2020 July 6 morning

 

   Report on yesterday’s Butterfly Walk, by Gordon Hart:

 

On Sunday, July 5, 10 butterfly enthusiasts gathered on Mount Tolmie. Our first sighting was not a butterfly, but a large Sheep Moth that circled the summit several times. We saw five species of butterfly in the area around the reservoir: Painted Lady, Lorquin’s Admiral , Cabbage White, Western Tiger Swallowtail and an Essex Skipper. We then travelled to Layritz Park where Ringlets have been reported since May. We saw five species there, with Essex Skippers being counted in the dozens, or probably hundreds, one Woodland Skipper, at least 10 Cabbage Whites , two (or three?) Western Tiger Swallowtails, and at least eight Lorquin’s Admirals, but not a single Ringlet. We suppose that the first hatch is over, and they are between broods.

One rather sad sighting was an injured Sheep Moth missing one forewing being pursued on the ground by a Paper Wasp, Polistes sp. The moth actively resisted and the wasp finally left, but the moth, being unable to fly, will not have gained much by fighting off the predator.

On a happier note, it was nice to see everyone again, and the walk was a great way to spend my birthday as well!

 

Essex Skipper Thymelicus lineola (Lep.: Hesperiidae)  Gordon Hart

Lorquin’s Admiral Limenitis lorquini (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Gordon Hart

Paper Wasp Polistes (probably dominula) (Hym.: Vespidae)

Sheep Moth Hemileuca eglanterina (Lep.: Saturniidae)
Gordon Hart

    Annie Pang sends a photograph by Rhona McAdam of a Catocala.  Probably the familiar C. aholibah, although Libby Avis points out that it could also be C. ilia.  Both are oak feeders.

 

Catocala (probably aholibah) (Lep.: Erebidae – Erebinae)  Rhona McAdam

   Ted Dobie sends a photograph of Buprestis aurulenta from his Gordon Head garden.

 

Buprestis aurulenta (Col.: Buprestidae)  Ted Dobie