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.

April 21 evening

2018 April 21 evening

 

   More of Jochen’s moth photos from Metchosin.

 

Orthosia praeses (Lep.: Noctuidae)   Jochen Moehr

Orthosia praeses (Lep.: Noctuidae)   Jochen Moehr

Egira simplex  (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Moehr

Egira simplex  (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Moehr

Orthosia transparens (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Moehr

 

A bee fly photographed by Aziza Cooper at Trail Way, Goldstream Heights, April 19.  Keep a look out for these flies shooting their eggs into the burrows of mining bees.  And welcome back, Aziza.

 

Bee fly Bombylius major (Dip.: Bombyliidae) Aziza Cooper

Bee fly Bombylius major (Dip.: Bombyliidae) Aziza Cooper

   And a bee fly photographed by Gordon Hart at Prospect Lake Road.  Although there are many species of bombyliid, according to the website https://bugguide.net/node/view/14997  Bombylius major is the only Nearctic Bombylius species with the wing pattern shown by Aziza’s and Gordon’s flies.  So, although the piles are different colours in these two individuals, I shall label them both Bombylius major.  Any comments by knowledgeable dipterists would be welcome.

 

Bee fly Bombylius major (Dip.: Bombyliidae) Gordon Hart

   Mistakes:

 

        Jeremy Tatum writes:  Every now and again I make a mistake while typing out the day’s posting for Invertebrate Alert. Maybe it’s something big;  maybe it’s just a small spelling or even punctuation mistake.  My friends are so polite and don’t wish to offend me that they do not mention it.  Fear not!  Far from being offended, I will be very happy and pleased to be notified of mistakes, so that I can correct them as soon as possible.  Otherwise the mistake remains there forever on display, under my name, for all to stare at!   So please do let me know of any that you find.  jtatum at uvic dot ca    Thank you!