2022 August 1

    Gordon Hart sends photographs of a bug that he found on a potted geranium at his Highlands home.   We cannot be certain, but we think this may be a nymph of a Stilt Bug (Berytidae).

Maybe a nymph of a Stilt Bug (Hem.: Berytidae)  Gordon Hart

Maybe a nymph of a Stilt Bug (Hem.: Berytidae)  Gordon Hart

Ren Ferguson sends a photograph of a moth photographed today on Salt Spring Island:

 Hesperumia sulphuraria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Ren Ferguson

Jody Wells sends photographs of a

Caterpillar  on a  path near Glencoe Cove park July 29^th

Common Whitetail ..Low Tide.. area accessed from  Helmcken Park July  20^th

Eight-spotted Skimmer July 27^th  Pendray’s out near Victoria Airport

Smerinthus ophthalmica (Lep.: Sphingidae)  Jody Wells

Common Whitetail Plathemis lydia (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Jody Wells

Eight-spotted Skimmer Libellula forensis (Odo.: Libellulidae)

   Jochen Möhr sends photographs from Metchosin today.  If any viewer can identify the crane fly, please do let us know.  [Later:  This appeal worked!  Libby Avis has identified it as Tipula vittatipennis.]

Macaria lorquinaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Macaria lorquinaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Lophocampa argentata (Lep.: Erebidae – Arctiinae)  Jochen Möhr

Crane fly Tipula vittatipennis (Dip.: Tipulidae)  Jochen Möhr

Jeremy Tatum sends a photograph of a noctuid moth from Swan Lake.  Libby Avis suggests that it may be a species from the large and difficult genus Lacinipolia.

Probably Lacinipolia sp. (Lep.: Noctuidae) Jeremy Tatum

2022 July 31

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  From time to time I make mistakes, large or small, or one sort or another, in the Invert Alert postings.  I am sure some viewers must notice them.  Please, if you spot a mistake of any sort, please do let me know:  jtatum at uvic dot ca     I shall not be in the least annoyed.  Quite the opposite, I shall be exceedingly grateful.   It is a very easy matter for me to make corrections.

    Barb McGrenere writes:  Yesterday morning, Mike and I walked up Observatory Hill.  We saw 1 Western Tiger Swallowtail, 1 Cabbage White, 1 tattered Painted Lady nectaring on purple flowers in the garden area in front of the main office building, and 1 Lorquin’s Admiral.

Aziza Cooper sends photographs of a butterfly and a bee from Swan Lake today.

Western Tiger Swallowtail Papilio rutulus (Lep.: Papilionidae) Aziza Cooper

Bombus fervidus (Hym.: Apidae)  Aziza Cooper

         Steven Roias writes:  The bee is Bombus fervidus californicus. According to recent genetic research B. californicus and B. fervidus are the same species, despite morphological differences. Because the western type looks so different, I refer to them as California Bumblebee, but note that they are still B. fervidus.

Bruce Whittington sends a photograph of a female Blue-eyed Darner from Ladysmith.  We thank Dr Rob Cannings for the identification.

Rhionaeschna multicolor (Odo.: Aeshnidae)  Bruce Whittington

2022 July 30

    Jeremy Tatum writes:  There have been no moths at the rear door of my Saanich apartment building for weeks, but the dearth of moths was broken this morning with great excitement by the appearance of no less than a Brown House Moth, whose chief point of interest is perhaps the length of its scientific name.

Hofmannophila pseudospretella (Lep.: Oecophoridae)  Jeremy Tatum

Carl Hughes sends a photograph of a pair of Leopard Slugs (also called Great Grey Slugs) in cop.   They hang from a slimy rope and twist themselves around each other.

Limax maximus (Pul.: Limacidae)  Carl Hughes

2022 July 29

    Cheryl  Hoyle sends another spider picture from View Royal.  Dr Robb Bennett writes:  Yes to Eratigena.  Likely duellica.  A male, perhaps juvenile.

Eratigena (probably duellica) (Ara.: Agelenidae)  Cheryl Hoyle

Jochen Möhr sends a moth picture from Metchosin.  Libby Avis writes:  Macaria lorquinaria. Had a couple of them here [Port Alberni] too last week.

Macaria lorquinaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Jeremy  Tatum writes:  On July 15 we showed a picture of a tiny second instar caterpillar of a Red Admiral.  Let us see what progress it has made just 12 days later on July 27:

Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Jeremy Tatum

2022 July 28

    Cheryl Hoyle sends a photograph of Araneus diadematus from View Royal yesterday.

Araneus diadematus (Ara.:  Araneidae)  Cheryl Hoyle