2017 May 30

   Marie O’Shaughnessy sends a photograph of a pristine fresh Painted Lady from Uplands Park, May 29.

Painted Lady Vanessa cardui (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy

   Bryan Gates sends a photograph of Callizzia amorata from Saratoga Beach, near Oyster River.  The caterpillar feeds on species of honeysuckle Lonicera sp.

Callizzia amorata (Lep.: Uraniidae – Epipleminae) Bryan Gates

2017 May 29, morning

   Dar Churcher shows a female European Earwig from Colwood.   The males have much more strongly curved pincers.

Common Earwig Forficula auricularia (Der.: Forficulidae)  Dar Churcher

   Below is another specimen of a tineid cocoon found by Dar Churcher.  The cocoons were found outside on the exterior of a tin shed or from the stucco or cedar siding of the house in Colwood.  Although it is difficult to be certain of the exact species without seeing the adult moth, Dar suggests (and Jeremy agrees) that it is quite likely to be Phereoeca uterella.

 Probably Phereoeca uterella (Lep.: Tineidae)  Dar Churcher

Thanks to Rob Higgins for identifying the ant below as a member of the genus Formica (probably species group fusca).  Its prey is the larva of a sawfly.

Ant (Formica sp.) with sawfly larva    Dar Churcher

Jeremy Tatum shows a Raspberry Weevil from the wall of his Saanich apartment building today.

Raspberry Weevil  Otiorhyncus singularis (Col.: Curculionidae)  Jeremy Tatum

The caterpillar below was found on Douglas Fir at Tower Point yesterday.

Neoalcis californiaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jeremy Tatum

Jeremy Tatum writes: Below is a Two-banded Grizzled Skipper.  It came from an egg found last year by Devon Parker, shown on 2016 May 15.  The caterpillar (fed on trailing blackberry and wild strawberry) was shown on 2016 June 11, and the pupa on 2016 October 8.  I released the adult butterfly along the Munn Road power line yesterday, where the species is known to occur and where there are lots of trailing blackberry and strawberry plants, and a safe distance from the Willow Flycatcher that is singing there.  It flew a little way, and then settled, wings wide open, on a pristine fresh Thimbleberry flower where it nectared for a few minutes.  Then off it flew to seek further adventures.  Also in that area were several Western Spring Azures and a Western Brown Elfin.

Two-banded Grizzled Skipper Pyrgus ruralis (Lep.: Hesperiidae)  Jeremy Tatum

2017 May 28

   Sheryl Falls sends a photograph of Adela septentrionella from Nanoose.

Adela septentrionella (Lep.: Incurvariidae)  Sheryl Falls

   Dar Churcher sends a photograph of the mayfly Callibaetis ferrugineus from Colwood.

Callibaetis ferrugineus  (Eph.: Baetidae)  Dar Churcher

   The picture below shows on the left the cocoon of a case-bearing clothes moth. Sticking out from the cocoon is the cast skin of the pupa, the adult moth having already left.  We have had some guesses as to what the exact species might be, but for safety we’ll label this just down to Family level.

Clothes moth (Lep.: Tineidae)  Dar Churcher

   More pics to show – but they will have to wait until tomorrow!   Jeremy Tatum

2017 May 27

   Samantha Hatfield sends a photograph of a Cabbage White from the North Jubilee area.

Cabbage White Pieris rapae (Lep.: Pieridae)  Samantha Hatfield

    Dar Churcher sends a photograph of a click beetle, Agriotes lineatus, from Colwood, May 22.   The white dots may be pollen grains – at any rate, they’re not part of the beetle!

 Agriotes lineatus (Col.: Elateridae)  Dar Churcher

2017 May 26

   The present unaccustomed warm and sunny weather is producing lots of fine photos of invertebrates.

Here is another photo of a young Dot-tailed Whiteface by Gordon Hart.

