2021 May 23 evening

      Moths of the geometrid genus Eupithecia are called “pugs”.  Most of the caterpillars feed on flowers.  Here is one from near Blenkinsop Lake on a flower of Rosa nutkana.  In Klaus Bolte’s 1990 study of 62 species of pugs in Canada, he lists Rosa as the foodplant of only one species:  E. maestosa.  Whether the one in this photograph is this species, we shall have to wait and see.

Eupithecia sp. (Lep.: Geometridae)    Jeremy Tatum

   Diane Crowther reports seeing a Two-banded (Checkered or Grizzled) Skipper Pyrgus ruralis on May 16, fluttering along along above and landing on the dirt tracks which follow the hydro line near the south border of the Hartland Mountain Bike Park.

  Rosemary Jorna reports that she had only a brief hour at the Sooke Potholes on May 21.  She saw 2 Western Spring Azures,  3 or more Pale Tiger Swallowtails and this Mylitta Crescent. The blue posed nicely but the Myllita Cresent led her a merry dance.

Western Spring Azure Celastrina echo (Lep.: Lycaenidae)   Rosemary Jorna

Mylitta Crescent Phyciodes mylitta (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Rosemary Jorna

   The Grizzled Skipper and Mylitta Crescent are nice sightings – these two species are not seen here all that often these days.

2021 May 23 morning

   Jeremy Tatum shows an Acronicta impleta from Blinkhorn Lake.

Acronicta impleta (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jeremy Tatum

   Mike McGrenere sends a photograph of a Propertius Duskywing from Mount Douglas, May 19.

Propertius Duskywing Erynnis propertius (Lep.: Hesperiidae)   Mike McGrenere

   Aziza Cooper writes:  On May 22, I found two Silvery Blues at the roadside daisy/lupin patch in Colwood, on Sooke Road where it meets the Trans Canada Highway. One butterfly was pristine and one had some wing damage.

  Aziza adds:  On May 21 at Tod Creek Flats there was one Western Tiger Swallowtail, and there was another one on May 22 at Christmas Hill. A Propertius Duskywing was also at Christmas Hill.

Silvery Blue Glaucopsyche lygdamus (Lep.: Lycaenidae)   Aziza Cooper

Silvery Blue Glaucopsyche lygdamus (Lep.: Lycaenidae)   Aziza Cooper

Silvery Blue Glaucopsyche lygdamus (Lep.: Lycaenidae)   Aziza Cooper

   A miscellany from Rosemary Jorna.  Aphids from lupin at Sooke Potholes;  jumping spider from Kemp Lake;  sawfly larvae from gooseberry at  Whiffin Spit:

Macrosiphum albifrons (Hem.: Aphididae)   Rosemary Jorna

Phidippus johnsohni (Ara.: Salticidae)  Rosemary Jorna

Gooseberry sawfly Nematus ribesii (Hym.: Tenthredinidae)  Rosemary Jorna

2021 May 22

   Val George reports the following butterflies from Mount Douglas on May 16:  22 Cabbage Whites; 2 Western Spring Azures; one each of Sara Orangetip, Propertius Duskywing, Pale Tiger Swallowtail, Western Tiger Swallowtail and Painted Lady.   Val also reports two Painted Ladies on the summit of Mount Douglas, May 21.  Photograph of one of them below.

Painted Lady  Vanessa cardui (Lep.: Nymphalidae)   Val George

     Mike McGrenere reports a Mourning Cloak from Livesay Road, Central Saanich, May 18.  And on May 22, Mike McGrenere and Jeremy Tatum saw a Mourning Cloak and a Satyr Comma along Lochside Trail north of Blenkinsop Lake.

     Jeremy Tatum shows a Raspberry Weevil and a California Snout Moth.  The caterpillar of the moth, which fed on Stinging Nettle, was shown on May 9.

Otiorhynchus singularis (Col.: Curculionidae)   Jeremy Tatum

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

2021 May 20

   Jeff Gaskin saw 19 Ringlets today in Layritz Park or the disc playing field area,  and 5 more at Markham Road by Viaduct Flats.

A Propertius Duskywing  was photographed by Greg McKillop on Mount Douglas this morning.

Propertius Duskywing Erynnis propertius  (Lep.: Hesperiidae)  Greg McKillop

   Rosemary Jorna writes:  We took a walk at the Sooke Potholes today  I was disappointed by the complete lack of butterflies. We  came down to our favourite beach and there were a dozen or more Swallowtails flying about and puddling.   There were about 4 Western Tiger Swallowtails and 8 or more Pale Tiger Swallowtails – 3 to 8 puddling and the rest flying overland around the pool and beach.  We watched them for about a half hour.  They were gradually losing interest in that patch of wet sand.

Two Western Tiger Swallowtails Papilio rutulus and two Pale Tiger Swallowtails P. eurymedon

(Lep.: Papilionidae)          Rosemary Jorna

One Western Tiger Swallowtail Papilio rutulus and three Pale Tiger Swallowtails P. eurymedon

(Lep.: Papilionidae)          Rosemary Jorna

 Philodromus sp. (Ara.: Philodromidae)  Rosemary Jorna

2021 May 20 morning

   Identification updates.  Libby Avis points out that a moth I had labelled on May 17 as Venusia sp is actually Lobophora sp.  And a caterpillar on May 16, which I had speculated might be Polygonia faunus, has now been confirmed as that species.  I have made the necessary changes to these pages.

   On consecutive days, May 18, 19, Derrick Marvin had two of our largest and most spectacular moths in his Duncan garden:

Smerinthus ophthalmica (Lep.: Sphingidae)  Derrick Marven

Hyalophora euryalus (Lep.: Saturniidae)   Derrick Marven

   Jeff Gaskin reports a latish Sara Orangetip  by the parking lot at Thetis Lake Park, May 19.