2020 September 7 morning

   Gordon Hart writes:  Last night, (Saturday  September 5), I turned on the porch lights for a couple of hours, and I saw 5 Neoalcis californiaria, 6 or 8 small moths (crambid snout moths and tortricid moths I think ) and one larger geometrid, Nepytia phantasmaria.  

   Jeremy Tatum remarks:  The only previous photograph of this species from the Victoria area on Invertebrate Alert since it started in 2010 was one – also by Gordon at his home – on 2014 September 23, although Libby photographed several in Port Alberni in 2017. 

Nepytia phantasmaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Gordon Hart

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  I was thinking of limiting the number of photographs of Neoalcis californiaria – one of our most frequently photographed insects – when the first moth to appear for weeks at my apartment back door arrived, and of course it had to be N. californiaria, and I couldn’t resist the temptation of photographing it.  So much for my attempt at placing a limit!  It seems to be one of our very commonest moths.

Neoalcis californiaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jeremy Tatum

2020 September 6 morning

   There are still Pine Whites to be seen in Metchosin and in the Kemp Lake area.  Yesterday  Jochen Möhr counted at least six from his Metchosin property  (that is, six seen simultaneously – though there could have been many more) and a further six elsewhere in Metchosin, while Rosemary Jorna photographed one in the Kemp Lake area:

Pine White Neophasia menapia (Lep.: Pieridae) Rosemary Jorna

Jochen also saw a Woodland Skipper, while Rosemary photographed the micro moth below:

Choreutis diana (Lep.: Choreutidae)  Rosemary Jorna

      Jochen’s moths from Metchosin this morning:

1 Alucita montana

1 Drepanulatrix sp.

2 Emmelina monodactyla 

1 Neoalcis californiaria 

1 Gazoryctra mathewi

   Gazoryctra mathewi  is a hepialid – we don’t get many of those!

Gazoryctra mathewi (Lep.: Hepialidae)  Jochen Möhr

Emmelina monodactyla (Lep.: Pterophoridae)   Jochen Möhr

Drepanulatrix secundaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

2020 September 5 afternoon

Message from Gordon Hart:

Hello, Butterfly Enthusiasts,

I am sorry to say that we have decided to cancel the September Butterfly Walk. The hot dry weather is nice, but there are very few butterflies to be seen in Victoria, except for Cabbage Whites and Woodland Skippers. I hope by next spring we will have lots of butterflies and the worst of the pandemic will be past.

I still encourage everyone to get out and enjoy the weather this weekend. If you see an interesting insect or butterfly, try to take a picture and submit your sightings to the VNHS Invertebrate Alert: https://www.vicnhs.bc.ca/?cat=8

Thanks,

Gordon 

Gordon Hart

Butterfly Count Coordinator

Victoria Natural History Society

  To which Jeremy Tatum adds:  Yes, by all means try to  take a picture – but a picture is not necessary for Invertebrate Alert – if you just see something of interest (and that includes any butterflies at all at this time of year) just let us know!

  Jochen Möhr’s moths from Metchosin this morning:

1 Eupithecia sp.

1 Lacinipolia pensilis

2 Neoalcis california 

1 Xestia finatimis complex sp.  

Neoalcis californiaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Neoalcis californiaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

   Ron Flower writes:  Today, Saturday September 5th, we went to Royal Roads University and in the lower walled garden we found many insects, I send these two to you. 

Paddle-tailed Darner Aeshna palmata (Odo.: Aeshnidae)  Ron Flower

Helophilus fasciatus (Dip.: Syrphidae)  Ron Flower

2020 September 5 morning

Message from Gordon Hart:

Hello, Butterfly Enthusiasts,

I am sorry to say that we have decided to cancel the September Butterfly Walk. The hot dry weather is nice, but there are very few butterflies to be seen in Victoria, except for Cabbage Whites and Woodland Skippers. I hope by next spring we will have lots of butterflies and the worst of the pandemic will be past.

I still encourage everyone to get out and enjoy the weather this weekend. If you see an interesting insect or butterfly, try to take a picture and submit your sightings to the VNHS Invertebrate Alert: https://www.vicnhs.bc.ca/?cat=8

Thanks,

Gordon 

Gordon Hart

Butterfly Count Coordinator

Victoria Natural History Society

  To which Jeremy Tatum adds:  Yes, by all means try to  take a picture – but a picture is not necessary for Invertebrate Alert – if you just see something of interest (and that includes any butterflies at all at this time of year) just let us know!

2020 September 4

   It has been a poor butterfly year, and there are almost none now in September, apart from a few Cabbage Whites.  I say “almost” none, for there are still a very few around.  Thus Jochen Möhr saw five Pine Whites simultaneously from his Metchosin property yesterday, as well as a Mourning Cloak, and Gordon Hart briefly saw a comma-like butterfly in his Highlands property, which, frustratingly, did not stay long enough to be identified.  He thought it was a little larger that a Green or Satyr Comma.  He also saw there a Cabbage White and a Woodland Skipper.

   Here is a male Pine White from Jochen’s property this morning. 

Pine White Neophasia menapia (Lep.: Pieridae)  Jochen Möhr

   Jochen Möhr’s moths from Metchosin this morning:

1 Euxos difformis

1 Feltia jaculifera

1 Nemoria darwiniata

3 Neoalcis californiaria 

1 Xestia finatimis complex

Neoalcis californiaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Neoalcis californiaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Xestia xanthographa (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Nemoria darwiniata (Lep.: Geometridae) Jochen Möhr

   At his Highlands property on September 2 , Gordon Hart saw  2 Neoalcis californiaria and two Xanthorhoe sp.