2020 June 23

   Val George writes: Yesterday, June22, I went to Nanaimo River Road to find some Clodius Parnassians.  I saw three in the section of the road between 10 km and 15 km from the highway.  My main reason for the trip was to do some photography because I’ve never managed to get a decent photo of this species.  The attachment proves “mission accomplished”.

  Jeremy Tatum writes:  I’ll say it does!   Notice that there is no sign of checkering on the antennae.  This makes us think that maybe Ron Flower’s parnassian shown on May 27 afternoon might well have been Parnassius smintheus.  We’d welcome opinions (with reasons!).

Clodius Parnassian Parnassius clodius (Lep.: Papilionidae)  Val George

   Jeremy Tatum sends a photograph of Cucullia montanae.  You can see the “hood”  (Latin = cucullus) over the head of this one.  The caterpillar is often seen on the flowers of Grindelia at Island View Beach, although this one was found last year at Swan Lake, where the newly-emerged moth was released today.

Cucullia montanae (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jeremy Tatum

   Jochen Möhr’s moths from Metchosin this morning:

1 Eupithecia sp.

2 Pero sp.

5 Tyria jacobaeae

1 Venusia obsoleta/pearsalli

and the remains of 1 Panthea virginarius

Pero (perhaps morrisonaria) (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

   Rosemary sends a picture of a bumblebee from the Kemp Lake area.

Bombus mixtus (Hym.: Apidae)  Rosemary Jorna

  Other difficult photos submitted today awaiting identification!  Will be posted sometime!

2020 June 22 afternoon

   Gordon Hart writes from the Highlands:  Yesterday, June 21, I saw a fresh Lorquin’s Admiral here. I also saw a worn Western Spring Azure and two worn Cedar Hairstreaks. There were also a few dragonflies: some large darners, and a female Blue Dasher, Pachydiplax longipennis.

Cedar Hairstreak Mitoura rosneri (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Gordon Hart

Female Blue Dasher Pachydiplax longipennis (Odo.: Libellulidae) Gordon Hart

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  I saw a Lorquin’s Admiral at UVic this afternoon.

2020 June 22 morning

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  Swallowtails may be scarce this year, but we know that there will be at least one next year, because I found this young caterpillar along Munn Road yesterday. Usually they are on alder, but this one is on Ocean Spray.

Pale Tiger Swallowtail Papilio eurymedon (Lep.: Papilionidae)  Jeremy Tatum

     We thank Lincoln Best for his many identifications of bees over the years.   Although we have temporarily lost his services during the corona virus outbreak, we hope, in better times, to lure him back again.  In the meantime we thank our Annie Pang for working hard to identify bees for us.   Annie writes: All of these identifications are “maybes” because I have no one to confirm them or correct them. If you get another opinion I would appreciate knowing what it is. [Jeremy  Tatum adds:  This is always true of all Invert Alert postings – if you think we may have got one wrong, please do let us know –  jtatum at uvic dot ca].   Rosemary Jorna recently sent us a bunch of bee photographs from the Kemp Lake area:

Bombus fervidus (Hym.: Apidae)  Rosemary Jorna

Bombus melanopygus or flavifrons (Hym.: Apidae) Rosemary Jorna

Possibly Lasioglossum sp. (Hym.: Halictidae)  Rosemary Jorna

Bombus vosnesenskii (Hym.: Apidae)  Rosemary Jorna

Apis mellifera (Hym.: Apidae)  Rosemary Jorna

   Rosemary also photographed two spiders.  As with other groups, the corona virus is keeping experts away from their offices, laboratories and libraries, so we have to temporarily limit identification to Family level:

Ara.: Salticidae    Rosemary Jorna

Ara.: Theridiidae    Rosemary Jorna

   Jeff Gaskin writes:  Yesterday,  June 21, I found a Red Admiral along the Galloping Goose trail near Ravine Way which is just south of Swan Lake and near the Saanich Municipal Hall.

