2020 October 21

   Ian Cooper has recently been photographing a nematoceran fly at Colquitz River Park. Here are three of his photographs.  I am not certain (writes Jeremy Tatum) whether they are all the same species.  The first two have a pronounced pattern on the wing, which I can’t see on the third photograph, although that may be because of the strongly reflected light.  I have been thinking either Limoniinae (sometimes regarded as a full Family, Limoniidae, sometimes treated as a Subfamily of Tipulidae) or Trichoceridae (Winter Gnats).   The insect in the third photograph below clearly has three ocelli on the top of its head.  I think that rules out Tipulidae, and so makes it Trichoceridae, a Winter Gnat.

Tipulidae-Limoniinae?   Trichoceridae?   Ian Cooper

Tipulidae-Limoniinae?   Trichoceridae?   Ian Cooper

Probably Trichoceridae    Ian Cooper

Male Common Earwig  Forficula auricularia (Derm.: Forficulidae)  Ian Cooper

Porcellio scaber (Isopoda:  Porcellionidae)  Ian Cooper

Dark-bodied Glass Snail Oxychilus draparnaudi (Pul.: Daubebariidae)  Ian Cooper

2020 October 20

   Jochen Möhr’s moths and a caddisfly from Metchosin this morning:

1 Agrochola purpurea

1 Halesochila taylori

5 Sunira decipiens

1 Tetracis sp.

Sunira decipiens (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Sunira decipiens (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Sunira decipiens (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Tetracis sp.  (Lep.: Geometridae)   Jochen Möhr

Agrochola purpurea (Lep.:  Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Halesochila taylori  (Tri.:  Limnephilidae)   Jochen Möhr

2020 October 19

   Jochen Möhr’s moths from Metchosin this morning (no pics):

1 Agrochola purpurea

2 Drepanulatrix sp.

1 Epirrita autumnata 

2 Orthosia mys

1 Sunira decipiens

1 Tetracis sp. 

2020 October 18

   Ron Flower photographed this snail at Cowichan Lake a couple of weeks ago while gathering Chanterelle mushrooms.  Robert Forsyth tells us that the snail is Vespericola columbianus, and Bill Savale tells us that the mushroom is Cantharellus cibarius.

 Vespericola columbianus (Pul.: Polygyridae)  Ron Flower

    Here follow some recent photographs by Ian Cooper from Colquitz Creek Park.  The first is the same species as the probable limoniine shown in yesterday’s posting:

Unidentified (Dip.:  Limoniinae?)   Ian Cooper

Drumming Katydid Meconema thalassina (Orth.: Tettigoniidae)  Ian Cooper

Porcellio scaber (Isopoda:  Porcellionidae)  Ian Cooper

 Ambigolimax valentianus (Pul.: Limacidae) Ian Cooper

Jochen Möhr’s moths from Metchosin this morning (no pics taken):

1 Agrochola purpurea

1 Drepanulatrix sp.

1 Epirrita autumnata 

5 Orthosia mys

1 Platyptilia carduidactylus

1 Sunira decipiens

1 Tetracis sp. 

2020 October 17

Jochen Möhr’s moths from Metchosin this morning:

2 Drepanulatrix sp.

4 Orthosia mys

1 Platyptilia carduidactylus

1 Tetracis sp. 

Orthosia mys (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Tetracis sp. (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Platyptilia carduidactylus (Lep.: Pterophoridae)  Jochen Möhr

    Next is an interesting harvestman.  Thanks to Dr Philip Bragg for identifying it, and congratulations to Ian Cooper for persisting over several nights in getting the photographs at Colquitz River Park.   Dr Bragg writes:  The latest set of photos are excellent. No single photo showed everything I wanted to see but together I feel fairly confident in identifying the harvestman as Oligolophus tridens – – a European import. Ian’s initial photo showed a trident on the front of the carapace and spines on the ocular tubercle suggestive of Oligolophinae. Later photos were not clear enough to be sure about this but the current set support the initial suggestion. The trident is quite clear in one of the photos showing the harvestman eating some carrion. The pattern on the body is typical of O. tridens.

Oligolophus tridens  (Opiliones: Phalangiidae – Oligolophinae)  Ian Cooper

Oligolophus tridens  (Opiliones:  Phalangiidae – Oligolophinae )  Ian Cooper

Oligolophus tridens  (Opiliones:  Phalangiidae – Oligolophinae )  Ian Cooper

Oligolophus tridens  (Opiliones:  Phalangiidae – Oligolophinae )  Ian Cooper

   Another invertebrate that Ian photographed at Colquitz River Park is this nematoceran fly.  Not sure what it is yet.  Probably Tipulidae or Trichoceridae.  Most likely tipulid subfamily Limoniinae (sometimes treated as a full family, Limoniidae).

Unidentified (Dip.:  Limoniinae?)   Ian Cooper