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.

May 20 evening

2018 May 20 evening

 

   Andrew Simon and Scott and Sable Gilmore, while conducting a mini bioblitz on Galiano Island yesterday, came across two snakeflies.  We are grateful to Chris Ratzlaff of the Spencer Entomological Museum for identifying them as Agulla assimilis.  Dr Ratzlaff remarks: “The pale scape (instead of black) and the long pterostigma are key characteristics of this species. Second most common in BC (first is adnixa)”

The one with the long ovipositor is a female.   The other is a male.

 

Male snakefly Agulla assimilis (Raph.:  Raphidiidae)  Andrew Simon

Female snakefly Agulla assimilis (Raph.:  Raphidiidae)  Andrew Simon

Female snakefly Agulla assimilis (Raph.:  Raphidiidae)  Andrew Simon

 

Female snakefly

 Agulla assimilis (Raph.:  Raphidiidae)

  Andrew Simon

    Jeremy Tatum writes:   Today, at Munn  Road, Bill Savale and I saw our first Lorquin’s Admiral of the year.

Also there were a few Moss’s Elfins and Cedar Hairstreaks.

 

More in the queue for tomorrow…