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.

November 10

2017 November 10

 

   Jochen Moehr sends pictures of two White-speck Moths from Metchosin yesterday.  This is the adult of the caterpillar known to agriculture as the Armyworm (see September 12).

 

White-speck Moth Mythimna unipuncta (Lep.: Noctuidae)

Jochen Moehr

White-speck Moth Mythimna unipuncta (Lep.: Noctuidae)

Jochen Moehr

 

 

Jochen also sends pictures of three geometrid moths.  Now, are these the European Winter Moth?  They look slightly different, so maybe they are Bruce’s?  Isn’t it hard!  Actually, although some Winter Moths are already around, it’s not quite winter yet – it is still autumn, and I believe all three of these are in fact Autumnal Moths.  See the row of double dots along the outer margin (termen) of both the fore- and the hindwings.  Also, Jochen’s moth of November 8 –  I had labelled it as a Winter Moth, but it is a very worn specimen, and if you look along the outer margin carefully, you can just make out the double spots – or at least where they were.  I have relabelled the November 8 moth an Autumnal Moth

 

Will someone go to Goldstream Park Nature House and try and get a photo of Bruce’s Winter Moth for us?

 

Autumnal Moth Epirrita autumnata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Moehr

Autumnal Moth Epirrita autumnata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Moehr

Autumnal Moth Epirrita autumnata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Moehr

 

November 8

2017 November 8

 

Jochen Moehr sends a photograph of an Autumnal Moth from his home in Metchosin.

Autumnal Moth Epirrita autumnata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jochen Moehr

 

November 5

2017 November 5

 

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  Yes, indeed, it is Winter Moth time again.  Here is a female that turned up at my Saanich apartment this morning.  Sorry the image looks a bit misty.   I think it’s a scattered light problem caused by trying to use too many close-up lenses.

 

Winter Moth Operophtera brumata (Lep.: Geometridae)

Jeremy Tatum

November 4

2017 November 4

 

   It’s Winter Moth time again!  After a prolonged warm fall, we suddenly get a blast of wintry weather and the European Winter Moth immediately appears.  Kirsten Mills (who probably saw the last butterfly of the year – see October 3 posting) spotted this moth at the Hillside shopping centre just two days later.  It might be worth it for someone to go out to the Goldsteam Nature House soon to photograph a winter moth – they are probably mostly bruceata  there.

 

European Winter Moth Operophtera brumata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Kirsten Mills

November 3

2017 November 3

 

   A butterfly in November!  I didn’t know if we were going to make it, but Jeff Gaskin tells us that Kirsten Mills saw a Cabbage White at the corner of Cadboro Bay Road and Tudor Avenue on November 1.  The following day we were surprised to have snow in the evening, so I imagine that our extended butterfly season this year is now really over.  But let us know if anyone sees any more.