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.

June 4

2019 June 4

 

   Jochen Möhr reports slim pickings from his Metchosin home in the last two days.  Yesterday just an American Lappet Moth Phyllodesma americana (a fine moth anyway!), joined today by a Spotted Tiger Moth Lophocampa maculata.

  Jeremy Tatum reports the emergence today of an Essex Skipper butterfly, from a caterpillar found at Panama Flats on May 17.

Essex Skipper Thymelicus lineola (Lep.: Hesperiidae)  Jeremy Tatum

 

   Jeremy also sends the picture of a moth below, which is H. thestealis. The caterpillar of this one was found in mid-May near Cowichan Station, feeding on Fragaria vesca.

 


Herpetogramma thestealis (Lep.: Crambidae) Jeremy Tatum

 

   Aziza Cooper writes:  Today, June 4, I was with the VNHS Tuesday Group birders. We walked along Lochside Trail to Outerbridge Park and back by Blenkinsop Road. I saw:

Western Tiger Swallowtail – 4

Pale Tiger Swallowtail – 1

Mourning Cloak – 1

Cabbage White – 4

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  There were about eight Painted Ladies at the top of Mount Tolmie this evening.