2019 October 1

 

   Jeremy Tatum writes:

 

    Because of a computer glitch, I was not able to post an Invert Alert on September 30.  This one combines September 30 and October 1.

 

    Erratum:  A tentative Schizura was misidentified on the Septemmber 26 Alert.  See September 26 for details.

 

  Here’s a caterpillar of the Spotted Tiger Moth Lophocampa maculata from Aylard Farm on September 29.  The head is at the  bottom.

 

Lophocampa maculata (Lep.: Erebidae – Arctiinae) Jeremy Tatum

 

   On September 30, I saw about half-a-dozen or so Cabbage Whites between Martindale and Island View Roads.   Will we see any butterflies in October?  Sulphurs have been known to appear in October.  There’s still a chance of some moth caterpillars – October is the month for the Banded Woolly Bear.  Panama Flats is a good location for these.

 

Jochen Möhr’s moths from Metchosin, October 1:

 

1 Triphosa haesitata

1 Drepanulatrix sp. 

1 Dryotype opina

1 Ennomos magnaria 

1 Lithomoia germana 

1 Plemyria georgii

2 Pleromelloida cinerea

1 Tetracis jubararia or pallulata

1 Platyptilia carduidactylus

 

   Jochen writes: Because it is the last day of the month, here is the total tally for my September observations on one wall.  They are numbers of observations, not of individuals, because I have no control over which individuals are observed numerous times.  For instance, I am sure all five observations of  Lithomoia germana  are of the same individual.  There is no way of knowing how many individuals are covered by the species for which there are many observations.  

 

374 observations 

covering 

36 species

 

Platyptilia carduidactylus (Lep.: Pterophoridae)  Jochen Möhr

 

Plemyria georgii (Lep.: Geometridae) Jochen Möhr

 

Triphosa haesitata  (Lep.: Geometridae) Jochen Möhr

 

 

  At Press time:  Jeremy Tatum writes:  A few Cabbage Whites still flying around several agricultural fields in Central Saanich today, October 1 – so we do have some October butterflies!