2020April 14

 

   Jochen Möhr reports seeing several Sara Orangetips and Western Spring Azures near his Metchosin home on April 13.

 

  Gordon Hart writes  from the Highlands: April 13, I saw my first Western Spring Azure of the year, as well as a California Tortoiseshell and a Green Comma.

 

  Barb McGrenere writes from the Cordova Bay area, April 13:  This morning, one Cabbage White flew through our backyard.  And around 4 pm today, Mike and I saw 1 California Tortoiseshell on the Mount Tolmie reservoir. 

 

  Mark Wynja sends underside and upperside photographs of an Oreas Comma  from Little Mountian, Parksville, April 13, together with a useful analysis of three comma species:

 

Oreas Comma Polygonia oreas (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Mark Wynja

 

Oreas Comma Polygonia oreas (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Mark Wynja

 

Oreas Comma

Dorsal surface:

1. narrow dark continuous outer margin
2. Very similar to Zephyr/Hoary

Ventral surface:

1. mostly solid dark brown
2. subterminal markings barely visible on fore wing and not visible on hind wing

 

Zephyr/Hoary 

Dorsal surface:

1. dark fragmented and uneven outer margin

Ventral surface:

1. frosty gray band separating the dark outer margin from the dark base of wings
2. row of pale yellow subterminal markings

 

Green Comma 

Dorsal surface:

1. wide dark continuous outer margin
2. Hind wing has small pale subterminal marks, mostly surrounded by the dark of the wide margin

Ventral surface:

1. row of moss green subterminal markings
2. mottled below

 

   Rosemary Jorna sends photographs of a crab spider  from the Kemp Lake area, April 13.  Robb Bennett identifies it as a member of the genus Xysticus.  Without close examination of the specimen, it is not possible to be certain of the species.  X. pretiosus and  X.locuples are possibilities.

 

Xysticus sp. (Ara.: Thomisidae)  Rosemary Jorna

 

Xysticus sp. (Ara.: Thomisidae)  Rosemary Jorna