INVERTEBRATE ALERT
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.

May 13

2017 May 13

 

   Jeremy Tatum sends a photograph of a Neoalcis californiaria caterpillar on Douglas Fir from Panama Flats.

 

Neoalcis californiaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jeremy Tatum

 

 

 Ken Vaughan sends a photograph of Emmelina monodactyla.

 

Emmelina monodactyla (Lep.: Pterophoridae)  Ken Vaughan

 

 

   Annie Pang sends a picture of a fly in the genus Phaonia.  Probably P. subventa, but could also be P. rufiventris (= P. populi).

 

Phaonia sp. (Dip.: Muscidae)  Annie Pang

 

   Aziza Cooper reports from Christmas Hill today, about 2:00 pm:

 

Painted Lady – 2

Spring Azure – 1

Sara Orangetip – 1

Cabbage White – 1

Propertius Duskywing – 2

California Darner -1

 

Propertius Duskywing Erynnis propertius (Lep.: Hesperiidae)  Aziza Cooper

 

California Darner Rhionaeschna californica (Odo.: Aeshnidae) Aziza Cooper

     Sheryl Falls reports a Cedar Hairstreak from Nanaimo’s Townsite area, May 7.

 

 

Cedar Hairstreak Mitoura rosneri (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Sheryl Falls

 

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  Today (May 13) I saw two Cerisy’s Eyed Hawk Moths in copula along the Lochside trail between Blenkinsop Lake and Lohbrunner’s.  I didn’t photograph them, partly because I didn’t want to disturb them in their private moment, and partly because I didn’t have my camera with me.  May 13, and the only butterflies I saw on that section of the trail were one Cabbage White and one Western Spring Azure.