2020 July 16 morning

   Richard Rycraft sends a photograph of a Sheep Moth caterpillar from Uplands Park yesterday, where he also saw an Essex Skipper and two Lorquin’s Admirals.

Sheep Moth Hemileuca eglanterina (Lep.: Saturniidae)  Richard Rycraft

   Rosemary Jorna writes from Kemp Lake:  There has been a scarcity of Lorquin’s Admirals around this year. I had only seen the one I reported but did not photograph in early June. Usually I have seen them in number of locations.  On the other hand there are always 2 or 3 Cabbage Whites scouting out our Garden. Today I saw the first Lorquin’s Admiral in our yard challenging the Cabbage White.

Jeremy Tatum responds:  Yes, with the possible exception of the Essex Skipper, butterflies are worryingly scarce this year.  Observers are reporting whenever they see a single Lorquin’s Admiral or Western Tiger Swallowtail.  Even Cabbage Whites are not as abundant as usual.

Cabbage White Pieris rapae (Lep.: Pieridae)  Rosemary Jorna

Lorquin’s Admiral Limenitis lorquini (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Rosemary Jorna

Cardinal Meadowhawk Sympetrum illotum (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Rosemary Jorna

(Identity confirmed by Dr Rob Cannings)

   Annie Pang sends photographs of a jumping spider taken by her neighbour Belle Leon:

Phidippus johnsoni  (Ara.: Salticidae)  Belle Leon

Phidippus johnsoni  (Ara.: Salticidae)  Belle Leon

More this afternoon or evening…

2020 July 15 afternoon

   Jochen Möhr’s moths from Metchosin this morning:

1 Callizzia amorata

1 Drepana arcuata

2 perhaps Eudonia commortalis

2 Eulithis xylina

2 Hesperumia latipennis

1 Hesperumia sulphuraria

1 Hydriomena sp.

1 Nadata gibbosa

1 Nemoria darwiniata

1 Pero sp.

1 Properigea albimacula

1 Sicya crocearia 

Perhaps Eudonia commortalis (Lep.: Crambidae)

Jochen Möhr

Perhaps Eudonia commortalis (Lep.: Crambidae)

Jochen Möhr

Drepana arcuata (Lep.:  Drepanidae – Drepaninae)  Jochen Möhr

Eulithis xylina (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Hesperumia latipennis (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Hesperumia sulphuraria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Callizzia amorata (Lep.: Uraniidae)  Jochen Möhr

Nadata gibbosa (Lep.: Notodontidae)  Jochen Möhr

Nemoria darwiniata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Sicya crocearia (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Properigea albimacula (Lep.: Noctuidae) Jochen Möhr

More tomorrow…

2020 July 15 morning

   Libby Avis sends a photograph of Acronicta funeralis  from Port Alberni, July 11.  Libby writes that this is the first time she has seen it on Vancouver Island, and I, too, (writes Jeremy Tatum) have never seen it either.  It cannot be a common moth here.

Acronicta funeralis (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Libby Avis

      Yesterday, July 14, Jeff Gaskin and Kirsten Mills went to Mount Washington and saw the following butterflies:  At the summit were a Great Arctic, 3 or 4 Hydaspe Fritillaries, and an Anise Swallowtail.  There were no butterflies in Paradise Meadows this time but we also did see on the trails a Boisduval’s Blue and a Western Meadow Fritillary.

2020 July 14

   Rosemary Jorna photographed a number of insects (and one crustacean) on the Matterhorn in Shirley yesterday and today:

Clodius Parnassian Parnassius clodius (Lep.: Papilionidae)  Rosemary Jorna

Hydaspe Fritillary  Speyeria hydaspe (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Rosemary Jorna

Dun Skipper Euphyes vestris (Lep.: Hesperiidae)  Rosemary Jorna

Cinnabar Moth Tyria jacobaeae (Lep.: Erebidae – Arctiinae)  Rosemary Jorna

Parasitoidal fly (Dip.: Tachinidae)  Rosemary Jorna

Four-spotted Skimmer Libellula quadrimaculata (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Rosemary Jorna

Click beetle Megapenthes sp.(Col.: Elateridae) Rosemary Jorna

Long-horned beetle Lepturobosca chrysocoma (Col.: Cerambycidae)  Rosemary Jorna

Buprestis aurulenta (Col.: Buprestidae) Rosemary Jorna

   We are not sure whether the isopod in the above photograph is Porcellio scaber or Oniscus asellus (both Iso.: Oniscidae).  If any viewer can help, please let us know.

2020 July 13 afternoon

   The Red Admiral butterfly that was inside the coloured-up chrysalis in this morning’s posting emerged around noon today.  I am amazed at the speed at which it conducted its emergence.  I had the camera all set up in front of the chrysalis, but, in the minimal time I took to adjust the camera settings, the butterfly had completed its emergence, and I got just the one photograph shown below:

Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Jeremy Tatum

    Val George writes:  Yesterday morning, July 12, the group that did the VNHS botany walk in Uplands Park in Oak Bay saw two Painted Ladies, a Red Admiral and many Cabbage Whites and Essex Skippers.

   Jeff Gaskin wrote that he saw a California Tortoiseshell by the Viaduct Flats parking lot this morning, July 13.

   Two more crane flies photographed by Jochen Möhr in Metchosin:

Crane fly (Dip.: Tipulidae)  Jochen Möhr

Crane fly (Dip.: Tipulidae)  Jochen Möhr

   Jochen’s moths from Metchosin this morning:

2 Callizzia amorata

1 Eulithis xylina

1 Hesperumia sulphuraria

2 Lacinipolia strigicollis 

1 Nadata gibbosa

1 Panthea virginarius

3 Pyrausta perrubralis

Pyrausta perrubralis (Lep.: Crambidae)  Jochen Möhr

Eulithis xylina (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr