INVERTEBRATE ALERT
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.

May 22 morning

2019 May 22 morning

 

   Jochen Möhr’s moths in Metchosin yesterday morning:

 

1 Lophocampa maculata

2 Plagodis pulveraria

1 Perizoma curvilinea

1 Drepana arcuata – the same individual, which has been here since May 20 at the same spot and probably intends to die here

 

   Jeremy Tatum comments:  I have often noticed that when a moth comes to the rear door of my apartment building, it often stays there for several days.  Eventually it disappears, but whether it has flown, died or been eaten, I know not.

 

Spotted Tiger Moth Lophocampa maculata (Lep.: Erebidae – Arctiinae)

Jochen Möhr

 


Plagodis pulveraria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

 

 

   Jochen Möhr’s moths in Metchosin this morning:

 

2 Eupithecias

1 Cladara limitaria (Pic attached)

1 Lophocampa maculata (same as yesterday)

1 Perizoma curvilinea

3 Tyria jacobaeae

 


Cladara limitaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

 

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  The moth below turned up at my Saanich apartment building this morning:

 


Agrotis vancouverensis (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jeremy Tatum

 

    Thanks to LIbby Avis for help with the identifications.

May 21 evening

2019 May 21 evening

 

   Jeff Gaskin writes:  This afternoon ,  May 21, there was a Lorquin’s Admiral in Gorge Park.   It seems rather early to me.  Jeremy Tatum writes:  Seems early  to me, too, but a search of the Invert Alert records in the last few years shows that in fact it is spot on!

2015  May 21

2016  May 20

2017  June 11

2018  May 20

 

  Jeremy continues:   Two Painted Ladies  at the McIntyre Reservoir, Central Saanich, this afternoon, and three on Mount Tolmie at 6:00 pm – one each on the summit, on the reservoir, and near the Jeffery Pine.

May 21 morning

2019 May 21 morning

 

   Annie Pang writes that she saw at least 4 Propertius Duskywings and at least 3 Painted Ladies on Christmas Hill yesterday.

Male Propertius Duskywing Erynnis propertius (Lep.: Hesperiidae)  Annie Pang

Male Propertius Duskywing Erynnis propertius (Lep.: Hesperiidae)  Annie Pang

 

   Jochen Möhr photographed a click beetle in Metchosin on May 18.  We haven’t got an exact identification yet (it probably needs to be examined in the hand), although Ampedus sp. is a possibility.

 

Click beetle.  Possibly Ampedus sp. (Col.: Elateridae)  Jochen Möhr

 

 

   Scott Gilmore had fun photographing a spider in his Lantzville garden on May 19.  Thanks to Robb Bennett for the identification:


Eratigena duellica (Ara.:  Agelenidae) Scott Gilmore


Eratigena duellica (Ara.:  Agelenidae) Scott Gilmore


Eratigena duellica (Ara.:  Agelenidae) Scott Gilmore

 

 

 

May 20 morning

2019 May 20 morning

 

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  I returned to the Goldstream Nature House this morning – this time with my camera.  But of course, since I had my camera with me, there were very few moths.  I got a photograph of a Venusia.  If there is any difference (doubtful!) between V.obsoleta and V. pearsalli, I think my moth slightly more closely resembles pearsalli, but who knows?

 


Venusia obsoleta/pearsalli  (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jeremy Tatum

Jochen Möhr’s moths in Metchosin this morning:

 

Drepana arcuata 1
Drepanulatrix sp.   1
Perizoma curvilinea 2
Venusia obsoleta 2

 

Jochen writes: A bit to add from yesterday afternoon: A Grey Hairstreak and a snakefly.

 

The latter, obviously a female, tried to insert its ovipositor into the wall – unsuccessfully, of course.

 

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  The snakefly is most likely Agulla assimilis (Raph.: Raphidiidae), but we can’t be quite certain.  A close-up photograph of the top of he head might help to narrow it down. 

 

Snakefly (Raphidioptera)  Jochen Möhr

 

Snakefly (Raphidioptera)  Jochen Möhr

 

Grey Hairstreak Strymon melinus (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Jochen Möhr

 

Grey Hairstreak Strymon melinus (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Jochen Möhr

 

May 19 afternoon

2019 May 19 afternoon

 

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  Here’s a nice caterpillar from Snowberry on Mount Tolmie this morning:


Sicya crocearia (Lep.: Geometridae)   Jeremy Tatum

 

   The Nature House at Goldstream Park is often a good place to find moths.  I was there this afternoon and I saw one each pristine perfect Acronicta impressa and Probole americana, perfectly placed for photography – and of course I didn’t have my camera with me.  Elsewhere in the park I saw a Cedar Hairstreak butterfly.

   Val George writes:  This Stink Bug was in my Oak Bay garden today, May 19.  Looks to me like Banasa dimiata. [Jeremy Tatum writes:  Yes, I think so, too.  Just like one that Terry Thormin identified for us on May 10.]

Red-backed Stink Bug Banasa dimiata (Hem.: Pentatomidae)  Val George

 

   Jeff Gaskin and Ron Flower both report that on Friday May 17, there were at least two (Jeff) or six (Ron) Silvery Blues in their usual location among the lupines at the Colwood exit from Highway 1.  The first photograph below shows a female in the act of ovipositing on a lupine.

Silvery Blue Glaucopsyche lygdamus (Lep.: Lycaenidae) Ron Flower

Silvery Blue Glaucopsyche lygdamus (Lep.: Lycaenidae) Ron Flower