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.

2023 May 26

2023 May 26

 

   Ian Cooper sends a selection of photographs taken along the Galloping Goose Trail in Saanich near Harriet Road on the afternoon of May 24.

Narcissus Bulb Fly Merodon (probably equestris)  (Dip.: Syrphidae)  Ian Cooper

 

Bombus vosnesenskii  (Hym.: Apidae)   Ian Cooper

 

Striped Sweat Bee  Agapostemon  (Hym.: Halictidae)  Ian Cooper

 

Mining Bee  Andrena (Hym.: Andrenidae)   Ian Cooper

 

Small Carpener Bee Ceratina  (Hym.: Apidae)  Ian Cooper

Jeff Gaskin writes:   I had a half decent day butterfly walking on May 25.   First of all, I had a total of 14 Ringlets, 1 near Viaduct Flats, and the rest or 13 in Layritz Park.   I also saw my first Lorquin’s Admirals of the year.   Both were on the Colquitz River trail north of Roy Road and south of Lindsay sreet.  One of the Lorquin’s Admirals was attacking a Mourning Cloak too.  I saw only 4 Western Spring Azures.  The rest of my butterflies were:   14 Cabbage Whites, 5 Pale Tiger Swallowtails, and 6 Western Tiger Swallowtails.

 

Marie O’Shaughnessy photographed two damselflies at McIntyre reservoir yesterday.  She also saw a Cardinal Meadowhawk and seven Cabbage Whites.

 

Tule Bluets Enallagma carunculata (Odo.: Coenagrionidae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy

 

Pacific Forktail Ischnura cervula (Odo.: Coenagrionidae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy

On May 24 Marie saw two Western Tiger Swallowtails, one Red Admiral and 11 Cabbage Whites at Government House.  She secured these two photographs:

 

Western Tiger Swallowtail Papilio rutulus (Lep.: Papilionidae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy

 

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