Jochen Möhr’s moths from Metchosin this morning:

1 Callizzia amorata

2 perhaps Eudonia commortalis 

1 Perhaps Hydriomena marinata 

1 Paonias excaecata

1 Protitame subalbaria 

Hydriomena marinata/californiata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Paonias excaecata (Lep.: Sphingidae)  Jochen Möhr

2020 June 21

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  The plutellid caterpillar shown below fed on Mahonia, and is fairly distinctive in appearance as plutellids go.  The adult, shown beneath it, emerged from its cocoon today;  it is relatively undistinctive.  Thanks to Libby Avis for pointing out the very close similarity, adult and larva, to Ypsolopha ochrella (formerly Y. rubrella).  This may be that species or a very close congener.

Another unidentifed plutellid was shown on May 19 (cocoon) and June 3 morning (adult).

Close to Ypsolopha ochrella (Lep.: Plutellidae – Ypsolophinae)   Jeremy Tatum

Close to Ypsolopha ochrella (Lep.: Plutellidae – Ypsolophinae)   Jeremy Tatum

Kirsten Mills writes:  I was walking to my car when I saw this moth being attacked by a wasp. Is there any chance you can identify it? I saw it this morning. [Jeremy Tatum says:  Yes!  It is a Polyphemus Moth – unfortunately a little too beaten up by the wasp to post its battered corpse here!}  The next picture is a Clodius Parnassian I saw June 17 on Nanaimo River Road.

Clodius Parnassian Parnassius clodius (Lep.: Papilionidae)  Kirsten Mills

   Annie Pang has a wasps’ nest on her house in the Gorge Area.  We thank Claudia Copley for identifying them for us.

Common Aerial Yellowjacket  Dolichovespula arenaria (Hym.: Vespidae)   Annie Pang

Common Aerial Yellowjacket  Dolichovespula arenaria (Hym.: Vespidae)   Annie Pang

   Jochen Möhr’s moths from Metchosin this morning:

1 Callizzia amorata

1 pterophorid

1 possible Eudonia commortalis

1 Iridopsis emasculatum

1 Perizoma costiguttata 

1 Protitame subalbaria 

1 Stenoporpia excelsaria

Lep.: Pterophoridae   Jochen Möhr

Possibly Eudonia commortalis (Lep.: Crambidae)  Jochen Möhr

Perizoma costiguttata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

2020 June 20 evening

Message from Gordon Hart:

Hello Butterfly Watchers,
The June count period starts Saturday June 20 until Sunday June 28. This is an informal census of butterfly numbers and species in Greater Victoria. The area is defined by the Christmas Bird Count circle, extending from Victoria to Brentwood Bay and Island View Road in Central Saanich, and west to Happy Valley and Triangle Mountain, and Langford Lake and Goldstream areas. 
You can submit a count any time over the count period, just use a separate form for each count and location. In the case of repeat or duplicate counts, I will use the higher numbers. To submit counts, please use the form from the VNHS website at: https://www.vicnhs.bc.ca/?p=33
If you have difficulty with the form, just send me an email with the information.
Thank-you for submitting your sightings and good luck with your count.
-Gordon 

   Re: Teasels at McIntyre reservoir, Gordon suggests: “I wonder if there is someone to talk to about the Teasels later on? The  younger Michell who is often at the farm market is friendly to birders so perhaps someone could ask him if he could leave them for a few weeks.”

   So…, if anyone gets an opportunity…

   Jeff Gaski n writes:  Just a quick note to let you know that Kirsten Mills just phoned and told me she saw a Red Admiral,  3 Painted Ladies, 6 Lorquin’s Admirals and a Western Tiger Swallowtail on Mount Tolmie around 1: 30 p.m. today, June 20.  The Red Admiral and Ladies were by the reservoir.

  Gordon Hart sends a picture of a Crab Spider Misumena vatia  with some formidable prey at Munn Road:

Misumena vatia (Ara.: Thomisidae) with bumble bee.  Gordon Hart

   Jeremy Tatum went to Lochside Drive between Lohbrunner’s and Blenkinsop Lake this afternoon, hoping to see some of the succession of rare birds that have been queueing up there recently.  I didn’t see any of them, but by way of compensation I saw a spectacular Essex Skipper that I bet some of the crack birders missed.