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.

October 25

2019 October 25

 

   Mr W sends a photograph of a bee found on October 22.  Thanks to Lincoln Best and Annie Pang for identifying it as a halictid.  Lincoln writes:  Certainly either Halictus tripartitus or Halictus confusus, probably the latter.  Female.

 


Halictus confusus/tripartitus (Hym.:  Halictidae)  Mr E

 

   Jochen Möhr’s moths from Metchosin this morning.

 

1 Agrochola purpurea (same individual as for the last three days, still in same spot)

2 Drepanulatrix sp. 

2 Epirrita autumnata

1 Orthosia mys (different individual from the one yesterday)

2 Sunira decipiens

and one monstrous Orb Weaver Spider Araneus diadematus, of which I attach some pictures as well.

 


Orthosia mys (Lep.: Noctuidae) Jochen Möhr

 


Araneus diadematus (Ara.: Araneidae)  Jochen Möhr

 

 


Araneus diadematus (Ara.: Araneidae)  Jochen Möhr

 

 

Araneus diadematus (Ara.: Araneidae)  Jochen Möhr

 

 

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  I hate to mention it, but it’s Winter Moth  time again.  This one at my Saanich apartment this morning:

 

Winter Moth Operophtera brumata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jeremy Tatum

 

   But don’t despair – there are still a few butterflies around – Cabbage Whites at any rate.  Jeff Gaskin saw one in Gorge Community Garden in Gorge Park;  Kirsten Mills saw one at the corner of West Shore Parkway and Highway 1; Mike Yip saw one at French Creek.  All of these today, October 25.