2025 December 12

   Here is a European Winter Moth Operophtera brumata from Jeremy Tatum’s Saanich apartment this morning.  It may be compared with yesterday’s Western Winter Moth Operophtera occidentalis photographed by Val George at Goldstream Park.

Operophtera brumata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jeremy Tatum

2025 December 11

   Val George writes: This morning, December 11, there were nine Operophtera moths on the walls of the nature house at Goldstream Park.  Eight of them were brumata, but this one looks like occidentalis.  

   Yes, writes Jeremy Tatum, this one is indeed Operophtera occidentalis.

Western Winter Moth  Operophtera occidentalis 
(Lep: Geometridae) 
Val George

2025 December 4

   Meara McIntosh sends pictures of some freshwater aquatic invertebrates from Hagan Creek on the Tsartlip Reserve. Saanich Peninsula, December 1.

Gammarus sp.  (Amphipoda:  Gammaridae) 
 Meara McIntosh

Gammarus sp. with eggs  (Amphipoda:  Gammaridae)    Meara McIntosh

Gammarus sp.  (Amphipoda:  Gammaridae)  
Meara McIntosh

Ram’s Horn snail  (Pul.: Planorbidae)  Meara McIntosh

Probably a dipterous larva  (Diptera)  Meara McIntosh

2025 November 27

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  There were about 40 Winter Moths outside the back door of my Saanich apartment this morning.

2025 November 19

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  Here is a female Winter Moth from my Saanich apartment this morning.

Female Operophtera brumata  (Lep.: Geometridae)
Jeremy Tatum

2025 November 18

   Val George writes:  This Vancouver Looper, Erannis vancouverensis, was on the wall of my Oak Bay house this morning, November 18.

  Jeremy Tatum writes:  This species needs some careful work by professional taxonomists.  It is a very abundant moth here, and is indeed usually called Erannis vancouverensis.  Followers of this site may have noticed that I have often written that I believe it is actually the European species E. defoliaria.  I have been assured many a time that defoliaria and  vancouverensis  are different species.  Perhaps so, but this does not answer the question as to which of the species occurs here in the Victoria area of Vancouver Island.  I see no obvious difference between Val’s moth and defoliaria.  More work is needed.

Erannis defoliaria / vancouverensis  (Lep.: Geometridae)   Val George

2025 November 15

   In the last few days, European Winter Moths Operophtera brumata have become quite numerous locally, varying from being quite clearly patterned to having almost no easily- discernible pattern.  Here is one, photographed by Val George on the wall of the nature house at Swan Lake yesterday (November14), quite well patterned.

      Winter Moth  Operophtera brumata (Lep.: Geometridae) 
Val George

2025 November 14

   Jeremy Tatum writes:   Seven European Winter Moths were outside my back door in Saanich this morning, some well-patterned, some not so much.  The only one within easy camera-reach was this one, with scarcely any patterning at all.

Winter Moth Operophtera brumata  (Lep.:Geometridae)  
Jeremy Tatum

2025 November 10

   Jeremy Tatum shows a picture of this bug, photographed at his Saanich apartment this morning:

Halyomorpha halys (Hem.: Pentatomidae)  Jeremy Tatum

2025 November 9

 Jeff Gaskin writes: Today, November 9th, Kirsten Mills saw a Cabbage White at the Luxton Fair grounds in Langford.