INVERTEBRATE ALERT
This blog provides an informal forum for terrestrial invertebrate watchers to post recent sightings of interesting observations in the southern Vancouver Island region. Please send your sightings by email to Jeremy Tatum (tatumjb352@gmail.com). Be sure to include your name, phone number, the species name (common or scientific) of the invertebrate you saw, location, date, and number of individuals. If you have a photograph you are willing to share, please send it along. Click on the title above for an index of past sightings.The index is updated most days.

May 18 morning

2019 May 18 morning

 

   Cheryl Hoyle sends a photograph of an American Lappet Moth from Highrock Park, Esquimalt, yesterday.

 

American Lappet Moth Phyllodesma americana (Lep.: Lasiocampidae)  Cheryl Hoyle

 

   Jeremy Tatum writes that the pupating Lorquin’s Admiral caterpillar shown yesterday has now pupated:

 

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

Jeremy Tatum

 

      Jochen Möhr’s moths in Metchosin this morning:

 

Drepanulatrix sp.   2
Perizoma curvilinea 1
Plagodis phlogosaria  1
Tyria jacobaeae 1
Venusia obsoleta 1

 


Plagodis phlogosaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

 

May 17

2019 May 17

 

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  Here is a Lorquin’s Admiral caterpillar preparing to pupate:

 

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

Jeremy Tatum

 

   Jeremy Tatum continues:  At Panama Flats this afternoon I saw an American Lady.

I also found a caterpillar (shown below) of an Essex Skipper on Reed Canary Grass.

 

Essex Skipper Thymelicus lineola (Lep.: Hesperiidae)  Jeremy Tatum

 

   There was nothing on the Mount Tolmie reservoir at 6:00 pm today, but there were three Painted Ladies near the Jeffery Pine nearby.

May 16 evening

019 May 16 evening

 

   Jochen Möhr’s moths in Metchosin this morning.  As ever, thanks to Libby Avis for her huge help in identifying moths.

 

Eupithecia sp 1
Perizoma costiguttata 1
Perizoma curvilinea 2
Phyllodesma americana 2
Venusia obsoleta 4
Xanthorhoe defensaria 2

 

 

  

 

 

  


Venusia obsoleta (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

 


Eupithecia cretaceata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

 

The caterpillar of E. cretaceata feeds on the flowers of the (to us) very poisonous  Veratrum viride.

 


Eupithecia cretaceata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

 


Drepanulatrix monicaria/secundaria (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

 

   The caterpillars of at least one of these Drepanulatrix species (whichever it is!) feed on Ceanothus thyrsiflora.

 


Udea profundalis (Lep.: Crambidae)  Jochen Möhr

 

The caterpillars probably feed on a variety of plants.  They can be a pest of Celery, although here they often feed on Stinging Nettle.

 


Hydriomena marinata/californiata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

 



Perizoma costiguttata (Lep,: Geometridae)  Jochen Möhr

 


Phyllodesma americana (Lep.: Lasiocampidae)  Jochen Möhr

 

 

   Rosemary Jorna photographed two bumblebees in her Kemp Lake yard on May 15.  Thank you to Annie Pang and Lincoln Best for the identifications.

 

Male Bombus sitkensis (Hym.: Apidae)  Rosemary Jorna

 

Male Bombus melanopygus (Hym.: Apidae)  Rosemary Jorna

 

Male Bombus melanopygus (Hym.: Apidae)  Rosemary Jorna

 

   This click beetle was in Rosemary’s garden today:

 

 

Selatosomus suckleyi (Col.: Elateridae)  Rosemary Jorna

 

   Val George writes:  This afternoon, May 16, there were five Painted Ladies at the summit of Mount Tolmie.  Maybe the invasion of this species has started.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 16 morning

2019 May 16 morning

 

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  The moth below, Hedya nubiferana, came from a caterpillar shown on May 2.  The caterpillar was originally mislabelled on May 2;  I have now corrected it.

 


Hedya nubiferana (Lep.: Tortricidae)  Jeremy Tatum

 

   Jeremy continues:     Thanks to Scott Gilmore for identifying the beetle below as a a scarab beetle from the genus Dichelonyx.   I found it yesterday along the Panhandle trail off Munn Road.

 


Dichelonyx sp. (Col.: Scarabaeidae)  Jeremy Tatum

 

   Rosemary Jorna sends photographs of a spider from her yard in the Kemp Lake area, May 15.

Thanks to Robb Bennett for identifying the spider as a philodromid crab spider, possibly an immature Philodromus dispar.

 

Possibly immature Philodromus dispar (Ara.: Philodromidae)  Rosemary Jorna

 

   Rosemary also sends photographs of two difficult ones, not yet identified.  The first is a snail, and I am thinking maybe Family Polygyridae.  The second is a millipede, and I am thinking maybe Order Julida.  If we get any further with the identifications, we’ll post them.  And of course, if any viewer can help, please do let us know (jtatum at uvic dot ca).

 

 

Snail. Perhaps Family Polygyridae.  Rosemary Jorna

 

Millipede. Perhaps Order Julida.  Rosemary Jorna

 

More this afternoon or evening…

May 15 evening

2019 May 15 evening

 

   Jeremy Tatum sends a photograph of Spilosoma virginica, reared from a Yellow Woolly Bear caterpillar found last year in the Blenkinsop valley, where the moth was released today.

 


Spilosoma virginica (Lep.: Erebidae – Arctiinae)  Jeremy Tatum

 

   He writes:  Today I spent about 45 minutes on the Panhandle Trail off Munn Road, and I saw 16 Western Spring Azures, one Cedar Hairstreak, and one Sara Orangetip.

 

   Rosemary Jorna sends, from the Kemp Lake area, a photograph of a Narcissus Bulb Fly.

 

Narcissus Bulb Fly  Merodon equestris (Dip.: Syrphidae) Rosemary Jorna

 

More tomorrow…