2020 April 13

   Rosemary Jorna photographed a jumping spider in the Kemp Lake area on April 12.  Dr Robb Bennett suggests that it might possibly be a species of the genus Pelegrina, but it is difficult to be certain of this.

Jumping spider. Possibly Pelegrina sp.  (Ara.: Salticidae)  Rosemary Jorna

Jumping spider. Possibly Pelegrina sp.  (Ara.: Salticidae)  Rosemary Jorna

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  I saw a Western Spring Azure at UVic this afternoon.  Although eight species of butterfly have been reported from the Victoria area this year (plus another two up-Island), I am under the impression that there are still very few individual butterflies around.

Nevertheless, Ron Flower writes:  Today, Monday April 13, we went back to the Munn Road power line where we saw many Sara Orangetips and finally had a male sit long enough for a picture.

Sara Orangetip  Anthocharis sara (Lep.:  Pieridae)  Ron Flower

Peter Boon writes from Nanaimo:  Cabbage Whites are becoming widespread around Nanaimo. I saw them in at least five different locations yesterday. I went up to Little Mountain in Parksville yesterday afternoon and found at least 2 Grey Hairstreaks, 2 Cabbage Whites, and this comma which I am thinking is maybe Oreas.  (Jeremy Tatum writes:  I agree, but I’d welcome further opinions, with reasons.) [Added later:  Gordon Hart and Mark Wynja concur with the identification.  See further analysis on April 14.]

Oreas Comma Polygonia oreas (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Peter Boon

Oreas Comma Polygonia oreas (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Peter Boon

   Jochen Möhr’s moths from Metchosin this morning:

2 Behrensia conchiformis

1 Cladara limitaria

1 Egira (simplex ?)

4 Eupithecia spp.

1 E. annulata

1 E. graefii

1 E. ravocostaliata/nevadata 

11 H. manzanita

2 Melanolophia imitata 

2 Nola minna

5 Venusia obsoleta /pearsalli

Eupithecia graefii (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Eupithecia ravocostaliataI/nevadata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Eupithecia annulata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Cladaria limitata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Melanolophia imitata  (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Egira simplex/crucialis (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Egira curialis (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Pleromelloidea conserta (lLep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Nola minna (Lep.: Nolidae)  Jochen Möhr

2020 April 12

    Jeff Gaskin writes that he saw his first of the year Western Brown Elfin today, April 12, on Gorge Road, near Wascana Street.

   Jochen Möhr had a rich moth haul in Metchosin this morning:

Egira curialis (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Egira curialis (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Egira crucialis (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Egira simplex (Lep.: Noctuidae) Jochen Möhr

Egira simplex (Lep.: Noctuidae) Jochen Möhr

Cissusa indiscreta (Lep.: Erebidae – Erebinae)  Jochen Möhr

Cladara limitaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Behrensia conchiformis (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Orthosia hibisci (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

April 11 afternoon

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  I saw just a single Western Spring Azure butterfly along the length of the Panhandler Trail off Munn Road this afternoon.  But here are a couple of moths.

Agonopterix alstroemeriana (Lep.: Depressariidae)  Jeremy Tatum

   This is a micro from Europe whose caterpillar occurs in such large numbers on Poison Hemlock Conium maculatum that it can devastate a large clump of this very poisonous plant.  It can be found particularly on the large hemlock clumps in Panama Flats.   Clas Alströmer was a student and colleague of Linnaeus.

Habrosyne scripta (Lep.: Drepanidae – Thysanurinae) Jeremy Tatum

      Reared on Salmonberry from East Sooke Park.  Ecloded (emerged) today.

2020 April 11 morning

Jochen Möhr’s moths from  Metchosin this morning:

1 Egira perlubens

1 Eupithecia graefii 

6 Hydriomena manzanita

1 Lithophane innominata 

1 Phyllodesma americana (same as yesterday)

1 Spodolepis danbyi (same as yesterday)  

5 Venusia obsoleta/pearsalli

Jochen writes that he sees an Orangetip  butterfly every day.

Egira perlubens (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

   Gordon Hart sends a photograph of Eupithecia graefii from his Highlands home.

Eupithecia graefii (Lep.: Geometridae)  Gordon Hart

   Thanks to Libby Avis for help with identifying these and indeed most of the moths on this site!

Mr E sends pictures of a small fly found in Saanich, April 10:

Clusia (probably occidentalis)  (Dip.: Clusiidae)  Mr E

Clusia (probably occidentalis)  (Dip.: Clusiidae)  Mr E

Mr E also sends a photograph of a tachinid fly, April 5, Saanich.

Tachinid fly (Dip.: Tachinidae)  Mr E

   Mr E sends photographs of some small beetles found on on the spadix of the Skunk Cabbage Lysichiton americanus in Saanich April 10.   Charlene Wood writes:  These are great little rove beetles – Pelecomalium sp.  These beetles are known to pollinate skunk cabbage – I’ve collected many from this plant on Galiano Island.

Pelecomalium sp.  (Col.: Staphylinidae)  Mr E

Pelecomalium sp.  (Col.: Staphylinidae)  Mr E

2020 April 10 evening

   Jeremy Tatum reports two California Tortoiseshells from the Mount Tolmie reservoir, 4:00 this afternoon.

   Jochen Möhr’s moths from Metchosin this morning:

1 Drepanulatrix monicaria/secundaria

4 Eupithecia spp. 

4 Hydriomena manzanita

2 Lithophane innominata 

1 Melanolophia imitata

1 Phyllodesma americana

2 Spodolepis danbyi

1 Xanthorhoe defensaria 

Drepanulatrix monicaria/secundaria (Lep: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Melanolophia imitata (Lep: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Phyllodesma americana (Lep.: Lasiocampidae)  Jochen Möhr

Spodolepis danbyi (Lep: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Xanthorhoe defensaria (Lep: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Lithophane innominata (Lep.: Noctuidae) Jochen Möhr

Lithophane innominata (Lep.: Noctuidae) Jochen Möhr