2019 March 25

  Jeremy Tatum writes: 

  Recent photographs of difficult commas (Ron Flower March 20, Mark Wynja March 23) have generated some interesting comments.  Cris  Guppy  identifies Ron’s Goldstream Park comma as a female Satyr Comma. Although I originally labelled it as “Comma sp.”, I believe the Satyr is more likely at Goldstream Park than Green.

  The Oreas is more difficult, but Cris Guppy, Mark Wynja and Mike Yip all go for Oreas (Cris cautiously “most likely Oreas”), and that is how I have labelled it.  The underside of Oreas is characteristically dark, though both Mark and Cris point out that the underside photo is backlit, which makes it difficult to judge.  However, Mark, of course, saw the butterfly in the flesh, so to speak, and was able to see that the underside was dark.

  As for the “comma”, the distinct V shape shows unambiguously that Mark’s butterfly is certainly not Satyr or Green – but does the V-shaped  “comma” mark distinguish between Oreas and “Zephyr”?   Opinions differ on this.  Cris cautions that he doesn’t find the comma mark to be very useful, because it is very variable. Mike says there are distinct differences in the comma shape in the two species.  In the Oreas the comma is more like a V or chevron with pointed tips and pointed base.  In the “Zephyr” the comma has a blunt end and is more of a curve in the middle.  Mark’s comma, he writes, is good for an Oreas.

  For myself, I think I need a good deal more experience before I become confident with these species.  In the past I have seen comma butterflies with a very distinct V, and I have called them (not necessarily correctly!) “Zephyr”.   Often it starts out to be very difficult to distinguish between similar species, but after a bit of experience it becomes easy and one can recognize them at a glance by their “jizz” – that indefinable je ne sais quoi characteristic of a species.  I’m not there yet!

  In the meantime, Mark sends photographs (below) of an Oreas taken in May 2018 at the same place as this year’s.   Contributors are encouraged to continue to send good photos of all commas.

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

Oreas Comma Polygonia oreas (Lep.: Nymphalidae)

 Mark Wynja

2019 March 23

   Comma problems.  Jeremy Tatum writes: Some of us can by now often (not always!) manage to distinguish between Satyr and Green Commas – but comma problems are not over.  Away from Victoria, we can encounter other commas.  For example there is the one with two-shades-of-grey undersides, and a V-shaped comma mark.  We have usually called them “Zephyr” Comma, which may or may not be a full species distinct from the Hoary Comma.  But we also have to contend with possible Oreas Comma.  Mark Wynja sends photographs of an Oreas Comma taken at Little Mountain, Parksville, March 21.   It has a V-shaped “comma” mark?   Is this indicative of Oreas?  Or do both Oreas and “Zephyr” have it?

Oreas Comma Polygonia oreas (Lep.: Nymphalidae)

Mark Wynja

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

2019 March 22

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  There was one California Toroiseshell on the Mount Tolmie reservoir last night (March 21), but nothing on Christmas Hill.

  Kirsten Mill writes:   Jeff Gaskin and I went butterflying around Victoria yesterday. Around noon we saw a Mourning Cloak behind Silver City. After that we went to Gordon Hart’s house for his Green Comma at 1:45 pm. There were 2 comma sp. also at Francis/King Park’s parking lot. At around 3:30 pm I went to the Swan Lake nature house and there was a Mourning Cloak flying around.

Green Comma Polygonia faunus

(Lep.: Nymphalidae)

Kirsten Mills

   Today, March 22, Kirsten found a Green Comma at 1:30 pm at Butchart’s Gardens.

Green Comma Polygonia faunus

(Lep.: Nymphalidae)

Kirsten Mills

2019 March 21

   Marie O’Shaughnessy writes: Here are three examples of Kirsten Mills’s  beautiful California Tortoiseshell  find today, March 20th, at Mount Tolmie at  5.30pm. Seen close to the reservoir.  One was hovering and settling on Oregon Grape.  I only saw two, and they were different as seen in the photos I have submitted. I also saw a Mourning Cloak in Outerbridge Park around noon,  March 17th, but it flew off before I could get a photo of it.

California Tortoiseshell  Nymphalis californica (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy

California Tortoiseshell  Nymphalis californica (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy

California Tortoiseshell  Nymphalis californica (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy

   Mark Wynja writes:  On March 20th at km 25 of Nanaimo River Road I observed a California Tortoiseshell.  It perched on my vehicle, tripod, my hat and back repeatedly. At one point I also had to remove it from the open trunk of my car.

California Tortoiseshell  Nymphalis californica (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Mark Wynja

California Tortoiseshell  Nymphalis californica (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Mark Wynja

California Tortoiseshell  Nymphalis californica (Lep.: Nymphalidae)

Mark Wynja

2019 March  20 evening

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  I don’t think I have ever done three postings in a day before – but this one can’t wait.  It is hill-topping time on Mount Tolmie again.  At 4:30 this afternoon, three apparently pristine-fresh California Tortoiseshells were besporting themselves on the reservoir atop Mount Tolmie.  They were putting on a tremendous display, chasing each other around, and showing off their beautiful wings.  They were attracting the attention of other people o n the reservoir – it has to be pretty spectacular for that to happen.  When I got there at 4:40, Kirsten Mills was already there and she had already photographed one of them, seen below.

  Butterfliers should note that nymphalid and other butterflies typically hill-top in the late afternoon and early evening.  As well as Mount Tolmie, it would be worth checking Mount Douglas, Christmas Hill and Highrock Hill.

California Tortoiseshell Nymphalis californica (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Kirsten Mills