2018 June 1

 

   Message from Gordon Hart:

 

Hello Butterfly Watchers,
Although the weather forecast does not look great, the June Butterfly Walk is still on for Sunday, June 3, at 1 p.m . We meet near the Mount Tolmie summit by the reservoir parking lot. After a look around the summit area, we will decide on a destination from there, weather permitting.
See you on Sunday,
Gordon

 

   Jeremy Tatum writes that the Lorquin’s Admiral whose caterpillar was shown on May 30 and 31 has now pupated.

 

 

   He adds that he saw an adult Lorquin’s Admiral at Panama Flats yesterday.

 

   Here are caterpillars of our common Malacosoma  lackey moths.

 

Malacosoma disstria  (Lep.: Lasiocampidae)  Jeremy Tatum

 

 

Malacosoma californicum  (Lep.: Lasiocampidae)  Jeremy Tatum

 

 

   Nathan Fisk sends a photograph of a caterpillar that fell from an oak tree at Fort Rodd Hill Nursery.  Jeremy Tatum writes:  I don’t know what it is, but I have seen this one several times in the past and I have been trying for years to find out what it is.  If anyone finds one, please let me know!

 

Unknown caterpillar  (Lep.: Noctuidae)   Nathan Fisk

 

 

   Libby Avis writes:  A rare sighting in our yard in Port Alberni on May 31st – the Yellow-banded Day Sphinx, Proserpinus flavofasciata. It was flying very fast in among bees and hard to distinguish from them. Our only previous sighting was also in our garden two years ago (see 2016 May 16).

 

  Jeremy Tatum writes – a rare sighting indeed!  I only once found the caterpillar – at Cowichan Station many years ago.  Unfortunately a tachinid fly had beaten me to it and found it first.

 

Proserpinus flavofasciata (Lep.: Sphingidae)  Libby Avis

 

 

   Annie Pang sends a photograph of a Western Tiger Swallowtail at Gorge Park, May 30.  She also reports that she saw her first Lorquin’s Admiral of the year there.

 

Western Tiger Swallowtail Papilio rutulus (Lep.: Papilionidae)  Annie Pang

 

 

   Ren Ferguson writes:  Attached is a photo of a Propertius Duskywing nectaring on Woolly Sunflower. Taken May 31, 2018 at Andreas Vogt Nature Reserve on Salt Spring Island. The sunflowers were planted by Salt Spring Island Conservancy. Nice to see a native butterfly on a native plant.  [Jeremy Tatum comments:  But I just hope the butterfly doesn’t move on to the flower just  above it.]

 

Propertius Duskywing Erynnis propertius (Lep.: Hesperiidae)  Ren Ferguson