2018 March 18

   Two years ago, on March 21, Rosemary Jorna photographed a pyraloid moth (see 2016 March 30 Invert Alert), which we were unable to identify.  Now, on March 15   this year, Moralea Milne found and photographed the same species in Metchosin. “It appeared to fly out of a Manzanita bush. They seem to be only on the west facing slope, grass/moss hillside, above 200 m, from a quick reconnaissance. There were a number of them flying around.”

   We still don’t know what it is.  Here’s Moralea’s photograph:

Unidentified moth (Lep.: Pyraloidea)  Moralea Milne

2018 March 13

   Gordon Hart sends photographs of a moth and a fly from the Highlands area, March 11.  We thank Dr Jeff Skevington for kindly identifying the fly for us.   Gordon also remarks that he saw a butterfly on March 12 – probably a Green Comma.

Epirrhoe plebeculata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Gordon Hart

Sericomyia chalcopyga (Dip.: Syrphidae)   Gordon Hart

2019 March 11 morning

   Butterfly!   In Metchosin yesterday Jochen Moehr had a glimpse of what looked like a tortoiseshell – very briefly, very alive, unfortunately not a trace of a chance to document it.  

   Although he didn’t manage to photograph the butterfly, as compensation he photographed another well-fed Ixodes pacificus from his dog.  He writes: I had a chat with our vet, John Gayfer, who assured me that, although the documented contraction of a double Lyme disease infection by my friend is extremely rare, there is little to worry with our dogs, as dogs are less likely to get infected by ticks than humans, and the rate of infection of ticks is low around here anyway.  So there may be hope . . . 

Ixodes pacificus (Acari: Ixodidae)  Jochen Moehr

    Jeremy Tatum writes: We’ve had several Oak Winter Highflyers on this site already this year, but here is my first at my apartment this morning.

Oak Winter Highflyer Hydriomena nubilofasciata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jeremy Tatum

   Jochen also photographed another Hydriomena species –  Hydriomena manzanita.  To my eyes H. manzanita doesn’t look very much like a typical highflyer.  Maybe it more properly belongs to another genus.

Hydriomena manzanita (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Moehr

   Nathan Fisk sends a photograph of an unknown noctuid caterpillar chewing off some vetch seedlings at Fort Rod Hill Nursery.

Unknown noctuid caterpillar (Lep.: Noctuidae)   Nathan Fisk

   Jochen had a busy time yesterday in Metchosin.  As well as the tick and the highflyer, he photographed the moth Lithophane georgii  and a brown lacewing. He also notes that his area is swarmed by pug moths (Eupithecia – Geometridae).

Lithophane georgii  (Lep.: Noctuidae)   Jochen Moehr

Brown lacewing (Neu.: Hemerobiidae)  Jochen Moehr

2018 March 8

   Objet trouvé by Ann Nightingale in Ann Scarfe’s Gordon Head garden, a chrysalis of a tiger swallowtail butterfly.  Jeremy Tatum writes:  I can’t tell whether it is a Western or a Pale Tiger Swallowtail.  Unfortunately the pupa had somehow become detached from its substrate, which would normally result in a crippled adult unable to fly or even to completely emerge from the chrysalis.  Fortunately, there is still some silk attached to the cremaster and to the girdle, and I think I may be able to attach these silk remnants to a suitable surface and with luck the butterfly may be able to emerge without injury.  I hope to be able to report a happy ending later in the year!

Tiger swallowtail Papilio sp. (Lep.: Papilionidae)  Jeremy Tatum

  Jochen Moehr writes from Metchosin:  The moth activity up here is increasing.  Since two or three days now, we have lively activity at the very weak light at our deck.  Tonight, there were about fifteen.  I think they are all pugs. Jeremy Tatum writes:  I find pugs difficult, but I think these are either Eupithecia annulata or they are not!

Eupithecia (possibly annulata) (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Moehr

Eupithecia (possibly annulata)  (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Moehr

  Moralea Milne sends a photograph of a moth from Camas Hill, March 7.  Identified by Libby Avis as Orthosia pulchella, who comments that she knows of no previous records from this area.   We’ve certainly had none on Invert Alert since it started in 2010.  We’ve had six species of Orthosia, but not this one.  Moths in this genus are often unjustly called “drabs”.  Moralea’s moth is far from drab – indeed the scientific name means “beautiful little one” – a perfectly justified name!

Orthosia pulchella (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Moralea Milne

2018 March 5

   Ron Flower writes:   Hey, Jeremy – I got this one in the parking lot at Goldstream Park on Saturday, 3rd March.

Oak Winter Highflyer Hydriomena nubilofasciata (Lep.: Geometridae) Ron Flower