2016 May 19

 

Gordon Hart writes: Hi Butterfly Counters,

The Victoria May Butterfly Count starts this Saturday, May 21.  The count period is from the 3rd Saturday to the 4th Sunday – nine days, and will end Sunday May 29. This has been a great spring so far, so with good weather we should have a productive count.

 

Please use the form at  https://www.vicnhs.bc.ca/?p=33 to submit your results. Submit a separate form for each area you count, so I can take the higher number in case of double counting.

 

If you’d like a suggestion about what area to count, send me an email.

 

Please let me know if you want to be removed from this list. If you know of anyone who would like to be added, please give them my email address.

 

Thanks for submitting your sightings, and happy counting!

Gordon Hart

 

Agnes Lynn announces: Sunday, May 22

FIELD TRIP (LEVEL 2)

Birds, Blooms and Butterflies on Mount Tolmie

Early in the morning, we have a good chance of enjoying some special spring migrants on Mount Tolmie. Expect to enjoy hearing warblers and flycatchers as your reward for getting up so early on this long weekend. Western Tanagers are possible and occasionally a Western Kingbird might show up. After the birds quieten down, we can spend some time checking out the last of the wildflowers. Bring a snack to eat while we wait for it to warm up and then we may be able to enjoy some of the Butterflies who enjoy the hot dry habitat. Take the turnoff from Cedar Hill Cross Road and park at the main parking lot just north of the summit. Meet at 7:00 a.m. to catch all the best birds singing. Contact Rick at (250) 885-2454 or Agnes at thelynns at shaw.ca or (250)721- 0634 for more information.

 

 

Annie Pang sends in a few photographs from Gorge Park.

 

(Thanks to Scott Gilmore for this identification.)

    Sceliphron caementarium (Hym.: Sphecidae)  Annie Pang

Annie sends us some moments of high drama between a jumping spider (identified by Robin Leech) and a Bluebottle, at Gorge Park.

 

Jumping spider Salticus scenicus (Ara.: Salticidae)
Annie Pang

 Bluebottle Calliphora vomitoria (Dip.: Calliphoridae)

 and Jumping spider Salticus scenicus (Ara.: Salticidae)

Annie Pang

   You may choose whose side you are on, but eventually the spider had to look elsewhere for dinner.

 

Devon Parker visited Denman Island on May 16 and came back with a good haul of interesting pictures.

 

 

 Edith Checkerspots Euphydryas editha  (Lep.: Nymphalidae) Devon Parker

Two-banded Grizzled Skipper Pyrgus ruralis (Lep.: Hesperiidae)  Devon Parker

(Beetles kindly identified for us by Scott Gilmore.)

 

Jeremy Tatum sends a picture of a Large Yellow Underwing from a pupa found in a vegetable garden in Grant Street, Victoria.  The adult moth emerged on May 18.

 

He also sends a photograph of, well, is it Triphosa haesitata or Coryphista meadii? There are two possible ways of identifying it.  You could scroll down to May 7 and see Rebecca Reader-Lee’s photographs of Coryphista meadii, or April 21, where you can study the Gatten criteria for distinguishing the species.  Alternatively, you can have a peek at the caption underneath the photograph – that’s a  dead give-away.  The moth came from an egg that was found on Mahonia at Munn Road shown on April 21, and the caterpillar was shown on May 6.

 

 Coryphista meadii (Lep.: Geometridae)   Jeremy Tatum

 

I’m still greatly behindhand, and there are more photos from contributors patiently waiting in the queue.  More tomorrow.