2021 September 26

    Mike Yip writes  from Nanoose:  I had two surprise yard visitors taking advantage of our last summer-like day yesterday.  First was a comma which I think is an Oreas Comma based on the very black undersides. Second was a Mylitta Crescent on a green tomato.

Oreas Comma Polygonia oreas (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Mike Yip

Oreas Comma Polygonia oreas (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Mike Yip

Female Mylitta Crescent   Phyciodes mylitta (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Mike Yip

2021 September 25

    Rare Butterfly Alert!    Rosemary Jorna sends photographs of an American Lady from the Kemp Lake area today,  September 25.

American Lady Vanessa virginiensis (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Rosemary Jorna

American Lady Vanessa virginiensis (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Rosemary Jorna

   Jeff Gaskin writes:  I found a Lorquin’s Admiral still in very fine condition at the Horticultural Centre of the Pacific on Quayle Road in the flower gardens.  That was yesterday, September 24.

   Aziza Cooper sends photographs of a dragonfly and a fly from Aylard Farm, Sooke, September 24:

Variegated Meadowhawk Sympetrum corruptum (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Aziza Cooper

Greenbottle Lucilia sp. (Dip.: Calliphoridae) on the carcase of a

 Townsend’s Vole Microtus townsendii (Rod.: Cricetidae)

Aziza Cooper

   Rosemary Jorna sends a photograph of a drone fly  from the Kemp Lake area today, September 25.

Drone Fly Eristalis (probably tenax) (Dip.: Syrphidae)  Rosemary Jorna

2021 September 24

    Jochen Möhr sends a photograph of a Catocala from Metchosin this morning.  Jeremy Tatum writes: It is a pity that the several species of these large and spectaular moths are so difficult to distinguish from each other, even with a fresh specimen, and even when the striking hindwing pattern can be seen.  The one with the most conspicuous white spot in the middle of the forewing usually turns out to be our default species C. aholibah, and there are some other features that lead me to think that Jochen’s moth is probably that species.   However, perhaps it is safest to leave it as Catocala sp.

Catocala sp.  (Lep,: Erebidae – Erebinae)  Jochen Möhr

2021 September 23

    At press time (which varies erratically each day, but today is at 5:30 pm) we received no invertebrate reports.  However,  yesterday’s Invert Alert had two flies and a moth, then unidentified.  Thanks to Libby Avis and Jeff Skevington, we now have identifications (to a degree) for all of them, so viewers can turn back to yesterday’s posting to see what they are.

2021 September 22

Say goodbye to Summer, and welcome to Autumn.   The declination of the Sun was zero at 12:21 pm PDT today.

Jeff Gaskin reports that Kirsten Mills saw two Lorquin’s Admirals yesterday, September 21.    One was seen on the Cedar Hill Golf Course, and the other was seen while Kirsten was driving along Royal Oak Avenue near Lochside School.   These are late dates for Lorquin’s Admiral, but not unprecedented.  For example, in 2019 one was seen as late as September 25.

Gordon Hart sends photographs of two flies and a moth.  We thank Jeff Skevington for identification of the flies, and Libby Avis for the moth.

Of the first fly, Dr Skevington writes:  It is a female Dasysyrphus intrudens (a complex of species but currently all bearing this name so you can post it as this species).   The second is the Drone Fly Eristalis tenax.

Dasysyrphus intrudens (Dip.: Syrphidae)  Gordon Hart

Drone Fly Eristalis tenax  (Dip.: Syrphidae) Gordon Hart

    The moth also belongs to a complex of species – although they do have different names  – in  the genus Parabagrotis.  There are several species, and a good case could be made for identifying Gordon’s moth as any of them – or for rejecting any of them.  Thanks to Libby for identifying the genus.  Prudence suggests leaving it as the genus level.

Parabagrotis sp. (Lep.: Noctuidae)   Gordon Hart