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.

June 23

2018 June 23

 

   Jochen Möhr sends photographs of a pair of Blue-eyed Darners in copula.

Blue-eyed Darners Rhionaeschna multicolor (Odo.: Aeshnidae)  Jochen Möhr

Blue-eyed Darners Rhionaeschna multicolor (Odo.: Aeshnidae)  Jochen Möhr

    Sonia Voicescu writes:  More sightings from Rithet’s Bog! Looks like the first brood of the Ringlet is starting to die off; nonetheless still good numbers.  In total I have seen: 8 Ringlets (Large Heaths),  8 Essex Skippers,  15 Lorquin’s Admirals,  4 Western Tiger Swallowtails.

Essex Skipper Thymelicus lineola (Lep.: Hesperiidae)  Sonia Voicescu

Ringlet Coenonympha tullia

(Lep.: Nymphalidae – Satyrinae)

Sonia Voicescu

   Ron Flower writes:  Yesterday Thursday June 21 we went to Kinsol trestle were we saw a Clodius Parnassian.   Then to Cowichan Station and we saw 4 Margined Whites. Then at Boas Road we did find two blues but I am sure they are Silvery Blues and not Boisduvals.  [Ron’s photograph below confirms it.] Finally I saw the caterpillar back at Beacon Hill Park.

 

Clodius Parnassian Parnassius clodius (Lep.: Papilionidae)  Ron Flower

Margined White Pieris marginalis (Lep.: Pieridae)  Ron Flower

Silvery Blue Glaucopsyche lygdamus (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Ron Flower

Silver-spotted Tiger Moth Lophocampa argentata

 (Lep.: Erebidae – Arctiinae)

 Ron Flower

   Mike Yip writes:  A late report from Nanaimo River Road on June 18.   No Dun Skippers or Sylvan Hairstreaks. Several Cedar and Grey Hairstreaks, many Clodius Parnassians, a couple of Lorquin’s Admirals, several Pale and Western Tiger Swallowtails, one Western Meadow Fritillary, and a mystery brown butterfly.

 

Jeremy Tatum writes:   We’ll show the mystery brown butterfly first below.  By shape it looks like an elfin (Incisalia/ Callophrys) – but which one?  We would welcome opinions (with reasons!).

 

Mystery brown butterfly (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Mike Yip

Clodius Parnassian Parnassius clodius (Lep.: Papilionidae)  Mike Yip

Western Meadow Fritilllary Boloria epithore (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Mike Yip

Cedar Hairstreak Mitoura rosneri  (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Mike Yip


Adela septentrionella (Lep.: Incurvariidae)  Mike Yip