2018 August 12 morning

   No one saw any invertebrates yesterday.

   But last night, Jochen Möhr saw the following nice moths at his home in Metchosin.   Thanks to Libby Avis for help with the identifications.

Enypia venata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Lacinipolia pensilis (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Neoalcis californiaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Oligia divesta (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Reminder:  Perseid meteor shower tonight.

2018 August 10

  Mike Yip writes from Nanoose Bay:  Scores of Woodland Skippers in the garden with the occasional Pine White and Cabbage White.   A few Common Woodnymphs flying by but no nectaring or basking.

Woodland Skipper Ochlodes sylvanoides (Lep.: Hesperiidae) Mike Yip

Male Woodland Skipper Ochlodes sylvanoides (Lep.: Hesperiidae) Mike Yip

   A rare full upperside view, showing that the Branded Skipper is by no means the only skipper whose male is conspicuously “branded” with androconial scales, which release male hormones to advertise his presence.

Pine White Neophasia menapia (Lep.: Pieridae)  Mike Yip

   Jeremy Tatum shows a White-lined Hawk Moth, which came from the caterpillar shown on July 15 and the pupa shown on July 25.  The caterpillar was found at McIntyre reservoir, which is where I released the moth today.  Larval foodplant – Epilobium.

White-lined Hawk Moth Hyles lineata (Lep.:  Sphingidae)  Jeremy Tatum

August 9 evening

   On July 2 morning, we posted a photograph of a syrphid fly, but I didn’t know who the photographer was.  Will anyone admit to photographing  it?  In any case I’m happy to say that we now have an identification for the fly if not for the photographer.  Thanks to Michelle Locke for identifying it as Dasysyrphus intrudens, which she describes as “a complex of species, yet to be sorted out”.

   Jeremy Tatum shows a photograph of a female caterpillar of the Vapourer Moth (also known as the Rusty Tussock Moth) from English Hawthorn at Quick’s Bottom.

Vapourer (Rusty Tussock) Orgyia antiqua (Lep.: Erebidae – Lymantriidae) Jeremy Tatum

August 9 morning

    Here are two further photographs (which I had overlooked earlier) from the Sunday August 5 Butterfly Walk, by Val George.   And thanks to Val for pointing out my misidentification (since corrected) of Aziza’s grasshopper (August 6 morning).

Trimeroptropis verruculata (Orth.: Acrididae)  Val George

“Western” Branded Skipper Hesperia comma colorado (Lep.: Hesperiidae)

Val George

   You never know what weirdos you might find walking on a downtown sidewalk in Victoria.  This is what Cheryl Hoyle found yesterday (and presumably photographed later in more natural surroundings):

Banded Alder Borer Rosalia funebris (Col.: Cerambycidae)   Cheryl Hoyle

   Aziza Cooper writes:  Yesterday, August 8, I found some Milkweed at the McTavish Park & Ride near the airport. It seems that the landscapers are planting “native” plants, but not necessarily local native plants.

   Although this is not an “invertebrate”, writes Jeremy Tatum, I thought it would be worthwhile to post the photograph, since it is obviously of interest to butterfly watchers, being the foodplant, of course, of the Milkweed butterfly.

Milkweed Asclepias sp.  (Gen.: Apocynaceae)  Aziza Cooper

August 8

   Kirsten Mills writes:  Yesterday, August 7, I saw a Lorquin’s Admiral at North Dairy and Shelbourne and another one at  Hunt and Sayward. I also saw a Western Tiger Swallowtail near Mattick’s farm.  I then went to McIntyre reservoir at 4 pm and I saw nine Purplish Coppers. I attach a photo of one.

    And today, August 8, Jeff Gaskin also saw one there.

Purplish Copper Lycaena helloides (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Kirsten Mills

   Brenda Sopow sends a photograph of an uncommon moth she found at her house a couple of weeks ago.

Zale lunata (Lep.: Erebidae – Erebinae)  Brenda Sopow

   Rosemary Jorna writes: . This seems to be my year for watching insects dining: a Pine White and a Flower Crab Spider.  Kemp Lake, August 8.  On a happier note there is a Western Tiger Swallowtail drifiting round our yard as well as 10 or so Woodland Skippers.

Crab Spider Misumena vatia (Ara.: Thomisidae)

Pine White Neophasia menapia (Lep.: Pieridae)

Rosemary Jorna