2020 July 17 morning

From Gordon Hart:

Hello Butterfly Watchers,

The July Butterfly Count period starts Saturday July 18 until Sunday July 26. This is an informal census of butterfly numbers and species in Greater Victoria. The area is defined by the Christmas Bird Count circle, extending from Victoria to Brentwood Bay and Island View Road in Central Saanich, and west to Happy Valley and Triangle Mountain, and Langford Lake and Goldstream areas.

You can submit a count any time over the count period, just use a separate form for each count and location. In the case of repeat or duplicate counts, I will use the higher numbers. To submit counts, please use the form from the VNHS website at: https://www.vicnhs.bc.ca/?p=33

If you have difficulty with the form, just send me an email with the information.

Thank-you for submitting your sightings and good luck with your count.

-Gordon

Gordon Hart,

Butterfly Count Coordinator,

Victoria Natural History Society

Annie Pang sends pictures of a long-horned beetle from a neighbour’s garden in the Gorge area, July 14.   Thanks to Scott Gilmore for identifying it as Xestoleptura crassipes.

Xestoleptura crassipes (Col.: Cerambycidae)   Annie Pang

Xestoleptura crassipes (Col.: Cerambycidae)   Annie Pang

2020 July 16 afternoon

   Annie Pang photographed this syrphid fly near Gorge Road, July 10.  Thanks to Dr Jeff Skevington who writes that, although not all characters are visible, he’s pretty sure it is Eristalis hirta:

Eristalis hirta (Dip.: Syrphidae)  Annie Pang

Eristalis hirta (Dip.: Syrphidae)  Annie Pang

   Jody Wells photographed the swallowtail below.  It looks slightly pale, but Mike Yip and Jeremy Tatum are in agreement that it is a Western Tiger Swallowtail.  Mike draws attention to the narrow black margin on the wings and writes that the yellow colour gets washed out as the butterfly ages so can be very pale.   

Western Tiger Swallowtail  Papilio rutulus (Lep.: Papilionidae)  Jody Wells

   Butterflies may be scarce in Victoria, but apparently not so on Mount Washington.   Mike writes, of a recent trip: At a roadside stop on the way to the ski hill we found lots of Anna’s Blues flying and nectaring on daisies, as well as several flying Western Meadow Fritillaries and Western Tiger Swallowtails. On the top of the mountain the Great Arctics were common and the Hydaspe Fritillaries were less common but in very fresh condition.   A short afternoon walk along the beginning of the Paradise Meadow boardwalk yielded about a dozen Western Meadow Fritillaries, three Cabbage Whites, and one comma species (no picture). Still spring-like conditions on the ski hill with no fireweed in bloom.

Male Anna’s Blue  Lycaeides anna  (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Mike Yip

Female Anna’s Blue  Lycaeides anna  (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Mike Yip

Male Anna’s Blue  Lycaeides anna  (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Mike Yip

Hydaspe Fritillary Speyeria hydaspe (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Mike Yip

Great Arctic Oeneis nevadensis (Lep.: Nymphalidae – Satyrinae)  Mike Yip

Western Meadow Fritillary Boloria epithore (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Mike Yip

2020 July 16 morning

   Richard Rycraft sends a photograph of a Sheep Moth caterpillar from Uplands Park yesterday, where he also saw an Essex Skipper and two Lorquin’s Admirals.

Sheep Moth Hemileuca eglanterina (Lep.: Saturniidae)  Richard Rycraft

   Rosemary Jorna writes from Kemp Lake:  There has been a scarcity of Lorquin’s Admirals around this year. I had only seen the one I reported but did not photograph in early June. Usually I have seen them in number of locations.  On the other hand there are always 2 or 3 Cabbage Whites scouting out our Garden. Today I saw the first Lorquin’s Admiral in our yard challenging the Cabbage White.

Jeremy Tatum responds:  Yes, with the possible exception of the Essex Skipper, butterflies are worryingly scarce this year.  Observers are reporting whenever they see a single Lorquin’s Admiral or Western Tiger Swallowtail.  Even Cabbage Whites are not as abundant as usual.

Cabbage White Pieris rapae (Lep.: Pieridae)  Rosemary Jorna

Lorquin’s Admiral Limenitis lorquini (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Rosemary Jorna

Cardinal Meadowhawk Sympetrum illotum (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Rosemary Jorna

(Identity confirmed by Dr Rob Cannings)

   Annie Pang sends photographs of a jumping spider taken by her neighbour Belle Leon:

Phidippus johnsoni  (Ara.: Salticidae)  Belle Leon

Phidippus johnsoni  (Ara.: Salticidae)  Belle Leon

More this afternoon or evening…

2020 July 15 afternoon

   Jochen Möhr’s moths from Metchosin this morning:

1 Callizzia amorata

1 Drepana arcuata

2 perhaps Eudonia commortalis

2 Eulithis xylina

2 Hesperumia latipennis

1 Hesperumia sulphuraria

1 Hydriomena sp.

1 Nadata gibbosa

1 Nemoria darwiniata

1 Pero sp.

1 Properigea albimacula

1 Sicya crocearia 

Perhaps Eudonia commortalis (Lep.: Crambidae)

Jochen Möhr

Perhaps Eudonia commortalis (Lep.: Crambidae)

Jochen Möhr

Drepana arcuata (Lep.:  Drepanidae – Drepaninae)  Jochen Möhr

Eulithis xylina (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Hesperumia latipennis (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Hesperumia sulphuraria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Callizzia amorata (Lep.: Uraniidae)  Jochen Möhr

Nadata gibbosa (Lep.: Notodontidae)  Jochen Möhr

Nemoria darwiniata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Sicya crocearia (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

Properigea albimacula (Lep.: Noctuidae) Jochen Möhr

More tomorrow…

2020 July 15 morning

   Libby Avis sends a photograph of Acronicta funeralis  from Port Alberni, July 11.  Libby writes that this is the first time she has seen it on Vancouver Island, and I, too, (writes Jeremy Tatum) have never seen it either.  It cannot be a common moth here.

Acronicta funeralis (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Libby Avis

      Yesterday, July 14, Jeff Gaskin and Kirsten Mills went to Mount Washington and saw the following butterflies:  At the summit were a Great Arctic, 3 or 4 Hydaspe Fritillaries, and an Anise Swallowtail.  There were no butterflies in Paradise Meadows this time but we also did see on the trails a Boisduval’s Blue and a Western Meadow Fritillary.