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.

February 7

2021 February 7

 

   This morning we have two difficult ones.   First a photograph by Rosemary Jorna, Kemp Lake, of a maggot on a maple tree.   Jeremy Tatum writes:

 

I am almost certain, or I think I can even say certain, that it is the larva of a dipteran.  I think we can go so far as to say Suborder Nematocera.  It may be pushing it a bit to suggest perhaps Family Mycetophilidae, fungus gnats.

 

Just possibly fungus gnat (Dip.: Mycetophilidae)  Rosemary Jorna

   Next, two organisms photographed at Victoria Airport by Jody Wells, February 6.  The larger of the two organisms is not an invertebrate, but is Sialia currucoides (Aves – Passeriformes – Turdidae).  I think Jody is right in suggesting Hymenoptera for the smaller of the two.  Maybe we can go so far as to suggest Superfamily Ichneumonoidea.

 

Mountain Bluebird with ichneumonoidean     Jody Wells

 

 

 

 

February 6

2021 February 6

 

    Gordon Hart writes from the Highlands:  The sunshine yesterday (Friday, February 5) brought out an early Drone Fly Eristalis tenax sunning itself on a frond of Polypodium glycyrrhiza (Liquorice Fern).  I am basing the identification on a photo from the same area last year on March 10.  [Agreed!  – Jeremy Tatum]

 


Eristalis tenax (Dip.:  Syrphidae) Gordon Hart

 

   Rosemary Jorna writes from Kemp Lake:  I have been keeping track of our Nearctula species snails. It varies from day to day but yesterday I counted 68 on the seven trunks in our Big Leaf Maple group. I’ve kept a daily record and have just sent it off to K. Ovaska. I wonder what they will make of next week’s cold and snow?

 


Nearctula sp. (Pul.: Vertiginidae)  Rosemary Jorna

Snout mite (Acari:  Bdellidae)  Rosemary Jorna

 

February 2

2021 February 2

 

  Jochen Möhr writes from Metchosin:  Finally some life on the wall in the form of two caddisflies.

Libby Avis identifies them as from the Family Limnephilidae, almost certainly Psychoglypha bella.

 


Psychoglypha bella (Tri.: Limnephilidae)  Jochen Möhr

 

January 30

2021 January 30

 

    Jeremy Tatum writes:  I found this Phigalia plumogeraria at the Swan Lake Nature House today.  This is a male – the female has no functional wings and cannot fly.  The male has very nice bipectinate antennae – but this individual was too sleepy to show them.  This is usually one of the first macro moths to appear in the year.  The next one to be expected is probably the noctuid woodling Egira hiemalis.  We look forward to seeing one soon.

 


Phigalia plumogeraria (Lep.:  Geometridae)   Jeremy Tatum

January 20

2021 January 20

 

    Two photographs by Ian Cooper from the 9 km marker, Galloping Goose, January 19.

The first is a “leatherjacket” – the larva of a crane fly, most likely Tipula paludosa.

 

Probably Tipula paludosa (Dip.: Tipulidae)    Ian Cooper

   Next is a running crab spider of the Family Philodromidae.  Dr Robb Bennett says genus Philodromus or Rhysodromus.

 

Running crab spider  Philodromus/Rhysodromus (Ara.: Philodromidae)  Ian Cooper

 

 

Jochen Möhr photographed this micro moth in Metchosin.  We don’t know what it is, although Libby Avis suggests possibly from the large depressariid  genus Agonopterix.

 

Possibly Depressariidae    Jochen Möhr