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 13 morning

2019 May 13 morning

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  A weevil from my Saanich apartment, and a caterpillar from an oak on Christmas Hill, May 12.


Otiorhynchus singularis (Col.: Curculionidae)  Jeremy Tatum


Hydriomena nubilofasciata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jeremy Tatum

 

May 12 evening

2019 May 12 evening

 

   Jochen Möhr’s moths in Metchosin this morning:

 

Eupithecia sp. 2
Hyalophora euryalus 1
Hydriomena manzanita 1
Melanolophia imitata 3
Orthosia transparens 2
Perizoma curvilinea 3
Phyllodesma americana 1
Tyria jacobaeae 1
Venusia obsoleta 6

 


Hyalophora euryalus (Lep.: Saturniidae) Jochen Möhr

 


Hyalophora euryalus (Lep.: Saturniidae) Jochen Möhr

 


Hydriomena sp. (Lep.: Geometridae)   Jochen Möhr

 


Protitame subalbaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

May 12 morning

2019 May 12 morning

 

   Peter Boon writes:  Yesterday at Cross Road in Nanoose there were 2 Western Tailed Blues, 5 Western Spring Azures, 1 Pale Tiger Swallowtail. At the powerline at the end of Sundew Place (Bonnel Creek Falls trail) were 2-3  Two-banded Grizzled Skippers, 2 Mylitta Crescents, 3 Sara Orangetips, 1 Cabbage White, 2 Pale Tiger Swallowtails and 5 Western Spring Azures.

Sara Orangetip Anthocharis sara (Lep.: Pieridae)  Peter Boon

Western Tailed Blue Everes amyntula (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Peter Boon

 

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  Here is an Autographa ampla.  Caterpillar shown on April 15.  Apologies for the unaesthetically-appealing background, but that is where the moth posed!   It is now flying in the Blenkinsop Valley.


Autographa ampla (Lep.: Noctuidae – Plusiinae)

 Jeremy Tatum


Autographa ampla (Lep.: Noctuidae – Plusiinae)

 Jeremy Tatum

May 11 evening

2019 May 11 evening

 

   Just one moth to show, from my (Jeremy Tatum) Saanich apartment this morning.  It is Drepanulatrix, but we don’t know whether it is D. monicaria or D. secundaria.  Anyone care to hazard an opinion?

 

 

Drepanulatrix sp. (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jeremy Tatum

 

May 11 morning

2019 May 11 morning

 

   Peter Boon writes:  A couple of sightings from the Nanaimo area. At Piper’s Lagoon there have been up to 8 Western Spring Azures and 3-4 Propertius Duskywings over the past week, and tonight I saw my first Pale Tiger Swallowtail at the Kaye Road drainage lagoons in Parksville along with around 6 Western Spring Azures and one Western Brown Elfin.

 

  Jochen Möhr’s tally this morning, from Metchosin

 

Eupithecia sp 2
Coryphista meadii 2
Lobophora nivigerata 2
Melanolophia imitata 4
Orthosia transparens 2
Perizoma costiguttata 1
Phyllodesma americana 1
Selenia alciphearia 1
Tyria jacobaeae 3
Venusia obsoleta 7
Xanthorhoe defensaria 2
Zale minerea 1

Leptostales rubromarginaria                                             1




Leptostales rubromarginaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr