INVERTEBRATE ALERT
This blog provides an informal forum for terrestrial invertebrate watchers to post recent sightings of interesting observations in the southern Vancouver Island region. Please send your sightings by email to Jeremy Tatum (tatumjb352@gmail.com). Be sure to include your name, phone number, the species name (common or scientific) of the invertebrate you saw, location, date, and number of individuals. If you have a photograph you are willing to share, please send it along. Click on the title above for an index of past sightings.The index is updated most days.

May 19

2021 May 19

 

   Jeremy Tatum shows a photograph of Euceratia castella.  The caterpillar feeds on Snowberry.

 


Euceratia castella (Lep.: Plutellidae)   Jeremy Tatum

May 18

2021 May 18

 

   Yesterday, May 17, Aziza Cooper  found this Propertius Duskywing on the west slope of Mount Douglas.

 Propertius Duskywing Erynnis propertius (Lep.: Hesperiidae)   Aziza Cooper

 

And Gordon Hart found this Western Brown Elfin on Mount Tolmie.

 

Western Brown Elfin Incisalia iroides (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Gordon Hart

 

   Gordon photographed a damselfly and a dragonfly at his Highlands property.  We are most grateful to Dr Rob Cannings for identifying them.

 

Immature female Pacific Forktail Ischnura cervula (Odo.: Coenagrionidae)  Gordon Hart

 

Male California Darner Rhionaeschna californica (Odo.: Aeschnidae)  Gordon Hart

 

    Wendy Ansell writes:  Today, Gerry and I saw 1 Common Ringlet (Coenonympha tullia) at Island View Beach on the outer trail just before the Indian Reserve.

 

 

 

 

May 17 afternoon

2021 May 17 afternoon

 

    Jochen Möhr writes that on May 14 he saw three Propertius Duskywings at Weir’s Beach, two of them in copula.  He also writes:  I constantly see P. rapae  – up to three simultaneously on my Metchosin property.  I also saw Western Spring Azures on three occasions, without being able to document any of them, and similarly one Sara Orangetip and one Pale Tiger Swallowtail, each on one occasion since the beginning of May.

 

On May 16, he saw on his Metchosin property

1 Erynnis propertius

2 Papilio eurymedon

1 Papilio zelicaon

1 Meganola minuscula

1 Nadata gibbosa

1 Smerinthus ophthalmica (the third one this season, all different individuals)

2 Lobophora nivigerata/magnoliatoidea

 

Propertius Duskywings Erynnis propertius (Lep.: Hesperiidae)  Jochen Möhr


Meganola minuscula (Lep.: Nolidae)  Jochen Möhr)


Nadata gibbosa (Lep.: Notodontidae)   Jochen Möhr

 


Smerinthus ophthalmica (Lep.: Sphingidae)  Jochen Möhr


Lobophora nivigerata/magnoliatoidea (Lep.: Geometridae)   Jochen Möhr

   Jeff Gaskin writes:  Yesterday, May 16, I did my butterfly count at the Lochside trail north and south of Blenkinsop Lake.  I found a Red Admiral and a Satyr Comma by a patch of nettles about 100 metres south of the bridge.  Another Satyr Comma was north of the lake.  I also saw a Pale Tiger Swallowtail along Arbutus Road later in the day.

 

 

 

May 17 morning

2021 May 17 morning

 

   Aziza Cooper writes:

 

        Here is a small moth seen today, May 16, at Thomas Francis / Freeman King Park.

     Also here are two photos of Western Spring Azures, same date and place.

 


Mesoleuca gratulata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Aziza Cooper

 

Western Spring Azure Celastrina echo (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Aziza Cooper

 

Western Spring Azure Celastrina echo (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Aziza Cooper

 

     Jeremy Tatum writes:    Below are photographs of three flies obtained by Rosemary Jorna near Kemp Lake on May 5.   I haven’t managed to get identifications of them.  If anyone can help, please do let us know.   In the meantime, I am making wild guesses at them at Family level – please don’t take them for definitive identifications.

 

    My guess at the first one, below, is probably Tachinidae, though maybe Calliphoridae.

 

Fly 1 (Diptera)   Rosemary Jorna

 

    Fly 2 may possibly be Syrphidae:

 

Fly 2 (Diptera)   Rosemary Jorna

 

   And I think Fly 3 is probably Muscidae – maybe Helina  or Phaonia.

Fly 3 (Diptera)   Rosemary Jorna


May 16

2021 May 16

 

   Gordon Hart writes from Highlands:  On May 14, I saw my first Western Tiger Swallowtail here at home.  On May 15, we had a Pale Tiger Swallowtail, at least three Cabbage Whites, at least two Western Spring Azures, and a Green Comma.  The photograph below is of a Green Comma, May 13.

Green Comma Polygonia faunus (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Gordon Hart

 

 

Jeremy Tatum writes: Yesterday I found a tiny first-instar caterpillar, just out of the egg, on willow along the Panhandle trail off Munn Road.  I don’t know what it is, but I’m speculating that it may be the caterpillar of a Green Comma.  We may know better during its next instar.  [Added later:  It has subsequently been confirmed that the caterpillar is indeed that of a Green Comma.]

 

  Green Comma Polygonia faunus (Lep.: Nymphalidae)    Jeremy Tatum

   Jeremy continues:  Here is the pupa of Tetracis jubararia:

 


Tetracis jubararia (Lep.: Geometridae)   Jeremy Tatum