2025 October 4
It is not always realized that the undersides of the hindwings of the Cabbage White butterfly are yellow, and consequently they are occasionally reported as sulphur butterflies. However, it is usually quite a pale yellow, not like the intense yellow of a sulphur. All the same, occasionally the yellow of a Cabbage White is surprisingly intense, as shown in these photographs by Marie O’Shaughnessy.
Cabbage White Pieris rapae (Lep.: Pieridae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy
Cabbage White Pieris rapae (Lep.: Pieridae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy
A genuine sulphur (Colias sp.) is quite different, as shown in the photograph below, taken by Marie at McIntyre reservoir, September 15. Having determined that it is indeed a sulphur and not a Cabbage White, that is not an end to our difficulties. There are three species of Sulphur to be seen on Vancouver Island – Orange, Clouded and Western. The first two are migrants, the third a resident, but all are rare in the Victoria area, and all are difficult to distinguish. We can’t say with complete certainty what Marie’s sulphur is, so we shall leave it as Colias sp. If anyone has strong feelings as to exactly what it is, let us know – but we’ll need a bit of convincing.
Sulphur butterfly Colias sp. (Lep.: Pieridae) Marie O’Shaughnessy
Purplish Coppers have been scarce this year, but here is a male photographed by Marie at McIntyre reservoir on August 7. Although this is not a recent photograph, we don’t want to lose this record, so here it is.
Male Purplish Copper Tharsalea helloides (Lep.: Lycaenidae) Marie O’Shaughnessy
Male Purplish Copper Tharsalea helloides (Lep.: Lycaenidae) Marie O’Shaughnessy
On October 2 we posted a photograph by Val George at Swan Lake of a moth that we thought most likely Tetracis pallulata, but possibly T. jubararia. There were three similar moths there, and Val took the photograph shown below of another of them. This time, writes Jeremy Tatum, I would lean toward jubararia rather than pallulata, but the truth is that we just don’t know for certain what either of them is.
Tetracis jubararia / pallulata (Lep.: Geometridae) Val George
It seems that the tortricid Acleris rhombana is quite common around here just now. Here is the third that I have photographed at my Saanich apartment, writes Jeremy Tatum, in the last few days.
Acleris rhombana (Lep.: Tortricidae) Jeremy Tatum
Dragonfly numbers are beginning to diminish, but there are still a few around. Here is a meadowhawk (we cannot be sure which species) photographed by Aziza Cooper on September 24 at Panama Flats.
Meadowhawk Sympetrum sp. (Odo.: Libellulidae) Aziza Cooper
Here is a photograph of a Striped Meadowhawk photographed by Marie O’Shaughnesssy at Heritage Acres on September 16,
Striped Meadowhawk Sympetrum pallipes (Odo.: Libellulidae) Marie O’Shaughnessy
And here is another dragonfly photographed by Marie at McIntyre reservoir, October 1.
Shadow Darner Aeshna umbrosa (Odo.: Aeshnidae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy
Jeremy Tatum writes: It has been a busy day for this site today, so it’s not impossible that I may have missed one or more submissions. If I have missed one, let me know.
Invert Sightings 