2018 May 18 evening

   Mike Yip writes from Nanoose Bay: Yesterday, when I was photographing a Western Brown Elfin in the rhododendron bush, a Cedar Hairstreak landed in the nearby osier dogwood.  It also nectared on the holly tree.  Western Spring Azures are also common in the yard as are the black and yellow bumble bees.  The Western Tailed Blue was on Cross Road where the Arctic Skipper is still nectaring on the vetch.

Western Tailed Blue Everes amyntula (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Mike Yip

Western Spring Azure Celastrina echo (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Mike Yip

Western Brown Elfin Incisalia iroides (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Mike Yip

Cedar Hairstreak Mitoura rosneri  (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Mike Yip

Bombus vosnesenskii (Hym.: Apidae)  Mike Yip

  Thanks to Annie Pang for identifying the bee for us.

Lots more in the queue – but will have to wait until tomorrow!   And maybe not first thing in the morning – I’ll be up in the wee hours watching Harry and Meghan.     Jeremy

2018 May 18 morning

   Annie Pang sends a photograph of a syrphid maggot found on a lettuce.  These maggots feed upon aphids.

Syrphid maggot (Dip.: Syrphidae)  Annie Pang

   Annie also sends a photograph of a Cabbage White.

Cabbage White Pieris rapae (Lep.: Pieridae)  Annie Pang

   Tracey Mellor sends a photograph of a Catocala caterpillar shortly before pupation looking for somewhere to bury itself and pupate.  It is most likely our commonest species, the oak-feeder C. aholibah.

Catocala sp. (probably aholibah) (Lep.: Erebidae – Catocalinae)  Tracey Mellor

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  I reared a small caterpillar from Indian Plum. The adult moth emerged a few days ago, and it was so featureless that I didn’t think it could be identified.  No problem for Jason J. Dombroskie, who kindly identified it for us as Argyrotaenia franciscana.

Argyrotaenia franciscana (Lep.: Tortricidae)  Jeremy Tatum

   Sonia Voicescu reports the following from Rithet’s Bog, May 16: 6 Western Spring Azures, 6 Cabbage Whites and 21 (yes, that’s 21!) Ringlets.  It’s good to know that the Ringlets are doing so well at Rithet’s Bog and at Island View Beach.  Will someone check Layritz Park and Quick’s Bottom? 

Western Spring Azures Celastrina echo (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Sonia Voicescu

Western Spring Azures Celastrina echo (Lep.: Lycaenidae) 

Sonia Voicescu

Coenonympha tullia (Lep.:  Nymphalidae – Satyrinae)  Sonia Voicescu

2018 May 17 evening

   Nathan Fisk sends a photograph of a colourful bee, kindly identified for us by Sean McCann as either Agapostemon or Augochlora.

Agapostemon or Augochlora (Hym.: Halictidae)   Nathan Fisk

   Jeff Gaskin writes:  Yesterday evening, May 16, on Christmas Hill I saw 1 Propertius Duskywing, and 3 Painted Ladies on the southern peak.

   Kirsten Mills writes:   I had this Pale Tiger Swallowtail by the reservoir on Mount Tolmie today around noon. There was also a Painted Lady.

Pale Tiger Swallowtail Papilio eurymedon (Lep.: Papilionidae)  Kirsten Mills

    Annie Pang sends a photograph of a Cedar Hairstreak  from Gorge Park on May 4 – a different, and much fresher – individual from the one shown on May 3.  Annie says:  “ I  know they are still on the wing in Metchosin and probably in Gorge Park as well”.   Jeremy Tatum says:  “I don’t think I’m ready to use the name ’Callophrys gryneus’ for this butterfly yet!”

Cedar Hairstreak Mitoura rosneri (Lep.:  Lycaenidae)  Annie Pang

2018 May 17 morning

   Thomas Barbin writes:  Yesterday at John Dean Park there were:
15 Western Spring Azures
7 Western Tiger Swallowtails
1 Propertius Duskywing
1 Cabbage White

   But, writes Jeremy Tatum, this is a caterpillar morning.

First I find that I had mislabelled a caterpillar on May 13.  I had wrongly labelled it Orthosia hibisci.  However, the caterpillar has since grown into its final instar (photograph below), and, though it is very similar to hibisci, I can now see that it is in fact Aseptis binotata.

I have a feeling that it might not be well.

Aseptis binotata (Lep.: Noctuidae) Jeremy Tatum

   Next is Ipimorpha nanaimo from a cottonwood tree at Panama Flats.

Ipimorpha nanaimo  (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jeremy Tatum

  And now, I’m afraid, three unidentified caterpillars, respectively from oak, pear and willow.  I’ll make wild, wild guesses at what they might be – perhaps Hydriomena nubilofasciata, Hedya nubiferana  and Choristoneura rosaceana.  They’re probably all wrong – time will tell, when the moths finally eclode. (From the Latin claudere, just as explode is from plaudere.  The nouns are eclosion and explosion; the verbs are eclode and explode.  Entomologists please note.)

Unidentified (Lep.: Geometridae)   Jeremy Tatum

Hedya nubiferana (confirmed) (Lep.: Tortricidae)    Jeremy Tatum

Unidentified (Lep.: Tortricidae)   Jeremy Tatum

2108 May 15 evening

   Val George writes:  This afternoon, May 16, there were many Ringlets (Coenonympha tullia, to you) at Island View Beach [and nary a “ringlet" mark in sight!  –   Jeremy];  I saw at least a dozen.  Also saw a Purplish Copper.

Ringlet, or Large Heath, Coenonympha tullia (Lep.: Nymphalidae –  Satyrinae)  Val George

Male Purplish Copper Lycaena helloides (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Val George

    Jeremy Tatum writes:  I saw an Autographa californica at Panama Flats this afternoon.

     The following notice might be of interest to viewers. 

   Sounds like an interesting course, though, speaking of bees, those who designed or proofread the poster might benefit by attending a spelling bee.  Jeremy