2023 July 22

  Jeff Gaskin writes:  On July 21 on Christmas Hill between 5 and 6 p.m. I saw the following butterflies  :   1 Red Admiral, 3 Painted Ladies, 2 Anise Swallowtails, 1 Lorquin’s Admiral,  3 Western Tiger Swallowtails,  2 Cabbage Whites  and 5 Woodland Skippers.

   Kirsten Mills photographed a Blue Dasher at Gowlland-Tod Park and a Blue-eyed Darner at Francis/King Park parking lot today, July 22.   Thanks to Dr Rob Cannings for the identification of the darner.

Blue Dasher Pachydiplax longipennis (Odo.: Libellulidae)
Kirsten Mills

Female Blue-eyed Darner Rhionaeschna multicolor
(Odo.: Aeshnidae)
Kirsten Mills

Marie O’Shaughnessy writes:  A 90 minute walk around Outerbridge Park revealed

5 Western Tiger Swallowtails (one appeared quite a bit bigger than the rest.   [Jeremy Tatum writes: Females are larger than the males] )
2 Lorquin’s Admirals
12 Cabbage Whites
7 skippers. Woodland  possibly.  [Jeremy Tatum writes: Probably Woodland Skippers at this time of year.]

Dragonflies were scarce.

Four-spotted Skimmer Libellula quadrimaculata
(Odo.: Libellulidae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy

Woodland Skipper Ochlodes sylvanoides  (Lep.: Hesperiidae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy

Marie writes:  Here’s in interesting insect – seen in Parksville the other day when I was up there.

 Sand Wasp Bembix (probably americana)  (Hym.: Crabronidae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy

Jeremy Tatum writes:  The Red Admiral caterpillar shown on July 4 evening produced a gorgeous adult butterfly today.  I released it in Playfair Park.  It was anxious to get out and fly, so it permitted me only a brief underside photograph.

Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta (Lep.: Nymphalidae)
Jeremy Tatum