July 15

   Gerry and Wendy Ansell write:  We went to Mount Tolmie yesterday (July 14) to see your Red Admiral and we found 2 Painted Ladies, 1 Red Admiral, and 1 Western Tiger Swallowtail by the reservoir. 

  Gerry and Wendy continue:  Following excellent directions from Michael Bentley, this afternoon  (July 15) we saw at least 6 Pine Whites by Elk/Beaver Lake park.  They are in the tall trees by the last parking area on your way out of the park onto Elk Lake Drive.

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  I saw a Pine White at Bear Hill today.

   This evening I went to Cairn Hill, Highrock Park, Esquimalt, hoping to see hill-topping nymphalids there.  There were none.  However, I did see a Pine White on the hill, and near the bottom of the hill were a few Lorquin’s Admirals and a fairly spectacular ten or so Western Tiger Swallowtails.

   At the entrance to the park is a rather attractive board with excellent photographs of the birds and butterflies you may see in the park in the spring.  These include Western Bluebird, Western Meadowlark, Anise Swallowtail and Western Pine Elfin.  Good luck with those!!

   Jeremy Tatum writes:   Here is a caterpillar found today on Epilobium at McIntyre reservoir, Central Saanich.

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

   Jochen Möhr has photographed another goodly bunch of exciting moths in Metchosin, but  Jeremy Tatum writes that he is too hot and sleepy to post (below) more than one this evening.  More tomorrow!

Ypsolopha canariella (Lep.: Plutellidae)  Jochen Möhr

July 14

   Val George writes:  This morning, July 14, the VNHS birding group found this Sheep Moth caterpillar, Hemileuca eglanterina, in Uplands Park in Oak Bay.   Jeremy Tatum remarks:  This caterpillar should be handled (if at all) with care.  Some people (including myself) find that the caterpillar may give them a rash.

Sheep Moth Hemileuca eglanterina (Lep.: Saturniidae)  Val George

   Mike Yip writes from Nanoose Bay:  A bunch of these slimy looking larvae have been defoliating my wife’s quince tree. They are about 8 – 9 mm and haven’t bothered any of the apple or pear trees. Any idea what they are?   Jeremy Tatum replies: They are the larvae of a sawfly Eriocampoides limacina, also known as Caliroa cerasi.  They are often to be found on cherry trees.  I wouldn’t altogether trust them with apple or pear.  “Limacina” means “slug-lke”.  “Cerasi” means “of the cherry”.

Caliroa cerasi (Eriocampoides limacina)(Hym.: Tenthredinidae)  Mike Yip

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  I saw two Pine Whites at the top of a Douglas Fir south of Beaver Lake this afternoon.  This evening there was but a single Painted Lady at the top of Mount Tolmie.

July 13 evening

   Jochen Möhr sends a picture of Macaria signaria from Metchosin:

Macaria signaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

   Jeff Gaskin writes:  Today, July 13, I saw my first Pine Whites of the season.  Four were along Goldstream Avenue by the Colwood Golf Course,  one was along Duke Road, and finally one was in Witty’s Lagoon Park.  All were seen quite high up in Douglas Fir trees.

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  This evening at 7:00 pm July 13 there was one Red Admiral on the Mount Tolmie reservoir, and one Painted Lady near the Jeffery Pine.

June 13 morning

   Jochen Möhr sends a picture of a beetle from Metchosin.  Thanks to Scott Gilmore for identifying it as Xylotrechus longitarsus or X. undulatus.

Xylotrechus longitarsus/undulatus (Col.: Cerambycidae)  Jochen Möhr

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  At Mount Douglas last night (June 12) at 7:00 pm, four Painted Ladies and a Red Admiral.

July 12

   Marie O’Shaughnessy sends a photograph of a pair of Blue-eyed Darners mating at Swan Lake yesterday.

Blue-eyed Darners Rhionaeschna multicolor (Odo.: Aeshnidae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy

   Cheryl Hoyle sends a photograph of a jumping spider from View Royal, July 11.

Phidippus johnsoni (Ara.: Salticidae)  Cheryl Hoyle

    More moths from Metchosin.   Photographed by Jochen Möhr.    Identified by …  Jochen Möhr.

Drepana arcuata (Lep.: Drepanidae – Drepaninae)  Jochen Möhr

Hesperumia sulphuraria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Perizoma costiguttata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  Nothing on Mount Tolmie reservoir last night (7:00 pm July 11), but two Painted Ladies near the Jeffery Pine.