2018 August 20 evening

 

   Jochen Möhr sends a photograph, from Metchosin, of a noctuid moth below.  Libby Avis writes that it is one of the Xestia finatimis species group.  I.e. one of three very similar species – X. finatimis, X. infimatis and X. verniloides. 

 

Xestia sp.: (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

 

   And just in, two more moths from Jochen:

 

Oligia divesta (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

 

Pero mizon (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

 

 

   Marie O’Shaughnessy writes:  I was in Uplands Park this morning and found four of these diminutive creatures, Woodland Skippers, along with one Cabbage White.  No other butterflies were seen during my hour of watching the birds.

 

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  Yes, unless we get a late invasion of sulphurs or something, the butterfly season seems to be coming to a close, and we are by now almost restricted to Woodland Skippers and Cabbage Whites.  Be sure to report any other butterflies that you might see.  (Since I wrote that this morning, August 20, this afternoon I saw a Ringlet (Large Heath) and a Lorquin’s Admiral at Rithet’s Bog.)

 

Woodland Skipper Ochlodes sylvanoides (Lep.: Hesperiidae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy

 

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  Here is a caterpillar found at Maber Flats:

 

Peppered Moth Biston betularia (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jermy Tatum

 

 

   New Book   Libby Avis draws our attention to a new book on Pacific Northwest insects.  You can see details at  https://www.ubcpress.ca/pacific-northwest-insects       Although that site says that the release date of the book is August 15, it won’t be available in Canada until September 1.