2021 August 7 morning

    Jochen Möhr writes from Metchosin:  Just to let you know that for three days, we have Pine Whites here.  I never saw more than one, though.

Pine White Neophasia menapia (Lep.: Pieridae)  Jochen Möhr

   Rosemary Jorna writes from Kemp Lake:  The micro moth  Diploschizia impigritella  is back on the same Tansy in our yard at the same time  for the sixth year.

Diploschizia impigritella (Lep.: Glyphipterigidae)  Rosemary Jorna

Diploschizia impigritella (Lep.: Glyphipterigidae)  Rosemary Jorna

2021 August 6

   Jody Wells sends pictures of dragonflies and a drone fly from McIntyre Reservoir and Pendray Farm in the last few  days.

Drone Fly Eristalis sp.  (Dip.: Syrphidae)  Jody Wells

   Next is a picture of a female Eight-spotted Skimmer.  Compare with Bryan Gates’s picture of a male in yesterday morning’s posting.

Female Eight-spotted Skimmer Libellula forensis (Odo.: Libellulidae) Jody Wells

   Now a Black Saddlebags from McIntyre reservoir.  They seem to be unusually common in the last two years – especially this year.

Black Saddlebags Tramea lacerata (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Jody Wells

   One supposes that this, too, is a Black Saddlebags!

Black Saddlebags Tramea lacerata (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Jody Wells

Female Western Pondhawk Erythemis collocata (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Jody Wells

2021 August 5 afternoon

   Colias Alert!  Yes!  I saw Ron’s Orange Sulphur on the Teasels at McIntyre reservoir (McIntyre Road, Central Saanich) this afternoon. Most of the large Teasels near the road are brown by now, but further in, away from the road (it is very dusty underfoot) the small Teasels are still in flower, and that’s where I saw the Sulphur.

  Last time we had a large sulphiur invasion, I tried to distinguish between the Orange Sulphur and the Clouded Sulphur by trying to see details of the spots on the underside of the hindwing, believing that one can’t distinguish the species merely by their colour.   I believe I was wrong in this, and we probably had a few genuine Clouded Sulphurs, which I dismissed as Orange Sulphurs because I couldn’t see any difference in the spots.  I am now of the belief that it is quite diifficult to discern small details (variable in any case) in the spots in the field, and that the general background colour is more than adequate to distinguish the species.

   The Orange Sulphur is a deep, deep yellow, with much more than a suspicion of orange.  The orange is more emphatic on the upperside, which the butterfly rarely shows when settled, so the orange is more readily seen on the butterfly in flight.  The Clouded Sulphur is a much paler lemon yellow without a hint of orange.

  Also seen at McIntyre reservoir – Black Saddlebags dragonfly.

2021 August 5 morning

    Colias alert!   From Ron Flower:   On Wednesday August  4 we went to McIntyre reservoir (McIntyre Road, Central Saanich) around 1:00 pm. and saw a Sulphur butterfly, probably an Orange. Unfortunately we could not catch up with it, so no photo. Nothing like chasing through the Teasel with shorts on!

Aziza Cooper sends photographs of two moths from the Swan Lake Nature House, August 3.   Jeremy Tatum writes:  Hey!  I think that first one is the same individual that I photographed and posted yesterday!

Leucania sp.(probably farcta or oregona) (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Aziza Cooper

Next, a nice plusiine – a new one for this site.

Plusia nichollae (Lep.: Noctuidae – Plusiinae)  Aziza Cooper

Jeremy Tatum writes that the Satyr Comma caterpillar shown on July 29 has now pupated:

Satyr Comma Polygonia satyrus (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Jeremy Tatum

Bryan Gates sends a photograph of a male Eight-spotted Skimmer from Highland Pacific Golf Course, August 4.  For a female, see tomorrow’s posting.

Male Eight-spotted Skimmer Libellula forensis (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Bryan Gates

2021 August 4 morning

    Jochen Möhr writes from Metchosin:  This morning one lonely moth,  [Shown below]  Libby Avis writes:  Mesapamea secalis. Introduced species from a few years ago, now becoming increasingly common. Extremely variable in markings.

Mesapamea sicalis (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

   Jeremy Tatum writes:   This morning I visited the Nature Houses at Goldstream Park and at Swan Lake.  At Goldstream, I found this moth:

Sabulodes aegrotata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jeremy Tatum

   At Swan Lake I found these two.  The first is the colour form of Coryphista meadii  that is not difficult to distinguish from Triphosa haesitata!

Coryphists meadii (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jeremy Tatum

Leucania sp.(probably farcta or oregona) (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jeremy Tatum