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.

2024 September 19

2024 September 19

   Marie O’Shaughnessy photographed this katydid at Qualicum Beach, September 15.  We thank James Miskelly for identifying it as a Slender Meadow Katydid  Conocephalus fasciatus.

 Slender Meadow Katydid  Conocephalus fasciatus  (Ortho.:  Tettigoniidae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy

 

2024 September 18

2024 September 18

   Wendy Ansell writes: There was a nice fresh Lorquin’s Admiral at Rithet’s Bog at 4:00 this afternoon.  It was on the east side (NE?) sunning itself.

Marie O’Shaughnessy sends the following from the Qualicum Beach area, Sunday September 15.

I was surprised to find 3 species of red dragonflies in one location.
Most appeared to be Striped Meadowhawks
2 were Cardinal Meadowhawks
8 were Autumn Meadowhawks

Others were
1  blue male Western Pondhawk
2 Common Green Darners
4 Blue-eyed Darners
1 Canada Darner
2 Paddle-tailed Darner

 Cardinal Meadowhawks  Sympetrum illotum  (Odo.: Libellulidae) Marie O’Shaughnessy

 

 Autumn Meadowhawk  Sympetrum vicinum  (Odo.: Libellulidae) Marie O’Shaughnessy

 

Striped Meadowhawk  Sympetrum pallipes  (Odo.: Libellulidae) Marie O’Shaughnessy

 

Blue-eyed Darner Rhionaeschna multicolor  (Odo.: Aeshnidae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy

  Canada Darner Aeshna canadensis  ( Odo.: Aeshnidae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy

 

Canada Darner Aeshna canadensis  ( Odo.: Aeshnidae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy

 

Aziza Cooper writes:  Today, September 18, this dragonfly was at the ditch beside Island View Nursery in the Martindale valley.

 

Paddle-tailed Darner Aeshna palmata  (Odo.: Aeshnidae)  Aziza Cooper

 

 

 

2024 September 17 morning

2024 September 17 morning

   Val George writes:  Yesterday, September 16, this moth, Xanthorhoe defensaria, was on the wall of the Nature House at Goldstream Park.


Xanthorhoe defensaria 
(Lep.: Geometridae)  Val George

2024 September 16

2024 September 16

  Jeff Gaskin writes:  Only one butterfly of note to tell you about.  Today, September 16, there was one well worn-out Woodland Skipper at Swan Lake.

Jeremy Tatum writes:  The last Woodland Skipper – indeed the last non-Cabbage-White butterfly – to be reported was on Sepetember 6.  There are stiil a few Cabbage Whites to be seen flying around.

Jeff continues:  Dragonflies at Swan Lake included 1 or 2 Blue-eyed Darners, and 2 Blue Dashers.

Aziza Cooper writes:   Today, September 16, this Variegated Meadowhawk was at the Beechey Head hawk lookout.

Variegated Meadowhawk Sympetrum corruptum  (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Aziza Cooper

 

2024 September 15 evening

2024 September 15 evening

Only one small contribution this evening – a small geometrid caterpillar whose identity I (Jeremy Tatum) don’t yet know.  In case you are wondering if the plant it is on is grass, no it’s not grass – it’s Knotgrass.

Geometrid caterpillar  (Lep.: Geometridae) Jeremy Tatum