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.

July 25 morning

July 25 morning

 

   Gordon Hart sent a couple of photographs of a bee in his Highlands garden about a week ago.  So far they have evaded identification.  If anyone can help, please let us know.

Unidentified bee   Gordon Hart

Unidentified bee   Gordon Hart

 

   Yesterday sand wasps seem to have attracted the attention of photographers.  Photographs were sent by Jody Wells from Saanichton and by Annie Pang from the Gorge.  The common default species here is Bembix americana, which is what we’ll label them here, though viewers might like to be more cautious and think just Bembix sp.

Sand wasp Bembix americana (Hym.:  Crabronidae)  Jody Wells

Sand wasp Bembix americana (Hym.:  Crabronidae)  Jody Wells

Sand wasp Bembix americana (Hym.:  Crabronidae)  Annie Pang

Sand wasp Bembix americana (Hym.:  Crabronidae)  Annie Pang

 

 

   Jody Wells sends a picture of a pond skater (water strider) from Goldstream Heights, July 23.  Also intruding illegally into the picture is a vertebrate animal, which Jody tells me is a young Cutthroat Trout.

 

Pond Skater (Hem.: Gerridae)

Cutthroat Trout Oncorhynchus clarkii (Sal.: Salmonidae)

Jody Wells

 

   Jeremy Tatum sends a picture of two moth pupae.

 

Sheep Moth Hemileuca eglanterina (Lep.: Saturniidae)

White-lined Hawk Moth Hyles lineata (Lep.: Sphingidae)

Jeremy Tatum