2106 October 10

   Mike Yip sends a photograph of a Western Conifer Seed Bug from his Nanoose Bay house, October 3.

Western Conifer Seed Bug Leptoglossus occidentalis (Hem.: Coreidae) Mike Yip

   Jeremy Tatum writes:   There are lots of Banded Woolly Bears to be seen about now.  Panama Flats seems to be a particularly good location, though anyone who has visited that area recently may wonder if it will continue to be so.  As I have noted in previous years, there are many dead and squashed woolly bears on the paths, both at Panama Flats and at other locations, such as Blenkinsop Lake, or Martindale Flats.  There seem to be many more dead caterpillars than would be expected from their being accidentally trodden upon.  I fear that many people, on seeing this conspicuous caterpillar scurrying across a path, automatically go out of their way to stomp on it for no particular reason.

  The butterfly season is almost at a close, even for Cabbage Whites.  However, I saw one yesterday (October 9) along Pear Street, Saanich, so there are still a few around.  Who will be the last to see and report one to Invert Alert?  In 2014 the last Cabbage White was reported on November 10.  In 2015 the last Cabbage White was reported on October 22 – but that was not the last butterfly of the year.  That title in 2015 went to a Red Admiral on November 2.