2025 April 23
St George’s Day
Ian Cooper photographed this aphid yesterday. Since it belongs to the Family Aphididae (writes Jeremy Tatum), I should perhaps call it an aphidid – though few do. There are probably something approaching 1000 species in the area, and I wouldn’t know where to begin.
Aphid (Hem.: Aphididae) Ian Cooper
Aziza Cooper writes:
Yesterday, April 22, at Lochside Trail near Blenkinsop Lake, there was one Satyr Comma.
Satyr Comma Polygonia satyrus (Lep.: Nymphalidae)
Aziza Cooper
Aziza continues: In the afternoon I went to Colwell Road near Nanaimo River Road, where I found five species of butterfly:
Moss’s Elfin – 4
Sara Orangetip – 2
Western Spring Azure – 2
Cabbage White – 2
Field Crescent – 1
Field Crescent Phyciodes pulchella (Lep.: Nymphalidae)
Aziza Cooper
Moss’s Elfin Callophrys mossii (Lep.: Lycaenidae) Aziza Cooper
Moss’s Elfin Callophrys mossii (Lep.: Lycaenidae) Aziza Cooper
Aziza writes: On April 21 at Bear Hill, a slug was next to the trail. Later, on Mount Douglas west slope,a colourful wasp was on a post. There were Sara Orangetips flying around.
Jeremy Tatum writes: The slug seems to be an unusually-marked Banana Slug. We have not yet identified the wasp. If anyone can help, please do so.
Banana Slug Ariolimax columbianus (Pul.: Arionidae)
Aziza Cooper
Western Yellowjacket Vespula pensylvanica (Hym.: Vespidae) Aziza Cooper
Thanks to Claudia Copley for the identification
Jeremy Tatum photographed two moths – one large, one small, this morning. The large one was reared from a caterpillar found last year on willow on Carey Road, where the adult moth was released this morning. A few years ago, Cerisy’s Eyed Hawk Moth Smerinthus cerisyi, was split (not sure how justified this was!) into two species – S. cerisyi and S. ophthalmica. The English name Cerisy’s Eyed Hawk Moth will continue to do fine for S. cerisyi, but I have not yet heard an English name for the one we get here, S. ophthalmica. Suggestions, anyone?
Smerinthus ophthalmica (Lep.: Sphingidae) Jeremy Tatum
The small moth, found at my Saanich home, is Agonopterix alstroemeriana. The caterpillar is sometimes numerous enough here to significantly control the poisonous dangerous introduced plant Poison Hemlock Conium maculatum.
Agonopterix alstroemeriana (Lep.: Depressariidae) Jeremy Tatum
Val George writes: This afternoon, April 23, I checked out Mount Douglas summit for butterflies. Here is the count: 2 California Tortoiseshells, 3 Cabbage Whites, one Grey Hairstreak, one Sara Orangetip. Also there was the moth Digrammia muscariata.
California Tortoiseshell Nymphalis californica (Lep.: Nymphalidae) Val George
Grey Hairstreak Strymon melinus (Lep.: Lycaenidae) Val George
Digrammia muscariata (Lep.: Geometridae) Val George
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