2017 August 13 morning

Colias alert!

   Jeff Gaskin writes: Late this afternoon (August 12) there was a very bright Orange Sulphur next to the road on Puckle Road just south of Lamont Road.  The butterfly didn’t stay for very long and was seen also by Kirsten Mills.  This was the first Orange Sulphur I’ve seen and we were both very enthused at seeing it.

  Jeremy Tatum writes:  This is the second report of a sulphur this year.  See Val George’s observation of one on August 4 on Lochside Drive south of Michell’s farm.

2017 August 12

   Bill Katz sends a photograph of Tolype distincta from Goldstream Park this morning.  Most British Columbia records of this species are listed under the name T. dayi, although dayi and distincta are probably the same species.

Tolype distincta (Lep.: Lasiocampidae)  Bill Katz

   Gordon Hart sends a photograph of a very fresh-looking pug.  You’d think it would be easy to identify – but it ain’t!  Jeremy Tatum’s wild guess is Eupithecia maestosa,but that’s not much more than a guess. E. annulata is at least as good a fit.

Pug Eupithecia sp. (Lep.: Geometridae) Gordon Hart

   Gordon writes that he has several Woodland Skippers (at least 12), two Pine Whites and a Lorquin’s Admiral.

2017 August 11 evening

Aziza Cooper writes:  On August 9, I found this colourful spider on my car in the Central Saanich driveway where I’m house-sitting.

Araneus diadematus (Ara.: Araneidae)  Aziza Cooper

   Jeremy Tatum writes: I found a young (first or second instar) Lorquin’s Admiral caterpillar on Aspen at Blenkinsop Lake today.  I have not found them on Aspen before – but this one seemed to be feeding well.

2017 August 11 morning

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  Here is a Cyclophora dataria from my Saanich apartment this morning.

Cyclophora dataria (Lep.: Geometridae) Jeremy Tatum

   Jeremy continues.  On the August 9 posting, I reported a sighting of a clearwing moth (Sesiidae) from Swan Lake.  I now have some idea which species it might have been.  Scroll to August 9 to see.

   And here’s a real rarity – an American Lady – photographed by Martin Dollenkamp on August 8 at Black Creek!  Communicated by Mike Yip.  Butterfly enthusiasts should keep a look out for it – there may be more!

American Lady Vanessa virginiensis (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Martin Dollenkamp

2017 August 10

      Jeremy Tatum writes:  The very young caterpillar shown on July 28 has now grown up a bit:

Western Tiger Swallowtail Papilio rutulus (Lep.: Papilionidae) Jeremy Tatum

   Mike Yip writes from Nanoose Bay: I saw a Bedstraw Hawk Moth last week in Parksville.  Common Woodnymphs have been flying up here for the past week, but I haven’t got a photo yet.

Bedstraw Hawk Moth Hyles gallii (Lep.: Sphingidae)  Mike Yip