2025 May 28
Jeremy Tatum writes:The Polyphemus Moth shown below emerged from the cocoon found last year by Ann Tiplady and shown on 2024 November 22 (page 7) of Invert Alert. It is a male (large bipectinate antennae) and it was too active for me to photograph at home. However, just before I released it on Mount Douglas yesterday, I was fortunate to meet Nora Vincent-Braun, who photographed this gigantic moth sitting on my hand. (The moth was, not Nora.)
Male Polyphemus Moth Antheraea polyphemus
(Lep.: Saturniidae)
Nora Vincent-Braun
Male Polyphemus Moth Antheraea polyphemus
(Lep.: Saturniidae)
Nora Vincent-Braun
The much smaller moth (about the size of the eyespots on the hindwings of the Polyphemus) shown below was on the wall of my Saanich apartment this morning:
Pyrausta californicalis (Lep.: Crambidae) Jeremy Tatum
Shown below is a Virginia Tiger Moth, which emerged today from a cocoon formed last year by a Yellow Woolly Bear caterpillar.
Spilosoma virginica (Lep.: Erebidae – Arctiinae) Jeremy Tatum
Marie O’Shaughnessy sends a photograph of her first swallowtail of the year, at Outerbridge Park yesterday. Also there, she reports six Cabbage Whites, two Western Spring Azures, six Cardinal Meadowhawks, two California Darners and four Four-spotted Skimmers.
Western Tiger Swallowtail Pterourus rutulus (Lep.: Papilionidae) Marie O’Shaughnessy
InvertAlert – Reminder
Although no further pictures are now being added to InvertAlert, the predecessor of InvertSightings, you can still access InvertAlert by typing https://www.vicnhs.bc.ca/?cat=8
InvertAlert goes back to 2010. If you click on the words INVERTEBRATE ALERT at the very top of the site, you can find some instructions on how to navigate through the site (e.g. how to find an old entry).
Invert Sightings 