2020 May 28 morning

   Colias alert!  Val  George writes:  Yesterday afternoon, May 27 in the parking lot at Goldstream Park, I was very surprised to see a species of butterfly I wouldn’t have expected in that habitat, and in any case it’s a rare species for this area. I was sitting in my car eating lunch when a sulphur (Colias sp.) butterfly flew past me.  Though it was only a few metres from me I was not able to identify it to the species level.

  Jeremy Tatum writes:  May we perhaps speculate?   The usual sulphur that we see (rarely) is the Orange Sulphur C. eurytheme.   Last time that we had an irruption of these, we were fairly sure that among them were also a few Clouded Sulphurs C. philodice.  But both of these are migratory species that we see occasionally at the very end of summer.   I can’t offhand remember any sightings for May.  So perhaps Val’s butterfly might be the resident (up-Island) Western Sulphur C. occidentalis.  In any case let’s all keep an eye out for whatever it is!

   Gordon Hart writes:  There were a few butterflies and moths around home yesterday, Wednesday, May 27. A Pale Tiger Swallowtail, and a Western Tiger Swallowtail, two Cedar Hairstreaks, four or more Western Spring Azures, and a Propertius Duskywing.  There were several small plain moths, and one Helicopter Moth ( I think that is their common name),  Emmelina monodactyla. At Panama Flats yesterday, we saw several Cabbage Whites and a faded Painted Lady, as well as a damselfly, Tule Bluet Enallagma carunculatum.

  Jeremy Tatum writes:  I hadn’t heard the name “Helicopter Moth”, but that sounds good.  I have been calling them privately the Rumpel Taube (Dove) after a very early German monoplane.  The caterpillars feed on the flowers of Calystegia.

Emmelina monodactyla (Lep.: Pterophoridae)  Gordon Hart

Propertius Duskywing Erynnis propertius (Lep.: Hesperiidae)  Gordon Hart

Tule Bluet Enallagma carunculatum (Odo.: Coenagrionidae)  Gordon Hart

2020 May 27 evening

   Jeff Gaskin writes: Kirsten Mills and I had a pretty good day butterflying by the Kinsol Trestle and in the South Shawnigan lake area today, May 27.  At the Kinsol trestle we found 2 Cedar Hairstreaks, 2 Mylitta Crescents,  6 Pale Tiger Swallowtails,  2 Western Tiger Swallowtails, a probable Satyr Comma as there was plenty of stinging nettle about, several Western Spring Azures, and of course Cabbage Whites.

The Stebbings Road, Goldstream Heights was less exciting but still we saw a Propertius Duskywing, a few more Pale Tiger Swallowtails, a Western Tiger Swallowtail, some Western Spring Azures, Cabbage Whites,  and Kirsten also saw a Painted Lady.

Today, Ron Flower visited the railway line north of Cowichan Station, where he and Nora saw a Mylitta Crescent and a Painted Lady.

Female Mylitta Crescent Phyciodes mylitta (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Ron Flower

Painted Lady Vanessa cardui (Lep.: Nymphalidae) Ron Flower.

   They also saw two identification problems!  The first, shown below, is probably, by default, a Satyr Comma, but we would welcome comments!  Unfortunately, they were unable to see or photograph the underside. [Since writing this, I heard from Mark Wynja, who says 8 out of 10 for Satyr Comma.  I think that’s good enough to label it such.  Nettles are abundant there, but not, I think, gooseberries.]

Satyr Comma Polygonia satyrus (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Rob Flower

   What about the next one?   It is obviously a Parnassian, and we usually assume, by default, that any Parnassian seen not too far from Victoria is a Clodius Parnassian Parnassius clodius.

Note that there are no red spots on the forewing upperside, which is consistent with Parnassius clodius.  The Rocky Mountain Parnassian P. smintheus often has red spots on the forewing – but need not necessarily have any.  Thus the absence of red spots does not tell us which of the two species it is.  The antennae of clodius are supposed to be black, while those of smintheus are chequered black-and-white.  What do you think, from the close-up of the antennae?  We would welcome comments from viewers who are familiar with these two species.  In the meantime, I’ll be cautious and label them Parnassius sp.  The foodplants of both species are common there.

Butterflies of the genus Parnassus are best called “parnassians” rather than “apollos”.  The name “apollo” should be restricted to the particular parnassian species Parnassus apollo of Europe, and known there as the Apollo butterfly.

Ron  and Nora also noted several small blue butterflies there, but were unable to get close enough to identify them.  There is a high probability that they are Western Tailed Blues.  Further visits to this location might be interesting.   They did not see any Margined Whites.

On the way back, Ron and Nora also saw two Silvery Blues on the lupin patch at the corner of Koksilah Road and the Trans-Canada Highway.

Parnassian Parnassius sp. (Lep.: Papilionidae)  Ron Flower

Parnassian Parnassius sp. (Lep.: Papilionidae)  Ron Flower

   Jeremy  Tatum walked along Lochside Drive today, from Lohbrunner’s to Roy, and saw just four Western Spring Azures.  He noted quite a few caterpillars of Satyr Comma on the nettles (but no Red Admirals).  This looks good as long as Saanich doesn’t cut or spray the verges as they are wont to do.    At 6:00 pm this evening, he saw four nymphalids frolicking over the Mount Tolmie reservoir.  They were all probably Painted Ladies  – two of them certainly were.

Robb Bennett reports that the swallowtail chrysalis shown on May 17 produced an adult butterfly today, and proved to be a Western Tiger Swallowtail.  You can see the empty chrysalis case below the butterfly.

