INVERTEBRATE ALERT
This blog provides an informal forum for terrestrial invertebrate watchers to post recent sightings of interesting observations in the southern Vancouver Island region. Please send your sightings by email to Jeremy Tatum (tatumjb352@gmail.com). Be sure to include your name, phone number, the species name (common or scientific) of the invertebrate you saw, location, date, and number of individuals. If you have a photograph you are willing to share, please send it along. Click on the title above for an index of past sightings.The index is updated most days.

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