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.

December 27

2019 December 27

 

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  Apologies for showing yet another Winter Moth, but this one, photographed this morning at UVIc, is the first time I have seen what I believe to be Operophtera occidentalis  either at UVic or at my Saanich apartment.   It is maybe a couple of weeks since I have seen Operophtera brumata, and seeing this occidentalis today reinforces my suspicion that perhaps occidentalis flies a little later than brumata.

 

 

Operophtera occidentalis (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jeremy Tatum

 

    Gordon Hart sends one from the Highlands.  I think it is O. brumata beginning to look a little bit past its “sell by” date.


Operophtera brumata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Gordon Hart