2024 April 22 morning
Marie O’Shaughnessy photographed a gravid female White-ribboned Carpet Mesoleuca gratulata in flight and looking to oviposit on blackberry leaves at the corner lot of Kerryview Drive and Petworth Drive, April 20.
Mesoleuca gratulata (Lep.: Geometridae) Marie O’Shaughnessy
Mesoleuca gratulata (Lep.: Geometridae) Marie O’Shaughnessy
2024 April 20 evening
[Posted early morning April 21 because of technical problem.]
Ken Vaughan sends a photograph of a Pacific Forktail from the Beaver Lake Retriever Ponds this morning.
Ischnura cervula (Odo.: Coenagrionidae) Ken Vaughan
Gordon Hart writes: Today, Saturday April 20, Anne-Marie and I went on a VNHS field trip up Jocelyn Hill in the Highlands. It was cool at the start, but later we started to see Western Spring Azures, and then one Brown Elfin on an arbutus leaf, one of its larval food plants. I have attached a photo.
Brown Elfin Callophrys augustinus (Lep.: Lycaenidae) Gordon Hart
In recent years on this site, this butterfly has been referred to as the Western Brown Elfin or Western Elfin Incisalia iroides. In the 2023 ATC, which we are now trying to follow on this site, it has been reunited with the Brown Elfin with its former scientific name Callophrys augustinus. Incisalia is now treated as a subgenus within Callophrys, and iroides is treated as a subspecies within augustinus. Thus the scientific name including subgenus and subspecies would be Callophrys (Incisalia) augustinus iroides.
On this site we don’t usually (unless there is some special reason) refer to subgenera and subspecies.
2024 April 20 morning
Marie O’Shaughnessy writes: I was up at Mount Douglas Park at 2:00 pm, April 19, hoping to see a female Sara Orangetip and I got lucky. One was being chased around by two males. Always a challenge as constantly on the move. Five individuals in total.
Other butterflies up at the top parking lot were three Western Spring Azures and one Mourning Cloak.
Female Sara Orangetip Anthocharis sara (Lep.: Pieridae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy
Male and female Sara Orangetip Anthocharis sara (Lep.: Pieridae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy
Here are two slugs photographed by Ian Cooper and kindly identified by Robert Forsyth:
Deroceras reticulatum (Pul.: Agriolimacidae) Ian Cooper
Deroceras laeve (Pul.: Agriolimacidae) Ian Cooper
2024 April 19 evening
Jeremy Tatum writes: I am finding butterflies still scarce, but I saw a Cabbage White along Carey Road in Saanich this morning. Two California Tortoiseshells were still basking on the Mount Tolmie reservoir this evening.
Aziza Cooper sends a photograph of a California Tortoiseshell on Mount Tolmie, April 17.
California Tortoiseshell Nymphalis californica (Lep.: Nymphalidae)
Aziza Cooper
Jeff Gaskin writes: Kirsten Mills and I saw some butterflies in the Prospect Lake area today, April 19. Along the Prospect Lake Road powerline trail we saw 1 Brown Elfin, 8 Western Spring Azures, and 1 Sara Orangetip. At Bedrock or 4655 Kerryview Drive, which is the last house on Kerryview Drive, we saw 2 Green Commas, 2 Western Spring Azures and 2 Sara Orangetips and at Petworth Road and Prospect Lake Road another Sara Orangetip, Green Comma and 2 Western Spring Azures. We also had a few Cabbage Whites in various areas, but Cabbage Whites are by no means numerous yet. It’s probably because the temperatures have been quite cool at night.
Ian Cooper sends photographs of five spiders. We thank Dr Robb Bennett for their identifications.
Callobius pictus (Ara.: Amaurobiidae) Ian Cooper
Callobius pictus (Ara.: Amaurobiidae) Ian Cooper
Possibly (not certain) Callobius pictus (Ara.: Amaurobiidae) Ian Cooper
Pimoa altioculata with egg sac (Ara.: Pimoidae) Ian Cooper
Possibly (unsure) Cybaeus sp. (Cybaeidae) Ian Cooper
Dr Philip Bragg writes of a Harvestman photographed by Ian Cooper: Not quite sharp enough where I would wish it to be. However, it is a very nice photo and taken from a good angle. I think that it is a species of Protolophus. The genus needs revision so I am not sure what is the species. Thanks for sending the photograph.
Harvestman Protolophus sp. (Opiliones: Phalangiidae) Ian Cooper
We thank Scott Gilmore for the identification of the beetle below. The beetle is carrying some mites.
Scaphinotus angusticollis (Col.: Carabidae) Ian Cooper
We don’t know the identification of this fly. If any viewer can help, please let us know.
Unknown fly (Diptera – Nematocera) Ian Cooper
Nor do we know the identification of this caterpillar:
Moth caterpillar (Lep.: Noctuidae) Ian Cooper
The Rough Woodlouse below is a little easier:
Porcellio scaber (Isopoda: Porcellionidae) Ian Cooper
2024 April 19 morning
Marie O’Shaughnessy sends photographs of butterflies that she saw on Mount Tolmie, April 18.
Western Spring Azure Celastrina echo (Lep.: Lycaenidae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy
California Tortoiseshell Nymphalis californica (Lep.: Nymphalidae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy
California Tortoiseshell Nymphalis californica (Lep.: Nymphalidae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy
Mourning Cloak Nymphalis antiopa (Lep.: Nymphalidae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy
Marie also photographed these Sara Orangetips on Mount Douglas:
Sara Orangetip Anthocharis sara (Lep.: Pieridae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy
Sara Orangetip Anthocharis sara (Lep.: Pieridae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy