2022 October 1 morning

Jochen Möhr sends a photograph of a Tetracis moth from Metchosin.  We cannot be certain whether it is T. pallulata or T. jubararia.  Jeremy Tatum writes:  I am leaning towards pallulata, so I’ll put that name first.

Tetracis pallulata/jubararia (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Jeremy Tatum sends a photograph of Hypena californica. The caterpillar was shown on September 15 morning.

Hypena calfornica (Lep.: Erebidae – Hypeninae)  Jeremy Tatum

Cheryl Hoyle sends photographs from View Royal.

Alucita montana (Lep.: Alucitdae)  Cheryl Hoyle

Flutter fly Toxonevra muliebris (Dip: Pallopteridae)

Araneus diadematus (Ara.: Araneidae)  Cheryl Hoyle

Of the next one, Dr Robb Bennett writes:  Not sure!  I think it is a gnaphosid, genus Micaria.

Probably Micaria sp. (Ara.: Gnaphosidae)  Cheryl Hoyle

Ian Cooper sends photographs from the Galloping Goose Trail, near Harriet Road.

European Paper Wasp Polistes dominula (Hym.: Vespidae)

Ian Cooper

Seven-spotted Ladybird  Coccinella septempunctata (Col.:  Coccinellidae)
Ian Cooper

Greenbottle Lucilia sericata (Dip.: Calliphoridae) Ian Cooper

Honey Bee Apis mellifera  (Hym.: Apidae)  Ian Cooper

Marie O’Shaughnessy sends a photograph of a Spotted Tiger Moth caterpillar.

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

 Marie O’Shaughnessy

2022 September 30 evening

An all-butterfly edition

Colias Alert!

Yesterday, September 29, Marie Shaughnessy saw five sulphur butterflies.  One, at Lamont Road in Central Saanich,, was described as bright orange yellow, and was therefore presumably an Orange Sulphur.   The other four were at McIntyre reservoir, where Marie managed to get photographs of upper and undersides of two of them, and these seem to be male Clouded Sulphurs. 

Male Clouded Sulphur Colias philodice (Lep.: Pieridae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy

Male Clouded Sulphur Colias philodice (Lep.: Pieridae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy

Male Clouded Sulphur Colias philodice (Lep.: Pieridae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy

 Male Clouded Sulphur Colias philodice (Lep.: Pieridae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy

Male Clouded Sulphur Colias philodice (Lep.: Pieridae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy

Male Clouded Sulphur Colias philodice (Lep.: Pieridae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy

    The two Painted Ladies reportedfrom the top of Mount Tolmie on September 28 and 29 were still there in the evening of September 30, flying around the Jeffery Pine or resting on the road or on the summit.  Although worn, they still fly well, chasing each other vigorously as if it were spring.  Marie photographed the upperside and underside of one of them yesterday.

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

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

The day following Ian Cooper’s discovery of two Grey Hairstreak caterpillars (see yesterday’s posting) , Jeremy Tatum spotted (at 4:30 pm) an adult Grey Hairstreak perching on, and flying around, an oak at the top of Christmas Hill.

Cabbage Whites were seen at several locations today.  Today is September 30.  Are there butterflies to be seen in October?   Let us know!

More tomorrow…

2022 September 30 morning

    Colias Alert!   Yesterday Marie O’Shaughnessy saw four sulphurs at McIntyre reservoir and obtained astonishing photographs of the upperside.  I shan’t be able to post these until later in the day.  I want to examine the photographs carefully, but a hasty look suggests to me that they are quite likely Clouded Sulphurs, Colias philodice,  rather than our usual Orange Sulphurs.

2022 September  29

    Jeremy Tatum reports that the two Painted Ladies that Jeff Gaskin reported yesterday from Mount Tolmie were still there – near the Jeffery Pine – at 4:30 pm today,  Sepember 29.

Aziza Cooper shows a dorsal and a lateral view of a bug from Aylard Farm today:

Elasmostethus cruciatus (Hem.: Acanthosomatidae)  Aziza Cooper

Elasmostethus cruciatus (Hem.: Acanthosomatidae)  Aziza Cooper

Aslo at Aylard Farm Aziza photographed a Robin’s Pincushion or Bedeguar Gall on Dog Rose.  This gall is caused by the larvae of a gall wasp Diplolepis rosae.  The native Nootka Rose is apparently unaffected by it.

Diplolepis rosae (Hym.: Cynipidae)  Aziza Cooper

Ian Cooper photographed a caterpillar of a Grey Hairsteak butterfly today on Spear Mint at the side of the Galloping Goose trail near Harriet Road.

Grey Hairstreak Strymon melinus (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Ian Cooper

Grey Hairstreak Strymon melinus (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Ian Cooper

2022 September 28

    Jeff Gaskin writes:  On Sunday September 25, there were two Painted Ladies on the rocks at the top of Mount Tolmie.

    A selection of invertebrates from  Ian Cooper (Galloping Goose near Harriet Road) and Cheryl Hoyle (View Royal ).  Thanks for identifications to Scott Gilmore (beetles) and Libby Avis (moth and bug).

Canada Thistle Bud Weevil Larinus carlinae (Col.: Curculionidae) Ian Cooper

Lixus rubellus (Col.: Curculionidae)  Ian Cooper

A lateral view of this weevil was shown in yesterday’s Invertebrate Alert.

Araneus diadematus (Ara.: Araneidae)  Ian Cooper

Araneus diadematus (Ara.: Araneidae)  Ian Cooper

Araneus diadematus (Ara.: Araneidae)  Cheryl Hoyle

Mycetaulus sp. (Dip.: Piophilidae)  Ian Cooper

Opomyza sp. (Dip.: Opomyzidae)  Ian Cooper

Three additional views of this fly were shown in yesterday’s Invertebrate Alert.

Probably Privet Leafhopper Fieberiella florii (Hem.: Cicadellidae)  Cheryl Hoyle

Probably Privet Leafhopper Fieberiella florii (Hem.: Cicadellidae)  Cheryl Hoyle

Sunira decipiens (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Cheryl Hoyle