Dot-tailed Whiteface Leucorrhinia intacta (Odo.: Libellulidae) Gordon Hart

Mike Yip writes from Nanoose Bay:  Butterfly activity was definitely up yesterday (May 25). I was working in the garden when a dark brown medium-small butterfly fluttered in and landed on a rhubarb leaf. I was close enough to see that it was a Propertius Duskywing. Of course, it was gone by the time I got my camera, but it was replaced by a light brown butterfly that landed on a raspberry leaf. It turned out to be a Cedar Hairstreak which allowed one quick photo before darting away. A few minutes later a one-tailed Pale Tiger Swallowtail flew in and started nectaring on the lilacs. Meanwhile Cabbage Whites and Western Spring Azures were common. With all that activity I decided to check Cross Road, which was only 2 km away. As expected the Western Tailed Blues and Western Brown Elfins were at the beginning of the trail and the lone Western Pine Elfin was on the same fern waiting for a mate. The only new butterflies were two first-of-year Grey Hairstreaks.

Mike’s tiger swallowtail below is of interest.  It looks rather too yellow and not white enough for a Pale Tiger Swallowtail, but the width of the black bands and the orange crescent near the tail point to a Pale Tiger rather than to a Western Tiger.  While most of our tiger swallowtails are relatively easily told apart, occasionally we get one that can be puzzling.  We’re going to label this one Pale!

Pale Tiger Swallowtail Papilio eurymedon (Lep.: Papilionidae) Mike Yip

Western Tailed Blue Everes amyntula (Lep.: Lycaenidae) Mike Yip

Grey Hairstreak Strymon melinus (Lep.: Lycaenidae) Mike Yip

Cedar Hairstreak Mitoura rosneri (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Mike Yip

Western Brown Elfin Incisalia iroides (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Mike Yip

   Thank you, Sean McCann for identifying the cuckoo bee below.

Cuckoo bee Nomada sp.(Hym.: Apidae – Nomadinae)  Mike Yip

   Daniel Dönnecke writes: While on Hornby Island this last weekend I noticed that there were butterflies out which frequently distracted me from bird watching. There was a swallowtail, many duskywings, an anglewing (comma) and this Western Pine Elfin.

Also while mowing my lawn this afternoon I flushed a small butterfly from a young Sitka Spruce. It landed again and I got a picture of it.  [Jeremy Tatum writes:  This one is a little past its sell-by date.  I am torn between Western Brown Elfin and Cedar Hairstreak.  I would be interested in opinions (with reasons!)]

Western Pine Elfin Incisalia eryphon (Lep.: Lycaenidae) Daniel Dönnecke

Western Brown Elfin?  Cedar Hairstreak?  Opinions, anyone?

Daniel Dönnecke

Two more from Daniel.   Commas are notoriously difficult to identify from upperside alone, but Jeremy Tatum thinks this one is most likely a Green Comma.  Opinions welcome.

 Probably Green Comma Polygonia faunus (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Daniel Dönnecke

Propertius Duskywing Erynnis propertius (Lep.: Hesperiidae) Daniel Dönnecke

Some spider photographs by Dar Churcher from Colwood.   Not sure what the spiderlings are on the first photograph.  They are most likely Araneus diadematus, but they could be another species.

Probably Araneus diadematus (Ara.: Araneidae) Dar Churcher

   The following were identified by Sean McCann.

Salticus scenicus (Ara.: Salticidae)  Dar Churcher

Platycryptus californicus (Ara.: Salticidae)

Platycryptus californicus (Ara.: Salticidae) Dar Churcher

Samantha Hatfield sends a photograph of an Anise Swallowtail in the act of ovipositing on some Fennel at Shelbourne and Haultain Streets.

Anise Swallowtail Papilio zelicaon (Lep.: Papilionidae)

Jeremy Tatum writes:  The micro below is probably the same species as the micro shown on May 16.  The caterpillars looked very similar, except that the May 16 one was found and reared on Snowberry, and today’s was found and reared on Stinging Nettle.

Olethreutes glaciana (Lep.: Tortricidae)   Jeremy Tatum

   Val George writes:  Here is a photo of a Four-spotted Skimmer Libellula quadrimaculata taken yesterday, May 25, at the Pike Lake Substation off Munn Road.  Also, today, May 26, I saw my first meadowhawk of the season,  a Cardinal Meadowhawk Sympetrum illotum on Thetis Island whilst on a trip with the Cowichan Valley Naturalists.

Four-spotted Skimmer Libellula quadrimaculata (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Val George