2017 July 3

   Reminder:  Invert Alert closed July 6 -22.  See recent postings.

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  There have been very few moths at my Saanich apartment building this year, so it was nice this morning to see a Cerisy’s Eyed Hawk Moth there.  Unfortunately, she flew away strongly about half a second before I pressed the shutter button.  I’m sure many of you have had the same experience!

   Gordon Hart writes:  We had a good June count after a slow start this spring. We were down four species this year, from 15 species in June, 2016, to 11 in 2017. Because we use the Christmas Count circle, we could not count the Island View Beach Purplish Coppers reported by Val George. This is one of those formerly more common species, like Mylitta Crescent, that used to be seen in several areas of Greater Victoria. Some numbers were down, but eight species had higher numbers than last year. The most counted of any species was Western Tiger Swallowtail, with 262 seen, 105 more than last year! Surprisingly, Cabbage Butterfly was down by 305, from 532 in 2016, to 227 this year. European (Essex) Skippers were down from 180 in 2016, to 55 this year, but this was probably due to the later season this year. We had 13 observers and 34 reports covering about 43 locations. Thanks to all who submitted count reports. I also included a few sightings from the Invert Alert if they matched the date range and were in the count circle.

    Annie Pang sends a picture of a Small Magpie Moth, July 2.  Jeremy Tatum writes:  I can’t get used to the new scientific name!  It must have been Eurrhypara hortulata for well over 100 years.  I hope the taxonomists have good reasons for the name change.  They changed its Family not so long ago.  (It was Pyralidae.)   Beautiful moth anyway.

Small Magpie Moth Anania hortulata (Lep.:  Crambidae)  Annie Pang

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  I inadvertently missed a bunch of photographs from Gordon Hart a week or so ago.  Thanks, Gordon, for re-sending them, and here they are.

Acronicta dactylina (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Gordon Hart

Nomad bee (Hym.: Nomadidae)  Gordon Hart

Red-veined Meadowhawk Sympetrum madidum (Odo.: Libellulidae) Gordon Hart

   Samantha Hatfield sends photographs of a Western Tiger Swallowtail and a Cabbage White.

Western Tiger Swallowtail Papilio rutulus (Lep.: Papilionidae)  Samantha Hatfield

Cabbage White Pieris rapae (Lep.: Pieridae)  Samantha Hatfield.