2024 May 21

Jeremy Tatum writes:  During the May 10 -12 Insect Bioblitz in Upland Park, I found a young caterpillar.  It has grown since then, and is now large enough to identify.  Here it is – it is Tetracis jubararia:

Tetracis jubararia (Lep.: Geometridae)   Jeremy Tatum

Marie O’Shaughnessy photographed a Painted Lady near the Jeffrey Pine at the top of Mount Tolmie on May 20.

Painted Lady Vanessa cardui   (Lep.:  Nymphalidae)   Marie O’Shaughnessy

Painted Lady Vanessa cardui   (Lep.:  Nymphalidae)   Marie O’Shaughnessy

Although there seem to have been few butterflies in the immediate vicinity of Victoria in the last few days, things were better during the May 20 VNHS cycling tour from Sooke Potholes to Leechtown, from which we have received indirect reports of Western Spring Azures, a Western Pine Elfin and various tiger swallowtails, commas and tortoiseshells.  We also heard reports of two possible Milbert’s Tortoiseshells from Hornby Island.  And Geoffrey Newell photographed a Milbert’s Toroiseshell at Maber Flats.  See
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139530418@N08/53737240141/

Ian Cooper went out in the middle of the night last night to photograph some invertebrates, and he got caught in heavy rain, which did not stop.  This did not deter him, and he carried on to get several photographs, including the ones below.

Clubiona sp. (Ara.: Clubionidae)  Ian Cooper

Probably Rugathodes sexpunctatus (Ara.: Theridiidae)   Ian Cooper

Probably Cybaeus sp. (Ara.: Cybaeidae)   Ian Cooper

Protolophus sp. (Opiliones: Protolophidae)   Ian Cooper

Weevil  (Col.: Curculionidae)  Ian Cooper
Identification pending – watch this space!