2015 July 12
Some more insects photographed recently by Scott Gilmore:
Eucosma derelicta (Lep.: Tortricidae) Scott Gilmore
Arta epicoenalis (Lep.: Pyralidae) Scott Gilmore
Swammerdamia pyrella (Lep.: Yponomeutidae) Scott Gilmore
Gracillaria syringella (Lep.: Gracillariidae) Scott Gilmore
Myzia subvittata (Col.: Coccinellidae) Scott Gilmore
2015 July 11
Jeremy Tatum writes: Here is a caterpillar of a Western Tiger Swallowtail on an Aspen leaf.
Western Tiger Swallowtail Papilio rutulus (Lep.: Papilionidae) Jeremy Tatum
Scott Gilmore writes: I had a quiet moment and managed to go through a few photos from the last few nights. For various reasons I have been able to check my lights in the middle of the night when they were most active so I turned up a few less common (for me) moths. Around 2 a.m. on the night of the heaviest smoke was the busiest I have ever seen my lights with huge numbers of species that I often only see singly.
Jeremy Tatum responds: Scott sent a wonderful bunch of exciting photographs, which I’m going to divide between today and tomorrow!
Pyrausta californicalis (Lep.: Crambidae) Scott Gilmore
Furcula scolopendrina (Lep.: Notodontidae) Scott Gilmore
Arched Hooktip Drepana arcuata (Lep.: Drepanidae) Scott Gilmore
Isomira comstocki (Col.: Tenebrionidae) Scott Gilmore
European Pine Shoot Moth Rhyacionia buoliana (Lep.: Tortricidae)
Scott Gilmore
2015 July 10
Cheryl Hoyle sends a photograph of lovely bluey-green example of Lacinipolia strigicollis from View Royal, July 9. Many examples of this moth are the usual mixture of browns and greys that make all noctuids look alike to those who are just starting to study them. This is an exceptionally strikingly-marked individual, and I certainly didn’t recognize it. Thanks to Jeremy Gatten for identifying it for us.
Lacinipolia strigicollis (Lep.: Noctuidae) Cheryl Hoyle
2015 July 09
Cheryl Hoyle sends a photograph of a Sheep Moth caterpillar. Viewers who see caterpillars of this species should be warned that, if handled, they may give you a nettle-like rash.
Sheep Moth Hemileuca eglanterina (Lep.: Saturniidae) Cheryl Hoyle
Jeff Gaskin writes: Today (July 9) I found another Red Admiral, and this time it was in Gorge Waterway Park at the corner of Tillicum Road and Gorge Road West. There may be quite a few of them around.
Liam Singh sends photographs of a comma from Mount Cokely Road on June 14. As is so often the case with commas – particularly when seen away from the immediate area around Victoria – identification of the exact species presents a challenge. Jeremy Tatum writes that he thinks it is most likely a female Satyr Comma, but that he wouldn’t wager his pension pot on it. We would welcome opinions (with reasons!).
(Satyr?) Comma Polygonia (satyrus?) (Lep.: Nymphalidae) Liam Singh
(Satyr?) Comma Polygonia (satyrus?) (Lep.: Nymphalidae) Liam Singh
2015 July 8
(Sorry – No July 7 posting.)
On the July 6 posting we showed a photograph of a bug, and I wrote that we’d probably not be able to identify it closer than that. I had not reckoned on the expertise of our viewers. Scott Gilmore identified it as a mirid bug of the genus Lygus, and he pointed to an Internet image of it or a very similar bug by Rick and Libby Avis at
http://bugguide.net/node/view/889739
In today’s posting, we have a few more not-fully-identified insects – and I look forward to hearing what our viewers may come up with.
Karen Ferguson sends a photo from Mount Tuam Road on Salt Spring Island of a fresh fritillary nectaring on daisies. At press time we are not completely certain whether this is a Zerene or a Hydaspe. Opinions (with reasons!) welcome.
Speyeria sp. (Lep.: Nymphalidae)
Karen Ferguson
Chris Garrett sends a photograph of a Common Emerald Moth, July 6.
Common Emerald Hemithea aestivaria
(Lep.: Geometridae)
Chris Garrett
Nathan Fisk sends a photograph of an interesting insect that turned up in a sand box on July 7. It is probably a larva of a predaceous beetle, perhaps a species of ladybird (Coccinellidae).
Here is a caterpillar found recently at Cadboro Bay by Meilin Quong. We don’t (yet?) know what it is. Possibly a lasiocampid. Maybe even Tolype, but that’s a guess.
The next photograph is of an insect that is rather easier to identify. It is a Sheep Moth, which emerged last night from a pupa made last year by a caterpillar found in Beckwith Park.
Sheep Moth Hemileuca eglanterina (Lep.: Saturniidae) Jeremy Tatum
Jeremy Tatum writes that there are still Painted Ladies and Red Admirals, some quite fresh, to be found in the evenings after about 6:00 p.m. on the reservoir or near the Jeffery Pine on the top of Mount Tolmie. The tops of other local hills, such as Mount Douglas, Christmas Hill or Highrock Park would probably be worth a visit in the evenings.
Barb McGrenere writes: Pine White was the most numerous butterfly today on our walk at Elk Lake Park. Five were flying near the tree tops, while three were flying low, nectaring on daisies and thistles. We enjoyed excellent views of the low butterflies and they were in pristine condition. We saw: Pine White 8; Cabbage White 1; Western Tiger Swallowtail 3; European (Essex) Skipper 1.
Pine White Neophasia menapia (Lep.: Pieridae) Barb McGrenere