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.

March 21

2019 March 21

 

   Marie O’Shaughnessy writes: Here are three examples of Kirsten Mills’s  beautiful California Tortoiseshell  find today, March 20th, at Mount Tolmie at  5.30pm. Seen close to the reservoir.  One was hovering and settling on Oregon Grape.  I only saw two, and they were different as seen in the photos I have submitted. I also saw a Mourning Cloak in Outerbridge Park around noon,  March 17th, but it flew off before I could get a photo of it.

California Tortoiseshell  Nymphalis californica (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy

California Tortoiseshell  Nymphalis californica (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy

California Tortoiseshell  Nymphalis californica (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy

 

 

   Mark Wynja writes:  On March 20th at km 25 of Nanaimo River Road I observed a California Tortoiseshell.  It perched on my vehicle, tripod, my hat and back repeatedly. At one point I also had to remove it from the open trunk of my car.

California Tortoiseshell  Nymphalis californica (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Mark Wynja

California Tortoiseshell  Nymphalis californica (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Mark Wynja

 

California Tortoiseshell  Nymphalis californica (Lep.: Nymphalidae)

Mark Wynja