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.

2023 May 21 morning

2023 May 21 morning

 

 

 

   Yesterday, Aziza Cooper and Marie O’Shaughnessy visited Mount Tolmie again in the morning and scored  1 Western Tiger Swallowtail, 1 California Tortoiseshell, 1 Cabbage White. Marie submitted several photographs of butterflies there.   In the first of these photographs below, the butterfly is on its larval foodplant (Fennel), which could mean either that the butterfly has very recently emerged, or that it is interested in ovipositing.

 

 

 

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Anise Swallowtail  Papilio zelicaon   (Lep.: Papilionidae)

Marie O’Shaughnessy

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Western Tiger Swallowtail  Papilio rutulus  (Lep.: Papilionidae)

Marie O’Shaughnessy

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Pale Tiger Swallowtail  Papilio eurymedon (Lep.: Papilionidae)

Marie O’Shaughnessy

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Western Brown Elfin Incisalia iroides   (Lep.: Lycaenidae)

  Marie O’Shaughnessy

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California Tortoiseshell  Nymphalis californica  (Lep.: Nymphalidae)

Marie O’Shaughnessy

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California Tortoiseshell  Nymphalis californica  (Lep.: Nymphalidae)

Marie O’Shaughnessy

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Painted Lady  Vanessa cardui  (Lep.: Nymphalidae)

Marie O’Shaughnessy

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Red Admiral  Vanessa atalanta  (Lep.: Nymphalidae)

  Marie O’Shaughnessy

    Jeremy Tatum notes that in the two days May 18-19 photographs of the following species were posted on Invert Alert:   Malacosoma californicum, Rhionaeschna californica, Hypena californica,  Nymphalis californica,  Autographa californica.  He does not doubt that in the next little while, we shall be receiving photographs of Calligrapha californica, Prionus californicus, Bombus californicus, Pyrausta californicalis, Hydriomena californiata, Neoalcis californiaria, Pheosia californica…  all (and a few more) of which occur here and have featured in Invert Alert.