2015 September 23

Welcome to autumn!  Apologies for no news for a few days – have been having a little computer trouble, but I think I have it organized now. 

Jeff Gaskin writes:  A Red Admiral flew across Douglas Street and south of Bay Street around 11:30 a.m. on September 21.

Wendy Ansell writes: Today (September 22) Gerry and I saw 3, possibly 4, very fresh Red Admirals by the beach at Aylard Farm, East Sooke Regional Park.  There was also 1 Pine White further west along the trail.

Rosemary Jorna sends photographs of Araneus diadematus.  This is called the Common Garden Spider – but so are a few other species of spider!  This one is a European species.  She also sends a photograph of a Drone Fly Eristalis tenax, also a European. Jeremy Tatum writes: The fly bears a sufficient resemblance to a drone Honey Bee that it had me guessing for a while – I wasn’t 100 percent certain whether I was looking at a fly or a bee!  Rosemary’s photographs were taken from Broomhill in Otter Point or in Kemp Lake Road.

Araneus diadematus (Ara.: Araneidae)  Rosemary Jorna

Araneus diadematus (Ara.: Araneidae)  Rosemary Jorna

Araneus diadematus (Ara.: Araneidae)  Rosemary Jorna

Drone Fly Eristalis tenax (Dip.: Syrphidae) Rosemary Jorna

   Jody Ells sends a photograph of a grasshopper from Saanichton Spit.  Can anyone identify it for us?

Grasshopper (Orth.: Acrididae) Jody Wells

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  Lots of Banded Woolly Bears in the Martindale area today, though more had been trodden on than one would expect by accident.  I can’t help wondering if the normal reaction of many humans on seeing a caterpillar is to tread on it – just as the normal reaction to seeing a nice mushroom is to kick it over.