2021 April 29

   Jochen Möhr’s moths from  Metchosin this morning.  Thanks to Libby Avis, as ever, for identifications.

Jeremy Tatum writes:  According to the Index, we’ve had the first of these only once before on this site – and I can’t find the image!  Libby tells us that it is associated with oaks.

Meganola minuscula (Lep.: Nolidae)  Jochen Möhr

Sabulodes aegrotata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

American Lappet Moth Phyllodesma americana (Lep.: Lasiocampidae)  Jochen Möhr

Venusia obsoleta/pearsalli (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Venusia obsoleta/pearsalli (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

   Ron Flower writes: Out at the Goldstream River today April 29^th, I got this shot of a water strider and a surprise visit from a Pale Tiger Swallowtail. Seems early to me for them? What do you think? Also at the Munn Road power line we saw many Western Spring Azures and a fly-by of a comma.

  Jeremy Tatum writes: We usually have to wait until May for Pale Tiger Swallowwtails, but in 2016 the first was on April 21, and in 2015 the first was on April 19.

Pale Tiger Swallowtail  Papilio eurymedon (Lep.: Papilionidae) Ron Flower

Water Strider (Hem.: Gerridae)  Ron Flower

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  This afternoon I saw a Satyr Comma (my first of the season) and two Mourning Cloaks along the Lochside trail north of Blenkinsop Lake.

   2021 April 28 evening

   Jochen Möhr writes from Metchosin:  The Phyllodesma americana is still here and alive.  It was joined by a Cissusa indiscreta.

Cissusa indiscreta (Lep.: Erebidae – Erebinae)  Jochen Möhr

Cissusa indiscreta (Lep.: Erebidae – Erebinae)  Jochen Möhr

2021 April 28 morning

   Gordon Usipiuk sends a photograph of a colour variety of Coryphista meadii from  Colwood, near the east side of Havenwood Park, on 27 April.

Coryphista meadii (Lep.: Geometridae)  Gordon Usipiuk

   Regular viewers of this site may have noted that from time to time we have had great difficulty distinguishing between this species and Triphosa haesitata, and will wonder why, since Gordon’s moth is very distinct and looks nothing at all like T. haesitata.  C. meadii has several very distinct colour varieties, and it is only one of these varieties (a very common one) that closely resembles T. haesitata.  Notice that the fourth tooth on the outer margin of the hindwing is much smaller that the other teeth – a feature that is useful  when we are struggling to distinguish between the two species.  The larval foodplant of Coryphista meadii  is Mahonia.

2021 April 27

   After our recent hot spell, we are back to coolish wettish weather, and butterflies have become scarce again.  Thus Rosemary Jorna saw only one butterfly during a five-hour hike in the Sooke Hills yesterday.  It was her first-of-the-year Western Spring Azure, at Stone Pipe near Mary Vine Creek:

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

   Same with moths – Jochen Möhr had only one moth at his Metchosin home this morning – Venusia  obsoleta/pearsalli:

Venusia obsoleta/pearsalli (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

2021 April 26

    Jochen Möhr sends this photograph from Metchosin this morning.  Jeremy Tatum writes:  We usually put this one down as Eupithecia ravocostaliata/nevadata, but this time Jochen asked if differentiation was possible.  Well, Libby Avis and I did our best, but unfortunately it resulted in a split vote!   So, ravo/neva  it will have to remain!

Eupithecia ravocostaliata/nevadata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr