INVERTEBRATE ALERT
This blog provides an informal forum for terrestrial invertebrate watchers to post recent sightings of interesting observations in the southern Vancouver Island region. Please send your sightings by email to Jeremy Tatum (tatumjb352@gmail.com). Be sure to include your name, phone number, the species name (common or scientific) of the invertebrate you saw, location, date, and number of individuals. If you have a photograph you are willing to share, please send it along. Click on the title above for an index of past sightings.The index is updated most days.

September 23 afternoon

2019 September 23 afternoon

 

   Jeff Gaskin writes that Kirsten Mills saw a late Lorquin’s Admiral  in Peden Lane, Brentwood Bay on September 22, and that he saw a Painted Lady at Panama Flats and two Painted Ladies in Cecilia Ravine on September 21.  So – there are still a few butterflies around, so it’s worth doing a Butterfly Count.  See the September 22 Invert Alert for details.

 

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  Sightings of Lorquin’s Admiral in September are rare; the latest September date that I can find was a sighting of one on September 27, 2014.

 

   Jochen Möhr’s moths from Metchosin this morning:

 

1 Drepanulatrix sp. 

1 Euxoa sp. 

10 Pleromelloida cinerea

1 Sunira decipiens

1 Tetracis sp.

1 Xestia finatimis complex

 

Photos tomorrow.

 

September 23 morning

2019 September 23 morning

 

   At 00h 51m this morning, the Sun passed from north to south of the equator.  Welcome to Fall!

 

Jeff Gaskin writes: On September 21 , I saw a Painted Lady in Beacon Hill Park in the Verbena that is near Deer Lake.  Deer Lake is the pond across from the petting zoo.  Also, Lynda Dowling tells me she had a Red Admiral at her herb and lavender farm as well as 4 Cabbage Whites, September 21.  She lives at 3505 Happy Valley Road.

 

Jochen Möhr’s moths from Metchosin, September 22.  Thanks to Libby Avis for help with the identifications.

 

1 Drepanulatrix sp.

1 Leucania insueta

1 Lithophane petulca

1 Nadata gibbosa

2 Dryotype opina

1 Plemyria georgii

8 Pleromelloida cinerea

1 Sunira decipiens

2 Tetracis jubararia /pallulata

1 Xanthorhoe defensaria 

 

 


Xanthorhoe defensaria (Lep.: Geometridae) Jochen Möhr


Lithophane petulca (Lep.: Noctuidae) Jochen Möhr


   Xestia finamitis complex (Lep.: Noctuidae) Jochen Möhr


Nadata gibbosa (Lep.: Notodontidae) Jochen Möhr


Plemyria georgii (Lep.: Geometridae) Jochen Möhr


Dryotype opina (Lep.: Noctuidae) Jochen Möhr


Sunira decipiens (Lep.: Noctuidae) Jochen Möhr


Tetracis jubararia/pallulata (Lep.: Geometridae) Jochen Möhr


Tetracis jubararia/pallulata (Lep.: Geometridae) Jochen Möhr

 

September 22

 

2019 September 22

Hello Butterfly Counters,

I have been reminded that we have done a September count in past years, so we will record counts from  Saturday, September 21, to next Sunday, September 29. In the last four years we have had from two species (2016), to eight species(2018), so it is still possible to see a good selection. yesterday Cabbage Whites, and a Painted Lady in Beacon Hill Park have been seen.

To submit your counts, please use the form at https://www.vicnhs.bc.ca/?p=33 on the Victoria Natural History Society website. If you don’t like forms, please email me with the details.

The count area is the same as the Victoria Christmas Bird Count circle. For butterfly identification there are numerous internet sites, but most or all Victoria species are listed on E-Fauna. If you select by photographer, all the photos under James Miskelly’s name are of Victoria species. Here is the link: http://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/efauna/photoGallery/Gallery.aspx?gr=showall&pid=175&photographer=miskelly,%20james&specrep=0
If you would like a suggestion for an area to count, please send me an email.
Thank-you for submitting your sightings and happy counting!

Gordon Hart,

Butterfly Count Coordinator,

Victoria Natural History Society

 

September 21

2019 September 21

 

   Jochen Möhr’s moths from Metchosin this morning:

 

2 Drepanulatrix sp.

2 Noctua pronuba

3 Pleromelloida cinerea 

 

 


Pleromelloida cinerea (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

 


Drepanulatrix sp. (Lep.: Geometridae) Jochen Möhr

 

 Jeremy Tatum writes:  There were half a dozen or so Cabbage Whites at Muir Creek today, September 21.

 

September 20

2019 September 20

 

   Bud Logan sends a photograph of a black woolly bear caterpillar.  Jeremy Tatum writes:  I don’t know for sure what it is, but I am wondering if it is an all-black individual of the Banded Woolly Bear.  The width of the central orange band in this species varies, but I’ve never seen one in which the orange band is totally absent.  Anyone care to comment?

 

Maybe Pyrrharctia isabella (Lep.: Erebidae – Arctiinae)  Bud Logan

 

 

   Jochen Möhr’s moths from Metchosin this morning:

 


Tetracis pallulata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

 


Xanthorhoe defensaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

 


Pleromelloida cinerea (Lep.: Noctuidae) Jochen Möhr

 


Pleromelloida cinerea (Lep.: Noctuidae) Jochen Möhr

 

 

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  The “Meadow” bed at the Finnerty Gardens (UVic) at the moment has massive amounts of Sedum and Verbena in flower.  These are excellent butterfly attractants.  At lunchtime today (September 20) there were two fresh-looking Painted Ladies nectaring on the Verbena.