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.

March 30

2019 March 30

 

   Mark Wynja writes:  Yesterday March 29th on Little Mountain (Parksville) the butterflies were active, and it reached 17oC. I observed one Mourning Cloak, one Cedar Hairstreak, and two of the rarely reported Oreas Commas. Three times the Commas met and they flew spiraling up overhead.

Oreas Comma Polygonia oreas (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Mark Wynja

Oreas Comma Polygonia oreas (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Mark Wynja

Oreas Comma Polygonia oreas (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Mark Wynja

 

Oreas Comma Polygonia oreas (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Mark Wynja

   Jochen Möhr writes:  Although I checked the status of the chrysalis [see January 22 entry] at my garden gate of the Sara Orangetip repeatedly every day, I missed the emergence, which happened today between something around 10 a.m., when I took the last picture of the chrysalis for my granddaughter in Germany, with the wing colours faintly shining through, and just now, around 2:25, when I went back and found the lid open and the chrysalis empty.   And I had so much hoped for a picture of a freshly emerged Orangetip, if not a documentation of the emergence .    [Jeremy Tatum writes:  Yes, emerging butterflies always do that.  You can sit up with your camera focussed  on the chrysalis for hours, and then, when you go a for a brief bathroom break, the butterfly emerges.   I’m convinced they do it on purpose.]

 

Sara Orangetip Anthocharis sara (Lep.: Pieridae)  Jochen Möhr

Sara Orangetip Anthocharis sara (Lep.: Pieridae)  Jochen Möhr

 

   Barb McGrenere writes: Mike and I saw two California Tortoiseshells near the Plaskett Telescope yesterday afternoon.  They were both sunning on the paved area around the building.  Also, there was one male Sara Orangetip near the summit of Observatory Hill.

California Tortoiseshell Nymphalis californica (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Barbara McGrenere

 

      Kirsten Mills writes:  Today I saw one California Tortoiseshell on Mount Tolmie at 5:05pm. Later, I saw three three on Mount Douglas at 5:30pm. Below is the one that was on Mount Tolmie.

California Tortoiseshell Nymphalis californica (Lep.: Nymphalidae)

Kirsten Mills