May 13 morning

Aziza Cooper writes:  Yesterday, May 12, Moralea and I went to look for butterflies up the logging roads west of Jordan River. We had a brief view of a brown hairstreak in a willow, but could not positively identify it as Johnson’s. There were many commas (at least 30). Also there were one Mylitta Crescent, a Mourning Cloak, a Western Spring Azure, a Western Brown Elfin and a Two-banded Checkered (Grizzled) Skipper.

It was also lovely to see Avalanche Lily and Bog Laurel.

Mylitta Crescent Phyciodes mylitta (Lep.: Nymphalidae)   Aziza Cooper

Hoary (“Zephyr”) Comma Polygonia gracilis zephyrus (Lep.: Nymphalidae) Aziza Cooper

Hoary (“Zephyr”) Comma Polygonia gracilis zephyrus (Lep.: Nymphalidae) Aziza Cooper

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  The back door of my apartment building in Saanich at one time attracted a nice variety of moths.  Nowadays I rarely see anything but the occasional pug, which I despair to identify.

Unidentified pug Eupithecia sp. (Lep. Geometridae)  Jeremy Tatum

2018 May 12 evening

  Jeremy Tatum and Bill Savale went to the railway line north of Cowichan Station today.  Very few butterflies there, but we did see about four Margined Whites, a Satyr Comma and a Mylitta Crescent.

   The Herb Robert (on which the Margined White nectars) is only just starting.  The ditch by the side of the railway track is nearly dry, and what little water was in it seemed rather dirty and polluted.  There was no Narcissus (on which the Margined Whites oviposit) there, which does not augur well for the future of this butterfly there.  There was, however, lots of Hesperis matronalis, which does serve as an alternative larval foodplant (though some regard this plant as an undesirable invasive species).

  We saw three things there that are not invertebrates and therefore don’t strictly belong on this site, but I mention them for interest since they are not often seen in the immediate area of Victoria, namely, Wild Ginger,  California Tea, and Northwestern Toad.

  Nothing on the Mount Tolmie reservoir or around the Jeffery Pine at 6:45 this evening.

   Moralea Milne writes:  Excellent Moth Talk last night by the wonderful team of Libby and Rick Avis  – then this fabulous creature (photo below) turned up on my doorstep in Metchosin last night. Nothing like a photo of a moth to show that I need to do some painting! I shall send out an email with a list of moth resources later. Thank you for your continued interest in our natural world, and I hope your next few months, until our September 21st Talk and Walk (on vultures), supplies you with many opportunities to enjoy our native flora and fauna.

Ceanothus Silk Moth Hyalophora euryalus (Lep.: Saturniidae)  Moralea Milne

2018 May 12 morning

   Aziza Cooper writes:  Yesterday, May 11, I saw two Anise Swallowtails over the summit rocks at Mount Tolmie. They were chasing/ circling around each other, and didn’t stop.

  Nathan Fisk advises us that female Silvery Blues are now to be seen at the Colwood turn-off.   Eggs, which are easy to see, must soon follow.  Please do be careful, if you go to see these butterflies, not to overtrample the vegetation there.

 Various bumblebees are queuing up to show themselves here – we’ll get them up as soon as we are more sure of their identifications.  

2018 May 11

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  On a very brief visit to Little Saanich Mountain today, I saw two Propertius Duskywings and a Western Brown Elfin.  And at noon a Western Tiger Swallowtail flew over the Mount Tolmie reservoir.

   Here is a Large Yellow Underwing, which emerged this morning from a pupa dug up from Jochen Moehr’s Metchosin garden.  I released it on Mount Tolmie, from where, doubtless, it will fly into someone else’s garden to lay eggs.  Unfortunately it did not allow me to photograph its hindwings.

Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba (Lep.: Noctuidae)   Jeremy Tatum

   Nathan Fisk sends pictures of a dragonfly from Fort Rodd Hill and a ladybird larva from Sidney Island Spit.

California Darner Rhionaeschna californica (Odo.: Aeshnidae)   Nathan Fisk

Larva of Seven-spotted Ladybird Coccinella septempunctata (Col.: Coccinellidae)  Nathan Fisk

   More photos in the queue, but they will have to wait until tomorrow.     I’m getting ready to go to Libby’s moth talk this evening.   See May 8 for details.  Jeremy Tatum

2018 May 10

   Jochen Moehr sends a photograph of a Silver-spotted Tiger Moth caterpillar from Metchosin:

Silver-spotted Tiger Moth Lophocampa argentata (Lep.: Erebidae – Arctiinae)  Jochen Moehr

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  Yesterday, May 9 at 6:15 pm, there were no butterflies on the Mount Tolmie reservoir, but there was a Propertius Duskywing just outside the entrance to the reservoir, and a Painted Lady flying around the Jeffery Pine.

   Scott Gilmore writes from Lantzville:  My son caught a fly in the house on May 8th. It was suggested to me that it was from the family Clusiidae and I wonder if it might be Clusia occidentalis?   Jeremy Tatum replies:  If there are any experts on clusiids out there, please let us know!  (We are sure there must be one somewhere!)  In the meantime we can certainly label it as a clusiid (see those “partially infuscated” wings!), and probably Clusia occidentalis.

Druid fly, probably Clusia occidentalis (Dip.: Clusiidae) Scott Gilmore

Druid fly, probably Clusia occidentalis (Dip.: Clusiidae) Scott Gilmore