2016 July 12

   Jeremy Tatum shows a photograph of a Nycteola species reared from a caterpillar found at Blenkinsop Lake, where the moth was released today.  The species N. frigidana and N. cinereana can be difficult to tell apart.  It is often thought that the caterpillar of the former feeds on willow, and the latter feeds on poplar. I have often felt a little uncertain about that, because willow-feeding caterpillars often feed on poplar as well, and vice versa.  Anyway, I am pretty sure that this moth is Nycteola cinereana, although the caterpillar was found and reared on willow, not poplar, so the above rule is evidently not completely watertight, and not to be relied on for identification.

Nycteola cinereana (Lep.: Nolidae)    Jeremy Tatum

   Two more colouful photographs of a leafcutter bee, in Gorge Park, from Annie Pang:

Megachile perihirta (Hym.: Megachilidae)  Annie Pang

Megachile perihirta (Hym.: Megachilidae)  Annie Pang

   Aziza Cooper reports a Western Spring Azure from Brighton Avenue, July 12.  This is just two days after another one was seen in Sidney (See July 10).

2016 July 12

   Annie Pang sends a colourful photograph with an interesting bee, identified by Linc Best as a female Coelioxys, a parasite in the nests of Megachile.  These parasitic bees are sometimes called “cuckoo bees”.

Coelioxys sp.: (Hym.: Megachilidae)   Annie Pang

2016 July 11

   Thomas Barbin sends some remarkable close-ups of insects in his Highlands yard, July 10. 

Bumblebee face  (Hym.: Apidae)   Thomas Barbin

Bumblebee hairs   (Hym.: Apidae)       Thomas Barbin

Bumblebee mouth   (Hym.: Apidae)             Thomas Barbin

Damselfly   (Odo.: Coenagrionidae)    Thomas Barbin

Sweat bee  Lasioglossum sp.   (Hym.: Halictidae)           Thomas Barbin

Sweat bee  Lasioglossum sp.   (Hym.: Halictidae)           Thomas Barbin

Sweat bee  Lasioglossum sp.   (Hym.: Halictidae)           Thomas Barbin

Sweat bee  Lasioglossum sp.   (Hym.: Halictidae)           Thomas Barbin

   Here are two more shots of Liam Singh’s Black Saddlebags (see yesterday’s posting).

Black Saddlebags Tramea lacerata (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Liam Singh

Black Saddlebags Tramea lacerata (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Liam Singh

   Annie Pang sends photographs of a variety of small flies from Gorge Park.

Fly   (Dip.:  possibly Lauxaniidae)   Annie Pang

Fly  Syritta pipiens (Dip.: Syrphidae)  Annie Pang

Fly (Dip.: possibly Tachinidae)  Annie Pang

2016 July 10

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  This one flew into my bedroom last night:

Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jeremy Tatum

   Jeremy adds:  I saw a Western Spring Azure at Roberts Bay, Sidney, today.  This is a very late date to see one, although I have very occasionally seen them in July in previous years.

   Liam Singh sends a picture of a Black Saddlebags from Haliburton Farms, Victoria, today.  This is a first for Invert Alert.

Black Saddlebags Tramea lacerata (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Liam Singh

   Annie Pang sends a picture of a leafcutter bee from Gorge Park, July 10.

Leafcutter bee Megachile sp. (Hym.: Megachilidae)  Annie Pang

2016 July 9 morning

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  Here is a Herald Moth, from Lochside Drive north of Blenkinsop Lake. July 9.  The Herald Moth is a long-lived moth, spending the winter in the adult state.  It is one of the first moths to be seen in early spring – it heralds in the spring, hence the name. Larval foodplant willow.

 Herald Moth Scoliopteryx libatrix (Lep.: Erebidae – Scoliopteryginae) Jeremy Tatum

   Thomas Barbin sends close-up photos of two “micro” moths and a bee from his Highland yard, July 8.

Emmelina monodactyla (Lep.: Pterophoridae)  Thomas Barbin

Glyphipterix bifasciata (Lep.: Glyphipterigidae) Thomas Barbin

Bee face    Thomas Barbin