2021 September 3

Monthly Butterfly Walk scheduled for Sunday is cancelled.  See notice on September 2 Alert.

   Jochen Möhr sends a photograph of a Woodland Skipper in Metchosin nectaring on a — Wanted! – a Botanist to tell us what it is nectaring on!

Woodland Skipper Ochlodes sylvanoides (Lep.: Hesperiidae)  Jochen Möhr

  Jochen had these moths at his Metchosin home this morning

1 Neoalcis californiaria

2 Nepytia phantasmaria

3 Noctua pronuba

1 Orgyia antiqua 

1 Xanthorhoe defensaria

Here are photographs of a few of them:

Nepytia phantasmaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Orgyia antiqua (Lep.: Erebidae – Lymantriinae) Jochen Möhr

Xanthorhoe defensaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Noctua pronuba (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Neoalcis californiaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

   As a welcome bonus, Jochen writes:  This morning a very docile and tolerant Mourning Cloak had taken seat on my chair to sun itself.  I am grateful.

Mourning Cloak Nymphalis antiopa (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Jochen Möhr

Mourning Cloak Nymphalis antiopa (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Jochen Möhr

Jeremy Tatum photographed some moths at the Goldstream Park Nature House this morning.

Nepytia phantasmaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jeremy Tatum

Neoalcis californiaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jeremy Tatum

Caripeta aequaliaria (Lep.: Geometridae) Jeremy Tatum

   Jeremy also writes: Also at the Nature House was what I think is the largest caddisfly I have ever seen – out of camera range, unfortunately.  Possibly  Dicosmoecus atripes.

   Gordon Hart writes:  I dropped by Swan Lake yesterday and saw a Lorquin’s Admiral near Tuesday Pond – likely the same one Jeff saw.  There was one Woodland Skipper on Gumweed and several bee species. 

Lorquin’s Admiral Limenitis lorquini (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Gordon Hart

Woodland Skipper Ochlodes sylvanoides (Lep.: Hesperiidae)  Gordon Hart

2021 September 2

 From Gordon Hart:  September Butterfly Walk Cancelled

   At the end of a hot, dry summer, not many butterflies are being found around Victoria, so the September Butterfly Walk (originally scheduled for September 5) is cancelled.  There are still some possible interesting sightings and these should continue late into the fall, so keep looking and enjoy the fall weather. We will plan for more walks and counts in the spring of 2022, so keep an eye on the VNHS Calendar and the Invertebrate Alert.

Gordon Hart,
Treasurer,
Victoria Natural History Society

Jochen Möhr reports no moths from Metchosin this morning, but he photographed a male Orb  Weaver Spider. 

Araneas diadematus (Ara.: Araneidae)  Jochen Möhr

Jochen reports a single Woodland Skipper in Metchosin today, as does Jeremy Tatum from Colwood.

2021 September 1

    Jochen Möhr writes that this morning he had three moths at his home in Metchosin:

Plemyria georgii

Udea profundalis

Xanthorhoe defensaria

Photographs of two of them are below.

Plemyria georgii (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Udea profundalis (Lep.: Crambidae)  Jochen Möhr

There’s not much doing on the butterfly front.  Indeed Jochen writes:  Since Aug. 20 no sightings of Pine Whites, and since Aug. 30 no sightings of Woodland skippers any more, let alone anything other than the occasional Cabbage White.  But Jeff Gaskin writes:  Thanks to Ron and Nora Flower for showing me the two Purplish Coppers.  They were near each other somewhat along the path that runs parallel to McHugh Road, just west of McIntyre Road reservoir.

2021 August 21

     Jeremy Tatum writes:  I met Gerry and Wendy Ansell at McIntyre Reservoir (Central Saanich) today and they reported that they had seen two Purplish Coppers there, and sure enough I found one myself shortly after.  They appear to be nectaring on the daisy-like flowers of the Scentless Mayweed, which I erroneously referred to as Ox-eye Daisies in  yesterday’s Invert Alert.   There were also a (very) few Cabbage Whites and Woodland Skippers in the area.

    Jeff Gaskin writes:  This morning, August 31, before the clouds rolled in, I saw a Lorquin’s Admiral just in front of the nature house at Swan Lake.  It must be getting a bit late for them.   [Yes it is getting a little late, writes Jeremy Tatum, although they are occasionally seen in September.]

2021 August 30

    Jeremy Tatum shows a moth that turned up at his Saanich apartment this morning.

Nepytia phantasmaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jeremy Tatum