2020 September 4

   It has been a poor butterfly year, and there are almost none now in September, apart from a few Cabbage Whites.  I say “almost” none, for there are still a very few around.  Thus Jochen Möhr saw five Pine Whites simultaneously from his Metchosin property yesterday, as well as a Mourning Cloak, and Gordon Hart briefly saw a comma-like butterfly in his Highlands property, which, frustratingly, did not stay long enough to be identified.  He thought it was a little larger that a Green or Satyr Comma.  He also saw there a Cabbage White and a Woodland Skipper.

   Here is a male Pine White from Jochen’s property this morning. 

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

   Jochen Möhr’s moths from Metchosin this morning:

1 Euxos difformis

1 Feltia jaculifera

1 Nemoria darwiniata

3 Neoalcis californiaria 

1 Xestia finatimis complex

Neoalcis californiaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Neoalcis californiaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Xestia xanthographa (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Nemoria darwiniata (Lep.: Geometridae) Jochen Möhr

   At his Highlands property on September 2 , Gordon Hart saw  2 Neoalcis californiaria and two Xanthorhoe sp.

2020 September 3

  Jochen Möhr’s moths from Metchosin this morning:

1 Alucita montana

2 Triphosa haesitata

1 Eupithecia sp.  

1 Neoalcis californiaria

1 Xanthorhoe defensaria

Triphosa haesitata (Lep.: Geometridae)   Jochen Möhr

   Lindsay Kruper sends a picture of a Yellow Woolly Bear from near Viaduct Flats yesterday:

Yellow Woolly Bear Spilosoma virginica (Lep.: Erebidae – Arctiinae)  Lindsay Kruper

  Jeremy Tatum shows a cocoon of  a Spotted Tiger Moth Lophocampa maculata from Swan Lake:

Lophocampa maculata (Lep.: Erebidae – Arctiinae)  Jeremy Tatum

2020 September 2

   Jochen Möhr writes from Metchosin: This morning, after a full moon and cold and foggy night merely one Neoalcis californiaria.  Libby Avis writes from Port Alberni:  Yes, similar here too.  Jeremy Tatum writes:  This morning I visited the nature houses at Goldstream Park and Swan Lake with the intention of photographing moths.  There was just one Neoalcis californiaria at Goldstream, and nothing at all at Swan Lake.

Neoalcis californiaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

   Jochen writes:   Yesterday afternoon up to four Pine Whites simultaneously and one Woodland Skipper.

2020 September 1

   Jochen Möhr’s moths in Metchosin this morning:

1 Eupithecia sp.

1 Euxoa difformis

1 Drepanulatrix secundaria

1 Lacinipolia pensilis

3 Neoalcis californiaria 

2 Xestia finatimis complex

1 Ypsolopha canariella 

Euxoa difformis (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Drepanulatrix (probably secundaria) (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

2020 August 31

   Seventeen photographs today – a record!

   Barb McGrenere writes:  Mike and I saw a very worn Lorquin’s Admiral at Outerbridge Park on August 29.  We haven’t seen this species for several weeks.  Jeremy Tatum comments:  Yes, this is indeed a late sighting for the species, although they have occasionally been seen in September.

Lorquin’s Admiral Limenitis lorquini (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Barb McGrenere

   A miscellany from Ian Cooper:

The first looks like a parasitoidal hymenopteran, probably either Braconidae or Ichneumonidae.  I’m not sure if we’ll be able to identify it any closer than that.

Unidentified hymenopteran.  Probably Braconidae or Ichneumonidae

Ian Cooper

Seven-spotted Ladybird Coccinella septempunctata (Co.: Coccinellidae)  Ian Cooper

Honey Bee Apis mellifera (Hym.: Apidae)  Ian Cooper

Honey Bee Apis mellifera (Hym.: Apidae)  Ian Cooper

Harvestman Phalangium opilio (Opi.: Phalangiidae)  Ian Cooper

   Jochen Möhr’s moths from Metchosin yesterday morning:

1 Eulithis xylina

2 Lacinipolia pensilis

2 Neoalcis californiaria

1 Noctua pronuba

1 Oligia divesta

1 Xestia finatimis species group

Oligia divesta (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Xestia finatimis species group (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Lacinipolia pensilis (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Noctua pronuba (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

   Jochen writes (August 30) that there were three Woodland Skippers among the Hairy Cat’s Ears on his property in Metchosin, and he saw six Pine Whites there simultaneously.

Woodland Skipper Ochlodes sylvanoides (Lep.: Hesperiidae)  Jochen Möhr

   Jochen continues:  I also took a few pictures of some wasps which are common here, building nests inside the railing around our deck.  These here built a nest under our table on the deck.  They are not aggressive.   I never got in trouble with any of them.   [But I strongly suggest that you don’t threaten or annoy them, Jochen.  ]

European Paper Wasp Polistes dominula (Hym.: Vespidae)  Jochen Möhr

European Paper Wasp Polistes dominula (Hym.: Vespidae)  Jochen Möhr

European Paper Wasp Polistes dominula (Hym.: Vespidae)  Jochen Möhr

   Brenda Sopow sends a photograph of a caterpillar from the Horticultural Centre of the Pacific below.

Jeremy Tatum writes:  It looks a bit like Spilosoma virginica, but these are usually yellow or brown.  I have never seen one white like this.

Spilosoma virginica ?  (Lep.: Erebidae – Arctiinae)  Brena Sopow

   Jochen Möhr’s moths from Metchosin this morning:

1 Apantesis

1 Eulithis xylina 

1 Eupithecia sp.

2 Drepanulatrix sp. 

1 Feltia jaculifera

2 Lacinipolia pensilis

6 Neoalcis californiaria

1 Xestia finatimis sp. group

2 Xanthorhoe defensaria

1 Platyptilia carduidactyla

Apantesis nevadensis (Lep.: Erebidae – Arctiinae) Jochen Möhr

Feltia jaculifera (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Platyptilia carduidactyla (Lep.: Pterophoridae)  Jochen Möhr

   This is a good opportunity for comparing this one with Sharon Godkin’s Amblyptilia pica on August 28.

2020 August 30

   Two caterpillars for today’s posting.   The  first, a Polyphemus Moth found by Peggy Hutchison at Swan Lake.  The second,  a young Peppered Moth found today by Jeremy Tatum on Hardhack at the Munn Road power line.

Polyphemus Moth Antheraea polyphemus (Lep.: Saturniidae)  Peggy Hutchison

Peppered Moth Biston betularia (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jeremy Tatum