2018 February 11

   Jeremy Gatten writes:  Here are some of the moths I’ve mentioned.  In addition to those mentioned from last weekend, I had Lithophane pertorrida at my place in Saanichton during the wee hours of February 8th

Jeremy Tatum writes:  This is an interesting bunch.  The three noctuids are among those moths that spend the winter in the adult state, reappearing early in the year.  Lithophane georgii is a new moth for this site. Homoglaea dives has appeared only once before, in September 2013.  The caterpillars of Lithophane  are best reared separately from other caterpillars – they are not wholly vegetarian!  Hydriomena manzanita is another “highflyer” (see February 7 for another one) – though not at all a very typical one. It’s also not a very typical geometrid, for it holds its wings “portrait” like a noctuid, rather than “landscape” like a typical geometrid. Its caterpillar feeds on Arbutus  and presumably also Manzanita. It enters diapause in the late summer, and pupates sometime during the winter.

Lithophane georgii (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jeremy Gatten

Lithophane pertorrida (Lep.: Noctuidae) Jeremy Gatten

Homoglaea dives (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jeremy Gatten

Hydriomena manzanita (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jeremy Gatten

Below is a photograph of a Yellow-bordered Taildropper, sent by Bud Logan and photographed by his son Robert from Sayward.  We’ve had this slug on this site just once before – on 16th September 2016.

Yellow-bordered Taildropper Prophysaon foliolatum (Pul.: Anadeniidae)  Robert Logan

2018 February 8

   Here’s another of those early moths to be welcomed at this time of year, from Jochen Moehr in Metchosin:

Egira hiemalis (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Moehr

2018 February 7

   Moths are beginning to show themselves at least in Metchosin.  Jochen Moehr sends a couple of geometrid photographs.  Hydriomena nubilofasciata is one of the earliest moths to appear in the year.  Moth of the genus Hydriomena are often called “highfliers” – though I don’t know if they all fly particularly high. The caterpillar of this one feeds on oak, and the moth has gained the English name Oak Winter Highflier.  The other one is a “pug”, genus Eupithecia.  There are lots of species of these, and they are difficult to tell apart, so we often have to settle for “Eupithecia sp.”   Our (Libby Avis and Jeremy Tatum) best guess is maybe annulata.

Hydriomena nubilofasciata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Moehr

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

2018 February 6

   Jeremy Gatten writes: I will start off by saying that I don’t have any photos available at this exact moment, but I have photos on my camera at home.  [Jeremy Tatum writes: We look forward to seeing some!]

   Jeremy G continues: So… what’s on the wing these days?  Well, I think that the generally miserable conditions have at least been mild, so more moths are about than I expected.  A trip out to the legendary Hans Helgesen Elementary School in Metchosin yielded: ~5 Eupithecia [annulata], 2 Phigalia plumogeraria, 1 Hydriomena manzanita, 3 Hydriomena nubilofasciata, ~6 Egira hiemalis, possibly 1 Lithophane baileyi, and 1 Lithophane georgii. Additionally, there was a micro that I photographed but have no idea what it is or where to start. The Metchosin Community Hall also had quite a few Egira hiemalis and Phigalia plumogeraria.

   At my place in Saanichton last night, I had 1 Hypena californica, 2 Egira hiemalis, and 1 Homoglaea dives.

   I believe the Homoglaea dives was new for me, so let’s hope this warm weather will result in a few more interesting moths being found!

   Here is a spider found by Rick and Libby Avis in Port Alberni on February 2.  We are indebted to Dr Robb Bennett for identifying it as a male Steatoda grossa.

Male Steatoda grossa (Ara.: Theridiidae)  Libby Avis

2018 February 5

   Libby Avis forwards to us an exciting message from Greg Pohl:

Hi all;

My co-authors and I are thrilled to announce the publication of our checklist of the Lepidoptera of Canada and Alaska. It’s available as a free PDF download, or to buy as a hardcover book. Here is the link:

https://books.pensoft.net/book/13218/annotated-checklist-of-the-moths-and-butterflies-lepidoptera-of-canada-and-alaska

 sincerely,

Greg Pohl and co-authors:

JF Landry

Chris Schmidt

Don Lafontaine

Jim Troubridge

Doug Macaulay

Erik van Nieukerken

Jeremy deWaard

Jason Dombroskie

John Klymko

Vazrick Nazari

Ken Stead

Scott Gilmore sends photographs of a moth and a beetle from UpperLantzville:

Probably Acleris (maybe schalleriana?) (Lep.: Tortricidae)  Scott Gilmore

Plectrura spinicauda (Col.: Cerambycidae) Scott Gilmore

Plectrura spinicauda (Col.: Cerambycidae) Scott Gilmore