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 October 25

2023 October 25

   We have heard of a few more late October sightings of Cabbage White:   Marie O’Shaughnessy saw three along Beach Drive on October 17, and one along Dorset Road, Oak Bay, October 21.  Kirsten Mills and Jeff Gaskin saw three in the Cowichan Valley, October 20.

Also in the Cowichan Valley, Kirsten photographed this Autumn Meadowhawk.  This is a fully mature specimen, with reddish legs.  The species was formerly called the Yellow-legged Meadowhawk, but the yellow legs applies only to immature specimens, which is presumably one reason why the name was changed.

Kirsten also photographed a Banded Woolly Bear.  These are very common just now.  They spend the winter as a caterpillar, not pupating until Spring.

Autumn Meadowhawk Sympetrum vicinum  (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Kirsten Mills

Autumn Meadowhawk Sympetrum vicinum  (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Kirsten Mills

Autumn Meadowhawk Sympetrum vicinum  (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Kirsten Mills

 

Banded Woolly Bear Pyrrharctia isabella  (Lep.: Erebidae – Arctiinae)  Kirsten Mills

   Jochen Möhr sets us a puzzle with a picture of a moth settled on a glass window.   Because it is illuminated from behind in the upperside view, it is difficult to make out the wing pattern, but I think we can safely agree with Jochen’s identification as a Autumnal Moth.  It won’t be long before we start to see the first Winter Moths.

Autumnal Moth Epirrita autumnata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Autumnal Moth Epirrita autumnata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr