2021 August 21

     Jeremy Tatum writes:  I met Gerry and Wendy Ansell at McIntyre Reservoir (Central Saanich) today and they reported that they had seen two Purplish Coppers there, and sure enough I found one myself shortly after.  They appear to be nectaring on the daisy-like flowers of the Scentless Mayweed, which I erroneously referred to as Ox-eye Daisies in  yesterday’s Invert Alert.   There were also a (very) few Cabbage Whites and Woodland Skippers in the area.

    Jeff Gaskin writes:  This morning, August 31, before the clouds rolled in, I saw a Lorquin’s Admiral just in front of the nature house at Swan Lake.  It must be getting a bit late for them.   [Yes it is getting a little late, writes Jeremy Tatum, although they are occasionally seen in September.]

2021 August 30

    Jeremy Tatum shows a moth that turned up at his Saanich apartment this morning.

Nepytia phantasmaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jeremy Tatum

2021 August 29 morning

    More on Colias:  Mark Wynja  now has four first-instar caterpillars of the Clouded Sulphur – apparently he unknowingly collected a fourth egg.  He is going to attempt to rear them.  What literature we have found suggests that this species is not easy to rear, so we wish Mark the best in his attempt.  The foodplant that the eggs were found on is Beach Pea Lathyrus japonicus, growing among rocks and logs high up on the beach.

Ron Flower writes:  We went back to McIntyre Reservoir Saturday 28^th August, where we found two Purplish Coppers  –  possibly the same that Val George found.  They were just up the dirt road around the first big patch of the daisy-like flowers of the Scentless Mayweed.

Purplish Copper Lycaena helloides (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Ron Flower

Wendy Ansell writes:  I photographed a dragonfly at Glencoe Cove yesterday, Aug. 28. Jeremy Tatum writes:  I had originally labelled this dragonfly wrongly.  Thanks to Jeremy Gatten for pointing out that it is in fact a Black Saddlebags.  I am always extremely grateful to anyone who points out any mistakes – in identification or otherwise.  Thanks to Adam Taylor, who set up this site, it is very easy for me to correct mistakes.

Black Saddlebags Tramea lacerata (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Wendy Ansell

Jeremy Tatum sends photographs of a caterpillar from Swan Lake, plus two adult moths from his Saanich apartment building.

Fall Webworm Hyphantria cunea (Lep.: Erebidae – Arctiinae)  Jeremy Tatum

Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jeremy Tatum

Autographa californica (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jeremy Tatum

2021 August 28

    Jochen Möhr sends a photograph of Neoalcis californiaria from Metchosin.  He laments: No skippers or Pine Whites any more.  This agrees with most observers, who are seeing very few butterflies now.

 Neoalcis californiaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

2021 August 27

   More Colias News:  Mark Wynja went back to the location where he photographed a Clouded Sulphur

 (see August 22 Alert) and he found three ova – two of which have already hatched into tiny caterpillars.   

Mark adds that Steve Ansell mentioned that Clouded Sulphurs have recently shown up in the Lower Mainland and on the Sunshine Coast. 

   Mr E sends photographs of a geometrid caterpillar from Tahsis.  With a head like a pussycat, the caterpillar might be Biston or Pero.  Caterpillars of Biston are usually found in late summer;  those of Pero in the spring.  In spite of that, Jeremy Tatum writes, I’m inclined to agree with Mr E and I think this caterpillar looks more like Pero. 

Pero sp. (Lep.: Geometridae)  Mr E

Pero sp. (Lep.: Geometridae)  Mr E

Pero sp. (Lep.: Geometridae)  Mr E

Pero sp. (Lep.: Geometridae)  Mr E

Pero sp. (Lep.: Geometridae)  Mr E

Pero sp. (Lep.: Geometridae)  Mr E