May 15 evening
2020 May 15 evening
Jeremy Tatum writes: I visited the railway line north of Cowichan Station this afternoon, where I saw several Western Spring Azures, a Sara Orangetip, a Satyr Comma, three Margined Whites, and… wait for it!… an Arctic Skipper. I think that’s maybe only the third or perhaps fourth time I’ve ever seen one. The whites and the skipper were nectaring on Herb Robert. I went up there to test my theory that spring brood Margined Whites are more heavily marked (spotted and “veined”) than the summer brood. Alas, the only one that I had a good look at (presumably a male) was pure white as the driven snow. I’d be interested to see any photographs that viewers get of the species this year. Also, while there, I saw a Northern Alligator Lizard, but, since it has lots of vertebrae, I’d better say no more about it.
Ron Flower writes: My son said he had a weird bird’s nest in his yard so I went for a look. I know it’s not a bird’s nest so I am guessing a type of moth. Any ideas? [Yes, it’s a cocoon of the Polyphemus Moth, from which the moth has earlier emerged.] We also saw our first Pale Tiger Swallowtail today at the Goldstream River May 15th.
Cocoon of Polyphemus Moth Antheraea polyphemus (Lep.: Saturniidae) Ron Flower
Val George writes: This afternoon, May 15, there were at least three, maybe four, Painted Ladies at the summit of Mount Tolmie.
Painted Lady Vanessa cardui (Lep.: Nymphalidae) Val George
Jochen Möhr writes from Metchosin: Two days ago (May 13) my first sighting of an Anise Swallowtail¸ Also then my last sighting of a Sara Orangetip. There is a continuing abundance of Western Spring Azures. Today (May 15) my first sighting of a Pale Tiger Swallowtail, and a Grey Hairstreak.
Grey Hairstreak Strymon melinus (Lep.: Lycaenidae) Jochen Möhr
Rosemary Jorna writes from Kemp Lake: This Mourning Cloak just rested on our roses. Yesterday Sid saw a Western Tiger Swallowtail in the yard but it has not shown again yet.
Mourning Cloak Nymphalis antiopa (Lep.: Nymphalidae) Rosemary Jorna