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 November 14

2023 November 14

   Jochen Möhr sends pictures from Metchosin of the moth known as Erannis vancouverensis.  Jeremy Tatum writes:  This species looks so like the European E. defoliaria that I have long suspected that they are one and the same species.   These are males; the females, like the Winter Moth, have no functional wings.

Erannis vancouverensis/defoliaria  (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

 

Erannis vancouverensis/defoliaria  (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Erannis defoliaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Butterfly Conservation UK

Winter Moths Operophtera sp. are now approaching the peak of their season.  Most are the European Winter Moth O. brumata, but in some places, in particular Goldstream Park, the native O. occidentalis is to be found.  Val George went to Goldstream today and photographed two winter moths (below).  Jeremy Tatum writes that he believes both are O. brumata.

 

Operophtera brumata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Val George

Operophtera brumata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Val George