2022 July 9 afternoon
Mike Yip writes from Nanoose: Nothing new, but a nice comparison of the Western and Pale Tiger Swallowtail and two dragons.
Western Tiger Swallowtail Papilio rutulus and Pale Tiger Swallowtail P. eurymedon (Lep.: Papilionidae)
Mike Yip
Blue-eyed Darner Rhionaeschna multicolor (Odo.: Aeshnidae) Mik Yip
Common Green Darner Anax junius (Odo.: Aeshnidae) Mike Yip
2022 July 9 morning
Aziza Cooper writes from Mount Tolmie on the evening of July 8: I saw eight species of butterfly: two each of Red Admiral and Lorquin’s Admiral, three each of Western Tiger Swallowtail and Painted Lady, and one each of Pale Tiger Swallowtail, Anise Swallowtail and Cabbage White. Down the hill there were at least four Essex Skippers. Aziza sends photographs of various creatures from Mount Tolmie and from Royal Roads University.
Essex Skipper Thymelicus lineola (Lep.: Hesperiidae) Aziza Cooper
Anise Swallowtail Papilio zelicaon (Lep.: Papilionidae) Aziza Cooper
Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta (Lep.: Nymphalidae) Aziza Cooper
Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta (Lep.: Nymphalidae) Aziza Cooper
Satyr Comma Polygonia satyrus (Lep.: Nymphalidae) Aziza Cooper
Ladybird beetle pupa (Col.: Coccinellidae) Aziza Cooper
Probably a syrphid fly (Dip.: Syrphidae) Aziza Cooper
Banana Slug Ariolimax columbianus (Pul.: Arionidae) Aziza Cooper
Libby Avis sends photographs from Port Alberni, July 8 and 9, of two moths new to Invertebrate Alert. Of Aphomia sociella she writes: It’s an introduced species from Europe. Larvae develop inside nests of bees and wasps. Seems to be becoming more common in BC. I had never seen it here in Port Alberni until two weeks ago. Since then have had five of them at the light, most recently this morning (July 9th).
Apamea vultuosa (Lep.: Noctuidae) Libby Avis
Aphomia sociella (Lep.: Pyralidae) Libby Avis
2022 July 8 evening
Jochen Möhr sends a photograph of Apamea maxima from his Metchosin home this morning. Invertebrate Alert has only one previous record of this species – from Sidney Island, 2014 May 25.
Apamea maxima (Lep.: Noctuidae) Jochen Möhr
Jochen also writes: Today, I spotted several Lorquin’s Admirals, several Swallowtails, among them repeatedly an Anise Swallowtail, and also a larger paler specimen, as well as a Mourning Cloak.
2022 July 8 morning
Marie O’Shaughnessy writes: At 2:00 pm on July 7th, I stopped by Mount Tolmie for 30 minutes, hoping to find a Painted Lady. This lovely bright, orange butterfly flew in for 10-15 seconds up at the summit, and was soon gone. I thought to myself: “ That isn’t a Painted Lady” , so I had to do some research to find out what it was. Jeff Gaskin confirmed that it was a West Coast Lady.
Jeremy Tatum writes: This is the first West Coast Lady reported to Invertebrate Alert since 2019.
West Coast Lady Vanessa annabella (Lep.: Nymphalidae) Marie O’Shaughnessy
Jeremy Tatum writes: The Woolly Bear caterpillar shown on May 30 produced this spectacular Garden Tiger Moth last night. I released it along Lochside Drive near Lohbrunner Road – and promptly found another caterpillar within yards of where I released the moth.
Garden Tiger Moth Arctia caja (Lep.: Erebidae – Arctiinae) Jeremy Tatum
Jochen Möhr sends photographs of two moths from Metchosin this morning. The first below is familiar enough, but the second, identified for us by Libby Avis as Perizoma grandis, is a new species for this site, which was started in March 2010.
Female Malacosoma californicum (Lep.: Lasiocampidae) Jochen Möhr
Perizoma grandis (Lep.: Geometridae) Jochen Möhr
2022 July 7 afternoon
Aziza Cooper sends photographs of a Lorquin’s Admiral from near Blenkinsop Lake, and a Cardinal Meadowhawk from Cedar Hill golf course, July 7.
Lorquin’s Admiral Limenitis lorquini (Lep.: Nymphalidae) Aziza Cooper
Cardinal Meadowhawk Sympetrum illotum (Odo.: Libellulidae) Aziza Cooper