June 8
2015 June 8
Ken Vaughan writes: I thought I’d go to the Beaver Lake Ponds early on June 5 and see how things are on the west side of the pond.
Blue Dasher Pachidiplax longipennis (Odo.: Libellulidae) Ken Vaughan
American Emerald Cordulia shurtleffii (Odo.: Corduliidae) Ken Vaughan
Aziza Cooper writes: I went to Beacon Hill Park and Government House on June 4. At Beacon Hill Park I saw a Mourning Cloak – the only butterfly I saw there. There was also the beetle shown below. Scott Gilmore writes that there are a number of very similar-looking beetles, so without photographs from various angles or having the beetle to look at, he can go no further than Subfamily. It is in the Subfamily Lepturinae (flowering longhorns) of the Family Cerambycidae.
Flowering longhorn (Col.: Cerambycidae – Lepturinae) Aziza Cooper
Aziza continues: At 5:00 pm (June 4) there were four Western Tiger Swallowtails
and a Red Admiral at Government House.
Jeremy Tatum reports that on June 6 there were several Western Tiger Swallowtails and a Satyr Comma at UVic. He also sends photographs of the caterpillars of Satyr Comma and Red Admiral.
We have had very few crustaceans in this site, and the picture below, taken by Rosemary Jorna at Skutz Falls on June 6, is certainly our first crayfish. Jeremy Tatum writes: My knowledge of crayfish is close to zero, so my attempt at identification is risky, but this well marked specimen would appear to be a good fit for Pacifastacus leniusculus.
Pacifastacus leniusculus (Decapoda: Astacidae) Rosemary Jorna
Gordon Hart writes: I saw this tiny fly today shining in the sun. I think it is a Longlegged Fly, Dolichopodidae, but I don’t know what species. Jeremy Tatum writes: I am sure there are experts out there in cyberspace who have devoted their lives to the study of the Dolichopodidae or who at least are more familiar with them than we are. If any of you are reading this, please help us out with Gordon’s picture!
Long-legged fly (Dip.: Dolichopodidae) Gordon Hart
Jeff Gaskin writes: On June 6 around 6 p.m. June 6, there were two rather worn Red Admirals, 2 or 3 Painted Ladies and 2 Pale Tiger Swallowtails on or near the concrete reservoir on Mount. Tolmie. Also here were several Western Tiger Swallowtails and Lorquin’s Admirals.
Rosemary Jorna writes: We visited all the gardens on Sooke’s Secret Garden Tour and there were Pale Tiger Swallowtails in every one but no Western Tigers. A few whites moving fast, one blue and a Grey Hairstreak. Late in the afternoon we returned to my sister’s home on Kemp Lake Road, Otter Point. There I photographed a Western Tiger Swallowtail, a Pale Tiger Swallowtail (there have been 7 or 8 there for days) and a Cabbage White.
Cabbage White Pieris rapae (Lep.: Pieridae) Rosemary Jorna
Val George writes: Yesterday, June 7, I saw my first European (Essex) Skipper of the year at Uplands Park. Also there was a Painted Lady and a Milbert’s Tortoiseshell.
The June 7 Butterfly Walk proved to be quite an adventure along rough logging roads towards Cowichan River, but there were a few interesting finds. Thus we found a caterpillar of a Western Brown Elfin on a Salal flower. Aziza Cooper photographed a spider and an unfortunate butterfly (shown below) at the end of Hillcrest Road. And she and Rick Schortinghuis saw a Cedar Hairstreak along the forest road at Chemainus Park.
Misumena vatia (Ara.: Thomisidae) and Papilio eurymedon (Lep.: Papilionidae)
Aziza Cooper
Rheumaptera hastata (Lep.: Geometridae) Aziza Cooper
More photographs to come tomorrow!