April 20 morning

[This item should have been posted on the evening of August 17, but, writes Jeremy Tatum, my computer refused to behave itself on that date and it wouldn’t do what it was told.  Apologies to Mark for the delay.]

   Mark Wynja writes: On August 13 I went to the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville to photograph butterflies. There were 6-8 Common Wood Nymphs, 4 Purplish Coppers, and at least 50 Woodland Skippers. As I was photographing a Purplish Copper, a large skipper flew in and landed among the many smaller Woodland Skippers nectaring on Pearly Everlasting. Upon seeing the underside I immediately recognized it as a Branded Skipper. I returned on subsequent days and have seen at least four separate individuals. The habitat is similar to that of Cordova/Saanichton Spit with fields of grass and lots of blooming Gumweed. I believe this is the “Western/Oregon” Branded Skipper Hesperia comma colorado. Lunabelle Loiseau-Tremblay saw two more on Quadra Island on August 8.

“Western” Branded Skipper Hesperia comma colorado (Lep.: Hesperiidae) Mark Wynja

“Western” Branded Skipper Hesperia comma colorado (Lep.: Hesperiidae) Mark Wynja

Crab Spider Misumena vatia (Ara.: Thomisidae)

“Western” Branded Skipper Hesperia comma colorado (Lep.: Hesperiidae)

Mark Wynja

Top:  “Western” Branded Skipper Hesperia comma colorado  (Lep.: Hesperiidae)

Bottom:  Woodland Skippers Ochlodes sylvanoides (Lep.: Hesperiidae)

Mark Wynja