2020 June 21

 

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  The plutellid caterpillar shown below fed on Mahonia, and is fairly distinctive in appearance as plutellids go.  The adult, shown beneath it, emerged from its cocoon today;  it is relatively undistinctive.  Thanks to Libby Avis for pointing out the very close similarity, adult and larva, to Ypsolopha ochrella (formerly Y. rubrella).  This may be that species or a very close congener.

Another unidentifed plutellid was shown on May 19 (cocoon) and June 3 morning (adult).

 

Close to Ypsolopha ochrella (Lep.: Plutellidae – Ypsolophinae)   Jeremy Tatum

Close to Ypsolopha ochrella (Lep.: Plutellidae – Ypsolophinae)   Jeremy Tatum

 

Kirsten Mills writes:  I was walking to my car when I saw this moth being attacked by a wasp. Is there any chance you can identify it? I saw it this morning. [Jeremy Tatum says:  Yes!  It is a Polyphemus Moth – unfortunately a little too beaten up by the wasp to post its battered corpse here!}  The next picture is a Clodius Parnassian I saw June 17 on Nanaimo River Road.

 

Clodius Parnassian Parnassius clodius (Lep.: Papilionidae)  Kirsten Mills

   Annie Pang has a wasps’ nest on her house in the Gorge Area.  We thank Claudia Copley for identifying them for us.

 

 

Common Aerial Yellowjacket  Dolichovespula arenaria (Hym.: Vespidae)   Annie Pang

Common Aerial Yellowjacket  Dolichovespula arenaria (Hym.: Vespidae)   Annie Pang

   Jochen Möhr’s moths from Metchosin this morning:

1 Callizzia amorata

1 pterophorid

1 possible Eudonia commortalis

1 Iridopsis emasculatum

1 Perizoma costiguttata 

1 Protitame subalbaria 

1 Stenoporpia excelsaria

 

Lep.: Pterophoridae   Jochen Möhr

Possibly Eudonia commortalis (Lep.: Crambidae)  Jochen Möhr

Perizoma costiguttata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr