2024 July 24

Jeff Gaskin writes:   Yesterday, July 23, Kirsten Mills and I saw eight species of dragonflies at the south end of Beaver Lake and at the retriever ponds.  Included among that number were firsts of the year for me.   1 Striped Meadowhawk, which Kirsten photographed, and 6 or so Paddle-tailed Darners.  Also, seen were a Four-spotted Skimmer, a Common Green Darner, 2 or 3 Black Saddlebags, and several Blue-eyed Darners, Blue Dashers, and Western Pondhawks.

Earlier in the day I saw my first of the year Pine White at Viaduct Flats.

Jeremy Tatum writes:  The Beaver Lake ponds are an excellent locality for dragonflies.  So far this year no one has yet reported a Dot-tailed Whiteface.  Jeff’s Pine White is the first reported this year.  So far, still no Purplish Copper.  Also, amazingly, only one Woodland Skipper – at Cowichan Station; none near Victoria.  And only one Grey Hairstreak this year.

Here is Kirsten’s photograph referred to by Jeff:

Striped Meadowhawk Sympetrum pallipes  (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Kirsten Mills

Jeremy Tatum writes:  This moth was at my Saanich apartment building this morning, July 24:

Neoalcis californiaria  (Lep.:  Geometridae)  Jeremy Tatum

The following five photographs were taken by Ian Cooper on July 16 and 17.  All were feeding on a lush stand of Fennel flowers growing at the corner of Esquimalt Road and Mary Street in Vic West, adjacent to the E&N Trail.  The first three show some of the great variety of forms of the Asian Lady Beetle – but don’t get them confused with the Seven-spotted Lady Beetle in the fourth photograph!

Asian Lady Beetle – Harmonia axyridis (Col.: Coccinellidae)   Ian Cooper

Asian Lady Beetle – Harmonia axyridis (Col.: Coccinellidae)   Ian Cooper

Asian Lady Beetle – Harmonia axyridis (Col.: Coccinellidae)   Ian Cooper

Seven-spotted Lady Beetle – Coccinella septempunctata (Col.: Coccinellidae)   Ian Cooper

Honey Bee  Apis mellifera  (Hym.: Apidae)  Ian Cooper

2024 July 23 evening

Val George photographed these two moths at the Swan Lake Nature House on July 22:

Pero mizon  (Lep.: Geometridae)   Val George

Apamea amputatrix  (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Val George

Jeremy Tatum writes:  I saw a pristine-fresh Autographa californica at Panama Flats today.  With luck, a few more of these migratory day-flying moths will be seen in the coming weeks.  I saw no other moths, or butterflies, or birds at Panama Flats – at least not on the KNOK side – but the botanists will surely love the great profusion and variety of wild flowers there.

At 5:30 pm, the Anise Swallowtail that has been on Mount Tolmie for several days was still on the Oregon Grape just outside the entrance to the reservoir.  A Painted Lady was flying in the vicinity of the Jeffrey Pine.

2024 July 22 evening

   This small beetle was observed by Ian Cooper on the Galloping Goose Trail by Talcott Road on July 18, 2024.  We thank Scott Gilmore for the identification.

Enoclerus schaefferi  (Col.: Cleridae)  Ian Cooper

Enoclerus schaefferi  (Col.: Cleridae)  Ian Cooper

2024 July 22 morning

   Aziza Cooper photographed a moth at her Saanich home on July 18, and a dragonfly at Blenkinsop Lake on July 21:

Idaea dimidiata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Aziza Cooper

Western Pondhawk Erythemis collocata  (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Aziza Cooper

On July 21,  at 6:45 p.m., Marie O’Shaughnessy found a Red Admiral and two Painted Ladies on Mount Tolmie:

Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta  (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy

Painted Lady Vanessa cardui  (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy

More recent pictures by Ian Cooper:

Eratigena duellica  (Ara.: Agelenidae)  Ian Cooper

Unknown Fly  (Diptera)    Ian Cooper
Can any viewer help with this one?

Alucita montana  (Lep.: Alucitidae)  Ian Cooper

Asian Lady Beetle Harmonia axyridis  (Col.: Coccinellidae)  Ian Cooper