2017October 29 morning

   Jeremy Gatten writes:  The outlandishly nice weather yesterday brought out the butterflies today and I encountered four species while birding with Dave Robichaud.  All species were encountered at Martindale Flats.  The first two species were encountered in close proximity to one another near McIntyre Reservoir – a West Coast Lady and a Painted Lady.  Shortly after, the first of several Cabbage Whites was encountered.  The final species was an Orange Sulphur, which looked surprisingly fresh.  The sulphur was located along Lochside Drive a little way south of the model aircraft field.

West Coast Lady Vanessa annabella (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Jeremy Gatten

Painted Lady Vanessa cardui (Lep.: Nymphalidae)   Jeremy Gatten

Jochen Moehr sends some more pictures from Metchosin.  Jeremy Tatum writes: The first, in order of decreasing probability, is Drepanulatrix monicaria, D. secundaria, D. foeminaria.   I am sufficiently sure that it is in fact the first of these that that is what I am going to label it.

Drepanulatrix monicaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Moehr

Autumnal Moth Epirrita autumnalis (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Moehr

Autographa californica (Lep.: Noctuidae – Plusiinae)  Jochen Moehr

The insects below might be called “gnats”, but they are really a sort of small crane fly.

Limonia nubeculosa (Dip.: Tipulidae – Limoniinae)  Jochen Moehr

2017 October 26

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  Today at McIntyre reservoir:  One Cabbage White, one Autographa californica, and one Banded Woolly Bear.

2017 October 25

   Ron Flower writes:  In our travels yesterday we  saw four Cabbage Whites at McIntyre reservoir, two in Royal Oak and one at Albert Head lagoon. So I guess with the good weather coming this week there is a  chance of finding other varieties.

2017 October 24

   Rosemary Jorna writes:  This fly joined us for a  picnic lunch on Seagirt Road in East Sooke yesterday October 23

Dryomyza anilis (Dip.: Dryomyzidae)   Rosemary Jorna

Dryomyza anilis (Dip.: Dryomyzidae)   Rosemary Jorna

2017 October 22

   Here is Gordon Hart’s report of the September VNHS Butterfly Count.

There were 19 reports from 21 locations by 11 observers for the last 2017 butterfly count from September 16-23. Those numbers were similar to 2016, but the number of butterflies counted was exactly double 2016: 246 this year vs 123 last year. Last year only two species were found. This year, there were seven species, including 28 Painted Ladies. Cabbage Whites were also more common with 205 counted this year, 83 more than last year. I plan to submit a summary of all the 2017 counts in the January issue of The Victoria Naturalist while we wait for the next butterfly season. Thanks again to all the participants!

Gordon Hart,

Butterfly count coordinator.

————————————————-Sep ’17            Sep ’16            Diff

————————————————–7 sp.                 2 sp.

AniseSwallowtail                                                                                        0

Western Brown Elfin                                                                                0

CabbageButterfly                                       205                  122                 83

CaliforniaTortoiseshell                                                                            0

CedarHairstreak                                                                                         0

Ringlet (Coenonympha tullia)                   2                                           2

European (Essex) Skipper                                                                       0

GreenComma                                                                            1                   0

Grey Hairstreak                                                                       1                  -1

Lorquin’s Admiral                                                                                      0

Milbert’s Tortoiseshell                                                                              0

Moss Elfin                                                                                                      0

Mourning Cloak                                                                                           0

Painted Lady                                                   28                                         28

Pale Swallowtail                                                                                          0

Pine White                                                                                                     0

Propertius Duskywing                                                                              0

Purplish Copper                                               1                                            1

Red Admiral                                                      1                                             1

Sara OrangeTip                                                                                            0

Satyr Comma                                                                                                0

Silvery Blue                                                                                                   0

SpringAzure                                                                                                  0

Two-Banded Grizzled (Checkered) Skipper                                     0                    

West Coast Lady                                                                                          0

Western Pine Elfin                                                                                     0

Western Sulphur                                                                                         0

Orange Sulphur                                                 4                                           4

Western Tiger Swallowtail                                                                       0

Woodland Skipper                                           5                                           5

totals                                                                246                 123              123

Number of observers                                     11                    12

Number of reports                                          19                   22

Number of locations covered                     21                   20

Gordon also reports seeing a Painted Lady and six Cabbage Whites at Ocean Grove, near Esquimalt Lagoon on October 15.