2020 September 13

   Jeremy Tatum writes:   As I left my Saanich apartment this morning, I saw a Nepytia phantasmaria on the front door of my apartment building, and then, as I arrived at UVic, there was one on the front door of the Elliott Building at the University to greet me.  Then, when I switched on my computer, there were more messages awaiting me about this moth.  Gordon Hart tells me that the outbreak of this moth – the Phantom Hemlook Looper  – covers much of southern British Columbia.  Gordon writes that the only butterflies or moths he saw at Maber Flats on September 11 were Pieris rapae and Nepytia phantasmaria.

   Sharon Godkin writes that Powell River (not actually on Vancouver Island, but close)  was  covered with these moths – on windows, sidings, roads, grass, trees, and clouds fluttering in the air around the Douglas Firs in some areas.  These moths were everywhere, fluttering in the grass, in the conifers, on the grounds, in the weedy shrub beds;  basically on anything.  Although the larval foodplant is Western Hemlock and other conifers, these moths were laying their eggs everywhere, even on grass.

   While at Maber Flats on September 11, Gordon photographed a spreadwing damselfly, identified for us by Dr Rob Cannings as a female probable Spotted Spreadwing Lestes congener.  Rob writes:   …the very thin pale thoracic stripes and the apparent step-like rear edge of the dark stripe seen just to the left of the hind femur. A side view would have been conclusive — I’m pretty sure but not positive.  Very common at this time of year.

Female probable Spotted Spreadwing Lestes congener (Odo.: Lestidae)  Gordon Hart

Much more tomorrow…

2020 September 12

   Jeremy Tatum writes:   I was just about to post my photograph below of a Nepytia phantasmaria, which was on the glass door of the Swan Lake Nature House this afternoon, when I received this message from Robb Bennett: “I’m on Hornby Island. There are a great many of these flying around.  Can you enlighten?”

  I didn’t even look at Robb’s photograph before replying that they were Nepytia phastasmaria.  Luck was with me, for, when I looked at his photograph I saw that I was right!  Robb continues: “They were ‘all over the place’ on Hornby Island this week. I arrived there on Wednesday afternoon and there were quite a few flying around then, and lots came to lights that evening. After that, they didn’t seem to come to lights after dark any more but still lots ‘all over the place’ during the day.”

  This is quite a phenomenal year for the species.  Until I saw one in a UVic car park a few days ago, I’d never seen one, writes Jeremy.

Nepytia phantasmaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jeremy Tatum

Nepytia phantasmaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Robb Bennett

   Jeremy continues:   Here’s the caterpillar of a Peppered Moth Biston betularia first shown when young on August 30, now full grown:

Biston betularia (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jeremy Tatum

     Jeremy Tatum writes:  Aziza Cooper sends a photograph of an “insect” from Uplands Park.  Users of this site have, I think, become terrified of using the word “bug” when writing to this site.  Fear not, Aziza, you could safely have used the word with this insect, for it is indeed a bug.  It is a nymph of a bug, almost certainly of the Family Pentatomidae, but beyond that, I cannot go.  If any viewer can help, please let us know.

Nymph of bug (Hem.: Pentatomidae)  Aziza Cooper

   Jochen Möhr’s moths from Metchosin this morning:

2 Agriphila sp.

1 Eupithecia graefii

1 Drepanulatrix sp.

1 Fishia illocata

1 Lithomoia germana

3 Pleromelloida cinerea

2 Tetracis probably pallulata

1 Zenophleps lignicolorata

   The first of Jochen’s photographs below is of an amazing moth.  Believe it or not (and I had some difficulty believing it when Libby told me last year) it is a noctuid, not at all related to the Unicorn Prominent and its relatives in the Family Notodontidae.  Is this Müllerian or Batesian mimicry? Or neither?  Just convergent evolution and not mimicry at all?  Who knows?

Lithomoia germana (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Zenophleps lignicolorata (Lep.: Geometridae)   Jochen Möhr

Eupithecia graefii (Lep.: Geometridae)   Jochen Möhr

2020 September 11 evening

   Jochen Möhr’s moths in Metchosin this morning:

4 Agriphila (perhaps straminella)

1 Drepanulatrix  (perhaps monicaria)

1 Eulithis xylina

1 Eupithecia tripunctaria

1 Feltia jaculifera

1 Fishia illocata

4 Neoalcis californiaria 

1 Plemyria georgii

1 Pleromelloida cinerea

1 Tetracis jubararia/pallulata

1 Xanthorhoe defensaria 

Eupithecia tripunctaria  (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Drepanulatrix (perhaps monicaria) (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Fishea illocata (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Pleromelloida cinerea (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Tetracis pallulata/jubararia (Lep.: Geometridae) Jochen Möhr

2020 September 11 morning

   Gordon Hart photographed a caddisfly in the Highlands area on September 9, identified by Libby Avis as Lenarchus (probably rho).

Caddisfly Lenarchus (probably rho) (Tri.: Limnephilidae)  Gordon Hart

  Val George writes:  Phantom Hemlock Loopers Nepytia phantasmaria seem to be everywhere this year.  I was in Campbell River yesterday morning, September 10, to see the Snowy Plover on the beach just south of the town and was quite surprised to see at least half a dozen of these moths flying around over the seaweed-covered rocks.  The attached photo is of one that was settled on a patch of sand.

Nepytia phantasmaria (Lep.: Geometridae) Val George

2020 September 10 evening

   Gordon Hart writes from Highlands:  I counted about 70 Nepytia phantasmaria last night, and this morning they were also scattered through the grass. I was out at Pedder Bay this morning, doing a bird walk, and I noticed many moths of this species fluttering here and there.   Today, Thursday, September 10, we saw a fresh Painted Lady Vanessa cardui on the Buddleia in the Highlands. The Buddleia has started to flower again, so it is attracting insects day and night. Last night, two Neoalcis californiaria were on it.

Painted Lady Vanessa cardui (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Gordon Hart