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.

July 11

2015 July 11

 

   Jeremy Tatum writes:   Here is a caterpillar of a Western Tiger Swallowtail on an Aspen leaf.

 

Western Tiger Swallowtail Papilio rutulus (Lep.: Papilionidae) Jeremy Tatum

 

   Scott Gilmore writes:  I had a quiet moment and managed to go through a few photos from the last few nights. For various reasons I have been able to check my lights in the middle of the night when they were most active so I turned up a few less common (for me) moths. Around 2 a.m. on the night of the heaviest smoke was the busiest I have ever seen my lights with huge numbers of species that I often only see singly. 

 

  Jeremy Tatum responds:  Scott sent a wonderful bunch of exciting photographs, which I’m going to divide between today and tomorrow!

 

 

Pyrausta californicalis (Lep.: Crambidae)  Scott Gilmore

 

Furcula scolopendrina (Lep.: Notodontidae)  Scott Gilmore

 

Arched Hooktip Drepana arcuata (Lep.: Drepanidae)  Scott Gilmore

 

 

Isomira comstocki (Col.: Tenebrionidae)  Scott Gilmore

 

European Pine Shoot Moth

Rhyacionia buoliana (Lep.: Tortricidae)

Scott Gilmore