Western Tiger Swallowtail Papilio rutulus (Lep.: Papilionidae)  Robb Bennett.

2020 May 27 morning

   Mr E found a Golden Buprestid beetle in his garden yesterday:

Golden Buprestid Beetle Buprestis aurulenta (Col.: Buprestidae)  Mr E

Golden Buprestid Beetle Buprestis aurulenta (Col.: Buprestidae)  Mr E

Golden Buprestid Beetle Buprestis aurulenta (Col.: Buprestidae)  Mr E

   A moth and a butterfly from Jochen Möhr’s Metchosin garden yesterday:

Adela septentrionella (Lep.: Adelidae)  Jochen Möhr

Cedar Hairstreak Mitoura rosneri (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Jochen Möhr

Cedar Hairstreak Mitoura rosneri (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Jochen Möhr

   Jochen also saw in his garden a Western Spring Azure (they are approaching the end of their season, so observers should continue to keep a lookout for this species, and also to look carefully in case it is a different species!), a Tiger Swallowtail (probably Pale), and an Anise Swallowtail. 

   Jeremy Tatum remarks:  I have yet to see my first swallowtail (any species) this year!   Are they really that scarce?

  A note on some names:  The Cedar Hairstreak has had many different names, both English and scientific.  It is not practicable to try to keep up with every change on this site, nor particularly desirable to do so.  I feel it is better to stick to one name on this single Website, and for consistency I have been using the name Cedar Hairstreak Mitoura rosneri.  Some modern writers are using the name Callophrys gryneus.  I cannot think that this name will last long.  It is not at all like other butterflies in the genus Callophrys.

   Viewers will notice that, for Papilio eurymedon, I have been using on this site the name Pale Tiger Swallowtail.  I do not know why some writers have dropped the “Tiger” from the name.  It was called the Pale Tiger Swallowtail for most of last century, and there seems to be no good reason for dropping the “Tiger”.  It, and several other very similar (indeed difficult to distinguish) species, belong to the subgenus (formerly full genus) Pterourus, very distinct from other Papilio species.

   Jochen Möhr’s moths from Metchosin this morning:

2 Eupithecia sp.

1 Lacinipolia sp.

1 Nadata gibbosa

2 Perizoma curvilinea

18 Tyria jacobaeae

3 Venusia obsoleta/pearsalli

Nadata gibbosa (Lep.:  Notodontidae)  Jochen Möhr

Cinnabar Moths Tyria jacobaeae  (Lep.: Erebidae – Arctiinae)  Jochen Möhr

Lacinipolia sp. (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Homorthodes hanhami (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

2020 May 26

    Cheryl Haedy writes:  I don’t know if you are still looking for interesting insect findings [Yes, indeed, we are!  Thank you!  JT], but my son found a cool beetle on May 24 when we were walking around Richard’s Marsh, just south of Nanaimo.  I’ve attached a couple of photos.  We thought it was a Rugose Stag Beetle. 

    Jeremy Tatum writes:  We thank Scott Gilmore for confirming that that’s exactly what it is!

Rugose Stag Beetle Sinodendron rugosum  (Col.: Lucanidae)  Cheryl Heady

Rugose Stag Beetle Sinodendron rugosum  (Col.: Lucanidae)  Cheryl Heady

   Jeremy Tatum found the beetle below in Goldstream Park today:

Plectrura spinicauda (Col.: Cerambycidae)  Jeremy Tatum

   Jochen’s moths from Metchosin this morning:

1 Eupithecia sp. 

6 Tyria jacobaeae

2 Venusia obsoleta/pearsalli  

1 Lacinipolia sp.

1 Chionodes mediofuscella (identified by Libby Avis)

Lacinipolia sp. (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jochen Möhr

Chionodes mediofuscella (Lep.: Gelechiidae) Jochen Möhr

2020 May 25

   Re the possible loss of the Field Crescent,  Kirsten writes: The field behind Eddy’s storage still looks ok for Field Crescents. The lot next to it is under construction but I still see daisies where Eddy’s is. The only problem is, because of the virus, the First Nations there aren’t allowing visitors. My dad lives 2 blocks away. I will keep an eye out.

   Let’s hope Kirsten is right.  In connection with possible losses of butterflies, moths and other invertebrates,  Jochen Möhr points out that, on this site, we sometimes spend a lot of time and effort in the niceties of taxonomy and identification, and maybe at least some of that effort might be better spent in fighting to preserve and protect the invertebrates that we still have.  One cannot but agree with that – but what can one do?  This site would welcome comments and suggestions.

  Jochen Möhr’s moths and a butterfly from Metchosin this morning:

1 Egira rubrica

1 Eupithecia sp.

1 Eupithecia cretaceata

15 Tyria jacobaeae

1 Udea profundalis

3 Venusia obsoleta/pearsalli

Egira rubrica (Lep.: Noctuidae)   Jochen Möhr

Udea profundalis (Lep.: Crambidae)  Jochen Möhr

Western Spring Azure Celastrina echo (Lep.: Lycaenidae)  Jochen Möhr

   And two moths from Saanich, from Jeremy Tatum:

Hedya nubiferana (Lep.: Tortricidae)  Jeremy Tatum

Noctua pronuba (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Jeremy Tatum

   Rosemary Jorna sends a remarkable sequence, from near Kemp Lake, of a mosquito emerging from its pupa.

Mosquito (Dip.: Culicidae)  Rosemary Jorna

Mosquito (Dip.: Culicidae)  Rosemary Jorna

Mosquito (Dip.: Culicidae)  Rosemary Jorna