2022 April 1 morning

    Jochen Möhr sends photographs of two moths from his Metchosin home, March 31.

Orthosia transparens (Lep.: Noctuidae)   Jochen Möhr

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  The larval foodplant is Gaultheria shallon.

Venusia obsoleta/pearsalli  (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Jeremy Tatum writes:  I don’t know a reliable way of distinguishing between these two species.

Jeremy continues:  Here is a caterpillar of Paraseptis adnixa from near Blenkinsop Lake.  This caterpillar sensibly appears early in the year – thus avoiding the attentions of tachinid flies.  Its foodplant is Oemleria cerasiformis  – about the only shrub in leaf in early March.   Early images of this species on this site are listed as Aseptis adnixa.

Paraseptis adnixa  (Lep.:  Noctuidae)  Jeremy Tatum

   The spectacular hawk moth caterpillar below is fully eight inches long.  If it is gently squeezed it emits an alarming squeak.  April 1 is an early date to find a hawk moth caterpillar this size.

 

Fullius aprile (Lep.: Sphingidae)   Jeremy Tatum