2016 October 11

    Some interesting photographs came in today.  Here are a few.  The others are awaiting identification, and we hope to have them up soon.

   Cheryl Hoyle sends a photograph of a Western Conifer Seed Bug from View Royal.

Western Conifer Seed Bug Leptoglossus occidentalis (Hem.: Coreidae) Cheryl Hoyle

Liam Singh sends photographs of a jumping spider and a bark louse.  The latter is quite a tiny insect, so Liam did well to photograph it.   Thanks to Dr E. Mockford for identifying it.

Bark louse  Ectopsocus californicus (Pso.: Ectopsocidae)  Liam Singh

2106 October 10

   Mike Yip sends a photograph of a Western Conifer Seed Bug from his Nanoose Bay house, October 3.

Western Conifer Seed Bug Leptoglossus occidentalis (Hem.: Coreidae) Mike Yip

   Jeremy Tatum writes:   There are lots of Banded Woolly Bears to be seen about now.  Panama Flats seems to be a particularly good location, though anyone who has visited that area recently may wonder if it will continue to be so.  As I have noted in previous years, there are many dead and squashed woolly bears on the paths, both at Panama Flats and at other locations, such as Blenkinsop Lake, or Martindale Flats.  There seem to be many more dead caterpillars than would be expected from their being accidentally trodden upon.  I fear that many people, on seeing this conspicuous caterpillar scurrying across a path, automatically go out of their way to stomp on it for no particular reason.

  The butterfly season is almost at a close, even for Cabbage Whites.  However, I saw one yesterday (October 9) along Pear Street, Saanich, so there are still a few around.  Who will be the last to see and report one to Invert Alert?  In 2014 the last Cabbage White was reported on November 10.  In 2015 the last Cabbage White was reported on October 22 – but that was not the last butterfly of the year.  That title in 2015 went to a Red Admiral on November 2.

2016 October 8

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  I show below two photographs of a chrysalis of the Two-banded Grizzled Skipper, resulting from an ovum that Devon Parker found in the spring.  This hardly counts as an “alert” and strictly should not be allowed!  I couldn’t get my camera to where the caterpillar had hidden itself earlier on, but today, while preparing my pupae for the winter, I was forced to move it, so I took the opportunity of photographing it.  I thought I should post the photos, because I doubt if the pupa of this species has been photographed very often.

   I also post a photograph of an Indian Meal Moth from a corridor wall in my Saanich apartment building this morning.

Two-banded Grizzled Skipper Pyrgus ruralis (Lep.: Hesperiidae)  Jeremy Tatum

Two-banded Grizzled Skipper Pyrgus ruralis (Lep.: Hesperiidae)  Jeremy Tatum

Indian Meal Moth Plodia interpunctella (Lep.: Pyralidae) Jeremy Tatum

2016 October 5

   Ann Scarfe found a caterpillar of a dagger moth at Pedder Bay today:

Acronicta dactylina (Lep.: Noctuidae)   Ann Scarfe

   Rosemary Jorna writes: There were many dragonflies of at least three different species out at Camp Bernard today, October 5, but this Paddle-tailed Darner was the only one who paused.

 Paddle-tailed Darner Aeshna palmata (Odo.: Aeshnidae)  Rosemary Jorna

Rosemary continues:  This spider is one of many of the same hanging round our yard and everywhere right now, Kemp Lake Road, October 5, 2016.

 Araneus diadematus (Ara.: Araneidae)  Rosemary Jorna

2016 October 4

   Bruce Whittington sends a photograph of a fly from Parksville. Thanks to Rob Cannings for confirming its identification as a soldier fly.   With this clue, Bruce managed to track it down to probable species.  Although soldier flies comprise a huge family, Stratiomyidae, Bruce’s fly is surely in the genus Sargus, and almost certainly Sargus decorus.

Soldier fly Sargus decorus (Dip.:  Stratiomyidae)   Bruce Whittington

   Thanks also to Rob for correcting my (Jeremy Tatum) identification of Mike Yip’s October 3 dragonfly – and my apologies, Mike!   The correct label is now given in the October 3 posting.

  The caterpillar season isn’t quite over.  Libby Avis sends photographs of four noctuid caterpillars, none of which I (Jeremy Tatum) have been able to identify.  The first (which is just about to undergo ecdysis into its final instar) was on fir at Little Qualicum fish hatchery, September 28.  The second was rolled in a poplar leaf at Sproat Lake, September 24.  The third was on nettle at Little Qualicum fish hatchery, September 27.  The fourth was on Salmonberry at Cameron Lake, September 27.

 Caterpillar 1 (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Libby Avis

Caterpillar 2 (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Libby Avis

Caterpillar 3 (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Libby Avis

 Caterpillar 4 (Lep.: Noctuidae)  Libby Avis