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.

July 26 morning

2017 July 26 morning

 

   Gordon Hart writes:

 

The July count tallied 12 species, one fewer than 2016. This year, there were no Satyr Commas or Mourning Cloaks, but we added one Ringlet (Large Heath). Total numbers were up by about one third, from 667 to 1046 individuals. Cabbage Whites were the most numerous with 570 (2016: 431), and Western Tiger Swallowtails were next with 140 (2016: 47). Woodland Skippers started to appear near the end of the count period and only nine were counted (2016: 45). More Pine Whites were seen this year than last (2017:72, 2016:52), mainly due to large numbers seen in Colwood by Jeff Gaskin.

Thanks to everyone who submitted counts.

-Gordon Hart

     12 species      13 species
Jul-2017 Jul-2016     Difference
AniseSwallowtail 1 3 -2
Western Brown Elfin 0
CabbageButterfly 570 431 139
CaliforniaTortoiseshell
CedarHairstreak
Vancouver Island Ringlet (Large Heath) 1 1
European (Essex) Skipper 40 11 29
GreenComma
Grey Hairstreak 2 -2
Lorquin’s Admiral 194 54 140
Milbert’s Tortoiseshell
MossElfin
MourningCloak 2 -2
PaintedLady 12 6 6
PaleSwallowtail 4 7 -3
Pine White 72 52 20
PropertiusDuskywing
Purplish Copper
RedAdmiral 2 6 -4
SaraOrangeTip
SatyrComma 1 -1
Silvery Blue
SpringAzure
TwoBanded Grizzled (Checkered) Skipper
West Coast Lady 1 1
WesternPineElfin
Western Sulphur
WesternTigerSwallowtail 140 47 93
Woodland Skipper 9 45 -36
totals 1046 667 379
Number of observers 12 15
Number of reports 27 42
Number of locations covered 34 44

 

 

Peter Boon writes:

 

Here’s a Chalk-fronted Corporal that I photographed at Spider Lake yesterday.  There were several of these about alongside Eight-spotted skimmers, Blue-eyed Darners and Northern Bluets.  Spider Lake is near Horne Lake north of Qualicum Beach close to Highway 19.

 

Chalk-fronted Corporal Ladona julia (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Peter Boon

 

Ken Vaughan sends a nice selection of photographs from the last couple of weeks.

First, two moths from the Highlands District.

 

 Neoalcis californiaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Ken Vaughan

Dysstroma citrata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Ken Vaughan

   Next, two dragonflies and a butterfly from the Beaver Lake Ponds.

 

American Emerald Cordulia shurtleffii (Odo.: Corduliidae) Ken Vaughan

Eight-spotted Skimmer Libellula forensis (Odo.: Libellulidae) Ken Vaughan

Painted Lady Vanessa cardui (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Ken Vaughan

   And three moths from Ken’s Oak Bay apartment.

 

Apamea amputatrix (Lep.: Noctuidae) Ken Vaughan

Noctua pronuba (Lep.: Noctuidae) Ken Vaughan

Idaea dimidiata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Ken Vaughan

   Francie Morgan writes that she and Kathleen Burton found this interesting Clearwing moth Synanthedon bibionipennis on the windowsill at Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary.

 

 Synanthedon bibionipennis (Lep.: Sesiidae)  Kathleen Burton