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 23

2017 May 23

 

   Dar Churcher sends two pictures of the jumping spider Phidippus johnsoni from Colwood.  In the second picture notice the small droplets of whitish fluid on the wall below and to the left of the spider.  These droplets were spat out by the spider at a distance, presumably in this case as a defensive measure as the spider felt threatened at the approach of Dar’s close-up camera.

 

Johnson’s Jumping Spider Phidippus johnsoni (Ara.: Salticidae) Dar Churcher

 

Johnson’s Jumping Spider Phidippus johnsoni (Ara.: Salticidae)

Dar Churcher

 

 

Sheryl Falls reports a sighting of a Cinnabar Moth on May 19 in the Transfer Beach area of Ladysmith.  This is a European moth and it is interesting to know that it has spread as far as Ladysmith.  As a non-native moth, should it be regarded as an invasive pest?  Not necessarily, because its caterpillar is effective in controlling a rather invasive European plant, Ragwort.

 

Cinnabar Moth Tyria jacobaeae (Lep.: Erebidae – Arctiinae) Sheryl Falls

 

Bryan Gates sends us a challenge with a photograph of a moth from Saratoga Beach, near Oyster River, May 20.  The moth is rather worn – so much so that Jeremy Tatum gave up on the identification.  However, Libby Avis successfully identified it as a worn specimen of Melanolophia imitata, whose caterpillar feeds on Douglas Fir.  A relatively fresh specimen of this species appeared on this site on April 26.

 

Melanolophia imitata (Le.: Geometridae)  Bryan Gates

 

 

Marie O’Shaughnessy photographed a male Sara Orangetip near “Warbler Alley” on Mount Tolmie on May 18, and a Cedar Hairstreak in the Goldstream Heights area, May 20.

 

Sara Orangetip Anthocharis sara (Lep.: Pieridae) Marie O’Shaughnessy

Cedar Hairstreak Mitoura rosneri (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy

Mik Yip reports seeing his first swallowtail sp. and comma sp. at Nanoose Bay today.

Jeremy Tatum replies:  Yes, it has been an extraordinarily poor season so far.  I have seen only one comma and no swallowtails of any species, and indeed no Western Tiger Swallowtail has yet been reported to Invert Alert. Mike sends pictures of a bumblebee, probably Bombus melanopygus, though we can’t be absolutely certain.

 

Bombus sp. (Hym.: Apidae)  Mike Yip

 Bombus sp. (Hym.: Apidae)  Mike Yip