Invertebrate Alert – Page 369 – Victoria Natural History Society

April 1

2019 April 1

Mike Yip writes: Still pretty quiet for butterflies in Nanoose. Yesterday I saw one Mourning Cloak on Cross Road. At the Notch at least four male Orangetips were flying frantically about as well as one Propertius Duskywing and many Cabbage Whites.

Mike sends two photographs of the day-flying geometrid moth Epirrhoe plebeculata – this is the one I keep asking viewers to look out for egg-laying. Now you know what to look for!

Epirrhoe plebeculata (Lep.: Geometridae) Mike Yip

And, talking of day-flying geometrids, Jeremy Tatum and Bill Savale saw a fine Archiaeris infans in the woods at Royal Roads University on March 30. But no butterflies.

Jochen sends pictures of more moths from Metchosin. Some moths can be hard to identify for certain, so we have left some of them as “sp.”

Xanthorhoe defensaria (Lep.: Geometridae) Jochen Möhr

Cerastis enigmatica (Lep.: Noctuidae) Jochen Möhr

Cucullia sp. (Lep.: Noctuidae) Jochen Möhr

Probably Euxoa sp. Lep.: Noctuidae) Jochen Möhr

Cladara limitaria (Lep.: Geometridae) Jochen Möhr

Libby Avis writes from Port Alberni that she saw two Feralia deceptiva and both light and dark Pleromelloida conserta last night, and Mesoleuca gratulata on March 30.

March 31

2019 March 31

Jeremy Tatum writes: Have been so busy with Invert Alert recently (a welcome problem!) that I overlooked Val George’s recent report of his first butterflies of the season, a California Tortoiseshell on Mount Tolmie, and a Cabbage White checking out the kale in his garden in Oak Bay on March 29.

California Tortoiseshell Nymphalis antiopa (Lep.: Nymphalidae) Val George

Geoffrey and David Newell report two California Tortoiseshells from Mount Douglas today, March 31, as well as many Sara Orangetips and a Propertius Duskywing.

California Tortoiseshell Nymphalis antiopa (Lep.: Nymphalidae) Geoffrey Newell

Ken Vaughan sends a photo of a California Tortoiseshell Nymphalis californica from the Mount Tolmie reservoir on 30 March 2019 at about 4:00 PM.

California Tortoiseshell Nymphalis californica (Lep.: Nymphalidae) Ken Vaughan

Gordon Hart writes: The Green Commas continue here in the Highlands, with three yesterday. We also saw one faded Satyr Comma Polygonia satyrus, a Mourning Cloak Nymphalis antiopa hyperborea and a Moss’ Elfin Callophrys mossii mossii. We have been planting and encouraging more of the Moss’ Elfin larval food plant, stonecrop Sedum spathulifolium. Still lots of Epirrhoe plebeculata around, and I will look for Mesoleuca gratulata.

Mourning Cloak Nymphalis antiopa (Lep.: Nymphalidae) Gordon Hart

Moss’s Elfin Incisalia mossii (Lep.: Lycaenidae) Gordon Hart

And just as we go to press, a nice underside of a California Tortoiseshell, photographed by Val George on the summit of Mount Douglas 48.492834/-123.345710 today, March 31. Also there were seven Sara Orangetips and one Cabbage White.

California Tortoiseshell Nymphalis californica (Lep.: Nymphalidae) Val George

March 31

2019 March 31 morning

Scott Gimore sends photographs of another mite from Lantzville, March 30, identified by Ray Fisher as a member of the Family Damaeidae.

Mite (Acari: Damaeidae) Scott Gilmore

Jeremy Tatum writes: Yesterday, March 30, Bill Savale and I wandered over some of the hills above the railway line next to Shawnigan Lake Road. We saw what must have been hundreds of the day-flying geometrid moth Epirrhoe plebeculata, but, strangely, no Mesoleuca gratulata. No one has yet reported the latter species to Invert Alert this year. I am trying to find the egg and caterpillar of Epirrhoe plebeculata. Please watch out for this moth and watch if you can see it ovipositing, and what the plant is.

March 30

2019 March 30

Mark Wynja writes: Yesterday March 29th on Little Mountain (Parksville) the butterflies were active, and it reached 17^oC. I observed one Mourning Cloak, one Cedar Hairstreak, and two of the rarely reported Oreas Commas. Three times the Commas met and they flew spiraling up overhead.

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Oreas Comma Polygonia oreas (Lep.: Nymphalidae) Mark Wynja

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Oreas Comma Polygonia oreas (Lep.: Nymphalidae) Mark Wynja

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Oreas Comma Polygonia oreas (Lep.: Nymphalidae) Mark Wynja

Jochen Möhr writes: Although I checked the status of the chrysalis [see January 22 entry] at my garden gate of the Sara Orangetip repeatedly every day, I missed the emergence, which happened today between something around 10 a.m., when I took the last picture of the chrysalis for my granddaughter in Germany, with the wing colours faintly shining through, and just now, around 2:25, when I went back and found the lid open and the chrysalis empty. And I had so much hoped for a picture of a freshly emerged Orangetip, if not a documentation of the emergence . [Jeremy Tatum writes: Yes, emerging butterflies always do that. You can sit up with your camera focussed on the chrysalis for hours, and then, when you go a for a brief bathroom break, the butterfly emerges. I’m convinced they do it on purpose.]

Sara Orangetip Anthocharis sara (Lep.: Pieridae) Jochen Möhr

Barb McGrenere writes: Mike and I saw two California Tortoiseshells near the Plaskett Telescope yesterday afternoon. They were both sunning on the paved area around the building. Also, there was one male Sara Orangetip near the summit of Observatory Hill.

California Tortoiseshell Nymphalis californica (Lep.: Nymphalidae) Barbara McGrenere

Kirsten Mills writes: Today I saw one California Tortoiseshell on Mount Tolmie at 5:05pm. Later, I saw three three on Mount Douglas at 5:30pm. Below is the one that was on Mount Tolmie.