2024 October 3
October Butterfly: Val George writes: One Cabbage White at McIntyre Reservoir today October 3.
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.
2024 October 2
2024 October 2
October butterfly! Jeremy Tatum saw a Cabbage White flying across Cedar Hill Cross Road today.
Please report any butterflies seen in October.
2024 October 1
2024 October 1
The following was received from Bruce Whittington. Can anyone help with this? E.g. Identify the wasp with reasonable certainty? Or any information about wasps gaining access to nectar like this? Or anything pertaining to this about about the plant Cuphea?
Cuphea and wasp Bruce Whittington
Val George writes: This Brown-lined Looper, Neoalcis californiaria, was on the wall of the Nature House at Goldstream Park yesterday, September 30. Seems a little late for this species. [Yes, writes Jeremy Tatum, a little late but not very much.]
Neoalcis californiaria (Lep.: Geometridae) Val George
2024 September 30
2024 September 30
No Invertebrate Alert was issued on September 29.
Jeff Gaskin writes: On September 29, I went up Christmas Hill and found one female type Variegated Meadowhawk. There were no hilltopping butterflies up there while I was there. This was around 4:20 p.m.
Jeremy Tatum saw two Cabbage Whites along Carey Road on September 30. Will any butterflies be reported in October?
Jeremy continues: Today, September 30, I saw an October Thorn moth Tetracis jubararia along Carey Road. This is of interest to me, because I have had a pupa of T. jubararia for several months. I am wondering, since I have just seen an adult moth, will the pupa eclode in the next few days?
[ plaudo, plaudere, plausi, plausum to explode, explosion
claudo, claudere, clausi, clausum to eclode, eclosion ]
2024 September 28 morning
2024 September 28 morning
Marie O’Shaughnessy writes, on September 27: This afternoon I spent an hour in the sunshine at Outerbridge Park. I found
3 Autumn Meadowhawks, 2 were in tandem
9 Paddle-tailed Darners
1 Blue-eyed Darner
1 Cabbage White butterfly
Autumn Meadowhawk Sympetrum vicinum (Odo.: Libellulidae) Marie O’Shaughnessy
Paddle-tailed Darner Aeshna palmata (Odo.: Aeshnidae) Marie O’Shaughnessy
Marie O’Shaughnessy writes: I spent another hour looking for dragonflies at McIntyre Reservoir on Friday afternoon (September 27) and I saw two species flying around:
4 Paddle-tailed Darners
2 Blue-eyed Darners
Paddle-tailed Darner Aeshna palmata (Odo.: Aeshnidae) Marie O’Shaughnessy