2025 September 30
Aziza Cooper sends a photograph of a meadowhawk dragonfly at Panama Flats, September 24. We’ll post the picture as soon as we are certain of the identification.
She also sends a photograph of the caterpillar shown below at Maber Flats, September 26. This is the Banded Woolly Bear. This caterpillar is most commonly found during October; sometimes there are then large numbers at Panama Flats. In case you are tempted to take one home for rearing to adult, Jeremy Tatum writes: In my experience, this is one of the most difficult caterpillars to rear successfully, and it is very likely to die during the winter. It is a different matter if one is found in March, when it will be looking for somewhere to pupate, and you are then much more likely to achieve success.
Banded Woolly Bear Pyrrharctia isabella
(Lep.: Erebidae – Arctiinae)
Aziza Cooper
Aziza also repots a Cabbage White near the Juan de Fuca Library on September 26. Is that going to be the last butterfly seen this year?
Jeremy Tatum shows this photograph of a small moth found at his Saanich apartment on September 29. It was kindly identified by Dr Jason Dombrowskie as Acleris rhombana. This is a European species which is fairly common here, and has been reported several times on Invert Alert. Interestingly, all records that I have found on searching the Internet for North American records of the species are from Vancouver Island. I haven’t found any North American records from elsewhere.
Acleris rhombana (Lep.: Tortricidae) Jeremy Tatum
Invert Sightings 