2019 March 29 afternoon

   In addition to Jochen Möhr’s moth bonanza in Metchosin, Libby Avis has recently been seeing quite a few in Port Alberni in the last few days, including several Lithophanes – georgii, pertorrida, innominata and petulca; Egira hiemalis, Xylena curvimacula, Orthosia hibisci, Venusias, Eupsilia tristigmata, Eupithecia gilvipennata; lots of Triphosa haesitata – “ I think they may have been overwintering under our deck.”

  Here are a few more of Jochen’s from Metchosin.  Thanks to Libby for help with the identifications.  More this evening.

Xanthorhoe defensaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Venusia obsoleta/pearsalli (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Venusia obsoleta/pearsalli (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Venusia obsoleta/pearsalli (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Venusia obsoleta/pearsalli (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Hydriomena manzanita (Lep.; Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr)

Lithophane innominata (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

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

Orthosia hibisci (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Egira curialis  (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

2019 March 29 morning

   More moths from Metchosin by Jochen Möhr.

Feralia deceptiva (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Hydriomena nubilofasciata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Hydriomena manzanita (Lep.: Geometridae)   Jochen Möhr

Hydriomena manzanita (Lep.: Geometridae)   Jochen Möhr

Lithophane innominata (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Lithophane innominata (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Lithophane petulca (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Orthosia transparens (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

More this afternoon or this evening…

2019 March 28 evening

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  I managed to walk all around Rithet’s Bog this afternoon, without seeing a single butterfly.  However, on the way back I saw my first Cabbage White of the year, flying over Shelbourne Street at Feltham.  At 4:45 pm there were three California Tortoiseshells hill-topping on the Mount Tolmie reservoir.  The same individuals as on March 20, or different?

   Ron Flower writes:  Today March 28 we went to the Prospect lake power line, west side, around noon and found two Sara Orangetips. No photo for they wouldn’t settle.

   Among the several tiny arthropods photographed by Scott Gilmore in Lantzville in the last few days was a velvet mite.  We are grateful to Ray Fisher and Heather Proctor of the University of Alberta for identification to probable genus level.  Ray Fisher writes:  Usually if I can’t see the “face” then I leave open the possibility for Microtrombidiidae. However, in this case, I strongly suspect Allothrombiinae, and probably Allothrombium.

Velvet mite, probably Allothrombium sp. (Acari:  Trombidiidae)  Scott Gilmore

Velvet mite, probably Allothrombium sp. (Acari:  Trombidiidae)  Scott Gilmore

   Jochen Möhr writes from Metchosin:  After I had no success whatsoever for weeks with leaving my light on at night, this morning suddenly there was a bonanza: more than fifty moths on the wall and ceiling!

  What intrigues me no end is why there is all of a sudden this change in abundance.  The temperature at night is not much changed, below 10 degrees C.  Humidity not much changed – no rain but lots of dew on the grass in the morning.  The big maple tree next to the house is starting to bloom.  Could that be it?

   Jeremy Tatum comments:  No one seems to know why some nights are good moth nights and some aren’t.  Everyone seems to have his/her own theory.  As for maples, my experience is that very few moth caterpillars feed on maples – but perhaps the maple inflorescence coming in now may be attractive to adult moths.

Acerra normalis (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Orthosia hibisci (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

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

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

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

Eupithecia probably olivacea  (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Eupithecia ravocostaliata/nevadata (Lep.: Geomtridae)  Jochen Möhr

More Möhr tomorrow!

And thanks to Libby Avis for help with the identifications.

2019 March 28 morning

   Rosemary Jorna sends photographs of a European Paper Wasp from Whiffin Spit, March 26.  She writes:  Tuesday seemed to be the day for wasps as there were several in our yard later that day along with my first butterfly sighting , a comma.

European Paper Wasp Polistes dominula (Hym.: Vespidae) Rosemary Jorna

European Paper Wasp Polistes dominula (Hym.: Vespidae) Rosemary Jorna

   Mark Wynja writes from Parksville:  Yesterday on Little Mountain in Parksville I tried to relocate the Oreas Comma with Mike Yip.  The Comma was a no show. I walked back to my vehicle and found a single Grey Hairstreak nectaring along the chain link fence across from the parking lot at 3:35pm on March 27.

Grey Hairstreak Strymon melinus (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Mark Wynja

Grey Hairstreak Strymon melinus (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Mark Wynja

   Ron Flower writes:  Yesterday March 27 we went back to the Goldstream River this afternoon and  found these two moths and we also saw another Mourning Cloak butterfly.

Archiaeris infans (Lep.: Geometridae)  Ron Flower

Enchoria lacteata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Ron Flower

2019 March 27

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  I haven’t seen any butterflies since those wonderful California Tortoiseshells during that brief heat wave on March 20.  The best I have been able to do today is an unidentified pug.

I think any of Eupithecia annulata, maestosa or misturata would be reasonable candidates for this one:

Eupithecia sp. (Lep.: Geometridae)   Jeremy Tatum