2020 April 16 morning

   Egira crucialis/simplex is a pair of spring “woodling” moths that are awfully difficult to distinguish.  Below are some recent photographs from Jochen Möhr in Metchosin and Peter Boon in Nanaimo which have had myself (Jeremy Tatum) and Libby Avis as well as Jochen and Peter working hard at it.  The labels I have attached to the photographs below are the “most probable” identifications, and perhaps not 100 percent certain.  Moth-ers are encouraged to continue to send photographs of these species.  Maybe eventually we’ll  learn to distinguish them with more confidence.

Egira simplex (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Egira simplex (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Egira crucialis (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Egira crucialis (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Peter Boon

Left  Egira crucialis (we think!)

Right Egira simplex (we think!)

(Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

    Jochen also reports a comma from Metchosin yesterday.  Alas, the commas are no easier to identify than crucialis/simplex!

2020 April 15 evening

   Here’s another of Peter Boon’s moths from Nanaimo this morning.  Thanks to Libby Avis for identifying it as Egira rubrica.  Libby says that she had her first one of the season in Port Alberni this morning, too.

Egira rubrica (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Peter Boon

2020 April 15 morning

   Jochen Möhr’s moths from Metchosin, yesterday morning, April 14:

2 Behrensia conchiformis

2 Egira crucialis

3 Egira curialis

1 Egira simplex

2 Eupithecia annulata

1 Eupithecia graefii

2 Eupithecia ravocostaliata/nevadata 

11 Hydriomena manzanita 

3 Melanolophia imitata

2 Nola minna

3 Venusia obsoleta pearsalli

Eupithecia annulata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Eupithecia ravocostaliata/nevadata  (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Melanolophia imitata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Behrensia conchiformis (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Cissusa indiscreta (Lep.: Erebidae – Erebinae) Jochen Möhr

   Jochen’s moths this morning, April 15, no pictures taken:

1 Cissusa indiscreta

2 Egira curialis

2 Egira crucialis/simplex

7 Hydriomena manzanita

4 Melanolophia imitata

1 Nola minna

4 Venusia obsoleta/pearsalli

 Peter  Boon’s moths from Nanaimo this morning, April 15:

Egira crucialis  9

Orthosia hibisci  16

Egira perlubens  6

Orthosia transparens  5

Behrensia conchiformis  1

Behrensia conchiformis (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Peter Boon

Orthosia transparens (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Peter Boon

Egira perlubens (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Peter Boon

2020April 14

   Jochen Möhr reports seeing several Sara Orangetips and Western Spring Azures near his Metchosin home on April 13.

  Gordon Hart writes  from the Highlands: April 13, I saw my first Western Spring Azure of the year, as well as a California Tortoiseshell and a Green Comma.

  Barb McGrenere writes from the Cordova Bay area, April 13:  This morning, one Cabbage White flew through our backyard.  And around 4 pm today, Mike and I saw 1 California Tortoiseshell on the Mount Tolmie reservoir. 

  Mark Wynja sends underside and upperside photographs of an Oreas Comma  from Little Mountian, Parksville, April 13, together with a useful analysis of three comma species:

Oreas Comma Polygonia oreas (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Mark Wynja

Oreas Comma Polygonia oreas (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Mark Wynja

Oreas Comma

Dorsal surface:

1. narrow dark continuous outer margin
2. Very similar to Zephyr/Hoary

Ventral surface:

1. mostly solid dark brown
2. subterminal markings barely visible on fore wing and not visible on hind wing

Zephyr/Hoary 

Dorsal surface:

1. dark fragmented and uneven outer margin

Ventral surface:

1. frosty gray band separating the dark outer margin from the dark base of wings
2. row of pale yellow subterminal markings

Green Comma 

Dorsal surface:

1. wide dark continuous outer margin
2. Hind wing has small pale subterminal marks, mostly surrounded by the dark of the wide margin

Ventral surface:

1. row of moss green subterminal markings
2. mottled below

   Rosemary Jorna sends photographs of a crab spider  from the Kemp Lake area, April 13.  Robb Bennett identifies it as a member of the genus Xysticus.  Without close examination of the specimen, it is not possible to be certain of the species.  X. pretiosus and  X.locuples are possibilities.

Xysticus sp. (Ara.: Thomisidae)  Rosemary Jorna

Xysticus sp. (Ara.: Thomisidae)  Rosemary Jorna

2020 April 13

   Rosemary Jorna photographed a jumping spider in the Kemp Lake area on April 12.  Dr Robb Bennett suggests that it might possibly be a species of the genus Pelegrina, but it is difficult to be certain of this.

Jumping spider. Possibly Pelegrina sp.  (Ara.: Salticidae)  Rosemary Jorna

Jumping spider. Possibly Pelegrina sp.  (Ara.: Salticidae)  Rosemary Jorna

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  I saw a Western Spring Azure at UVic this afternoon.  Although eight species of butterfly have been reported from the Victoria area this year (plus another two up-Island), I am under the impression that there are still very few individual butterflies around.

Nevertheless, Ron Flower writes:  Today, Monday April 13, we went back to the Munn Road power line where we saw many Sara Orangetips and finally had a male sit long enough for a picture.

Sara Orangetip  Anthocharis sara (Lep.:  Pieridae)  Ron Flower

Peter Boon writes from Nanaimo:  Cabbage Whites are becoming widespread around Nanaimo. I saw them in at least five different locations yesterday. I went up to Little Mountain in Parksville yesterday afternoon and found at least 2 Grey Hairstreaks, 2 Cabbage Whites, and this comma which I am thinking is maybe Oreas.  (Jeremy Tatum writes:  I agree, but I’d welcome further opinions, with reasons.) [Added later:  Gordon Hart and Mark Wynja concur with the identification.  See further analysis on April 14.]

Oreas Comma Polygonia oreas (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Peter Boon

Oreas Comma Polygonia oreas (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Peter Boon

   Jochen Möhr’s moths from Metchosin this morning:

2 Behrensia conchiformis

1 Cladara limitaria

1 Egira (simplex ?)

4 Eupithecia spp.

1 E. annulata

1 E. graefii

1 E. ravocostaliata/nevadata 

11 H. manzanita

2 Melanolophia imitata 

2 Nola minna

5 Venusia obsoleta /pearsalli

Eupithecia graefii (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Eupithecia ravocostaliataI/nevadata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Eupithecia annulata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Cladaria limitata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Melanolophia imitata  (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Egira simplex/crucialis (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Egira curialis (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Pleromelloidea conserta (lLep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Nola minna (Lep.: Nolidae)  Jochen Möhr