Moth] on his wall last night, as well as an unidentified pug:

Eupithecia sp.: (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

      Andrew Simon writes:  From time to time I come across this diurnal firefly, in the genus Ellychnia, invariably sitting on a frond of moss.  Here it is in a forested grove at the height of land in Bluffs Park, Galiano Island, seen yesterday on a frond of Hylocomium splendens by myself and Quirin Hohendorf, May 24.

Ellychnia sp. (Col.: Lampyridae)  Andrew Simon

   Annie Pang sends a picture of a bee, which Lincoln Best suggests is probably Bombus sitkensis.  Lincoln writes:  Note the complete yellow band on T2.

   …and in case any viewer is wondering what T2 means, writes Jeremy Tatum, try “Second thoracic segment”.  [Added later:  But apparently this is not what Lincoln meant!  See discussion on May 26.  Jeremy Tatum.]

Bombus sitkensis (Hym.: Apidae)   Annie Pang

   Jochen Möhr writes:  This fellow greeted me this morning in my bathroom:

Phidippus johnsoni (Ara.: Salticidae)   Jochen Möhr

Phidippus johnsoni (Ara.: Salticidae)   Jochen Möhr

   Judy Spearing sends a photograph of a Catocala caterpillar, most likely C. aholibah.  Like the one shown On May 18, this one was probably looking for some quiet spot to pupate.  That is when they are most likely to be found.  When they are still living on oak twigs, feeding on the leaves, they are to all intents and purposes invisible – one of the best disguised of all caterpillars.

Catocala aholibah (Lep.: Erebidae – Catocalinae)   Judy Spearing

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  Here, from Melcroft Street, Saanich, is a Hyphantria cunia – the adult of the well-known “fall webworm” caterpillar.

Hyphantria cunia (Lep.:  Erebidae – Arctiinae)  Jeremy Tatum