INVERTEBRATE ALERT
This blog provides an informal forum for terrestrial invertebrate watchers to post recent sightings of interesting observations in the southern Vancouver Island region. Please send your sightings by email to Jeremy Tatum (tatumjb352@gmail.com). Be sure to include your name, phone number, the species name (common or scientific) of the invertebrate you saw, location, date, and number of individuals. If you have a photograph you are willing to share, please send it along. Click on the title above for an index of past sightings.The index is updated most days.

June 11

2015 June 11

 

   On June 10 Scott Gilmore wrote:   A little over two years ago my then five year old son and I went looking for moths for the first time. We were very fortunate to have a White-lined Sphinx sitting near an overnight CFL light and we were quickly hooked to find and learn more about moths and other insects. We have seen a few hundred moth species since then but not a single sphinx since that first day until yesterday morning when we had an Elegant Sphinx (Sphinx perelegans) near the same light.

 

 

Sphinx perelegans (Lep.: Sphingidae) Scott Gilmore

   Scott continues on June 11:  There was a second Elegant Sphinx (smaller and not missing a wingtip) at the same light this morning. Also present was a Salt and Pepper Geometer  (also known as Peppered Moth) Biston betularia and a Dark-bordered Granite Digrammia neptaria.

 

 

   Aziza Cooper writes:  On Tuesday June 9 about 5pm I explored the field west of West Saanich Road near Eddy’s Self Storage. In a back corner of the field I found four or five Field Crescents. There are a lot of daisies around the edges of the large field and a smaller field at the back of it, but only Cabbage Whites were there. The crescents were all in a small neglected bit off the far left corner of the back field.  There are other undeveloped spots nearby that might have Crescents, if it is possible to search them – if the owners will permit. Eddy’s Self Storage has some daisy patches, and the property to the east does also.

 

Field Crescent Phyciodes pratensis (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Aziza Cooper

Field Crescent Phyciodes pratensis (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Aziza Cooper

 

Rosemary Jorna writes:  This dragonfly was on the shrub overhanging the beach at Devonian Park this morning. Several Western Tiger Swallowtails were flying as well as a Cabbage White and one worn Mourning Cloak landing on the beach.

 

Blue-eyed Darner Rhionaeschna multicolor (Odo.: Aeshnidae) Rosemary Jorna

This dragonfly let me get extraordinarily close on the beach at Devonian Park.

 

 

Blue-eyed Darner Rhionaeschna multicolor (Odo.: Aeshnidae) Rosemary Jorna

 

Jeremy Tatum writes:  Here are two caterpillars from Bow Park, June 10.

 

Western Tiger Swallowtail Papilio rutulus (Lep.: Papilionidae)

Jeremy Tatum

Behrensia conchiformis (Lep.: Noctuidae) Jeremy Tatum