2020 February 24
Brigitte Rixen sends a photograph of a cocoon and pupa of a Polyphemus Moth found under a Garry Oak tree in Nanoose Bay.
Antheraea polyphemus (Lep.: Saturniidae) Brigitte Rixen
Jochen Möhr reports 8 Eupithecia (annulata/olivacea) and 1 Hydriomena nubilofasciata
from Metchosin this morning.
Hydriomena nubilofasciata (Lep.: Geometridae) Jochen Möhr
Eupithecia annulata/olivacea (Lep.: Geometridae) Jochen Möhr
2020 February 23
Mr E sends a photograph of a chironomid midge from Thetis Lake, February 18.
Non-biting midge (Dip.: Chironomidae) Mr E
2020 February 21
Gordon Hart writes from the Highlands, February 20:
The sun brought out several bee species and one butterfly. Anne-Marie saw it perched briefly and I was able to get fleeting glimpses in flight, and at a distance it appeared to be dark orange-brown and black . We are pretty sure it was a California Tortoiseshell. Unfortunately, I could not relocate it for a photo. The bees were more obliging. There were several identical bumblebees, possibly Bombus melanopygus, the Black-tailed Bumblebee. I have enclosed a photo of one on Heather flowers.
Thanks to Lincoln Best and Annie Pang who both concur that it is B. melanopygus, which, they write, is usually the first bumblebee to appear in spring.
Black-tailed Bumblebee Bombus melanopygus (Hym.: Apidae) Gordon Hart
2020 February 18 morning
Jochen Möhr sends a picture of one of our early moths from Metchosin, yesterday – Hydriomena nubilofasciata.
Hydriomena nubilofasciata (Lep.: Geometridae) Jochen Möhr
Layla Munger sends photographs of two syrphid flies from Beacon Hill Park yesterday. While we can’t be certain of their exact identifications, writes Jeremy Tatum, I have labelled them with suggested genera.
Perhaps Merodon sp. (Dip.: Syrphidae) Layla Munger
Perhaps Eristalis sp. (Dip.: Syrphidae) Layla Munger
2020 February 16
Jochen Möhr writes from Metchosin: Here is my first noctuid of the season – Egira hiemalis.
Egira hiemalis (Lep.: Noctuidae) Jochen Möhr