2025 August 6 evening
Here are pictures of a male and female Anyphaena spider photographed yesterday morning in View Royal by the GG
trail.
Male Anyphaena aperta (Ara.: Anyphaenidae) Ian Cooper
Female Anyphaena aperta (Ara.: Anyphaenidae) Ian Cooper
2025 August 6 morning
This spider was photographed by Ian Cooper on August 01 at Colquitz River Park.
Enoplognatha ovata (Ara.: Theridiidae) Ian Cooper
Here are some photographs from Ian Cooper’s pre-dawn shoot yesterday morning along the Galloping Goose Trail in View Royal:
Chocolate Arion slugs Arion rufus (Pul.: Arionidae) in copula.
Ian Cooper
Red Carpenter Ant Camponotus vicinus (Hym.: Formicidae)
Ian Cooper
Folding door spider Antrodiaetus pacificus
(Ara. – Myg: Antrodiaetidae)
Ian Cooper
Plectrura spinicauda (Col.: Cerambycidae) Ian Cooper
Graphocephala fennahi (Hem.: Cicadellidae) Ian Cooper
2025 August 4 evening
Here are some pictures of invertebrates obtained by Ian Cooper along the Galloping Goose Trail in View Royal on the evening of August 2.
The first is a micro moth. It has lost a lot of scales and the pattern is rather worn to the extent that accurate identification may not be possible. That said, it does resemble to some extent some species in the Family Blastobasidae, such as Blastoblasis rebeli and Calosima munroei.
Micro moth (Lep.: Possibly Family Blastobasidae) Ian Cooper
Female Crane Fly ovipositing.
Probably Tipula pubera (Dip.: Tipulidae)
Ian Cooper
Unidentified ichneumonoid wasp
(Hym.: Superfamily Ichneumonoidea)
Ian Cooper
Assassin bug (Hym.: Reduviidae –
probably Thread-legged Bug – Emesinae)
Ian Cooper
Male Sierra Dome Spider Neriene litigiosa (Ara.: Linyphiidae)
Ian Cooper
Cybaeus signifer (Ara.: Cybaeidae) Ian Cooper
2025 August 4 morning
On August 2, Val George went to Nanaimo River Road and saw:
I Sylvan Hairstreak
2 Common Woodnymphs
1 Hydaspe Fritillary
1 Lorquin’s Admiral
3 Cabbage Whites
Several dozen Woodland Skippers
Here are a few more insects seen during yesterday’s VNHS Butterfly Walk at Swan Lake.
As predicted, Dr Rob Cannings was indeed happy to see the thoracic stripes on this dragonfly, which he kindly identified for us as a female of the andromorph (looks a bit male-ish) form of a Blue-eyed Darner.
Female Blue-eyed Darner Rhionaeschna multicolor
(Odo.: Aeshnidae)
Aziza Cooper
Larva of Asian Labybeetle Harmonia axyridis (Col.: Coccinellidae) Aziza Cooper
Asian Labybeetle Harmonia axyridis (Col.: Coccinellidae)
Aziza Cooper
Probably Asian Labybeetle Harmonia axyridis (Col.: Coccinellidae) Aziza Cooper
Vespula germanica (Hym.: Vespidae) in difficulties Aziza Cooper
Chaetopsis fulvifrons (Dip.: Ulidiidae) Aziza Cooper
Blue Dasher Pachydiplax longipennis (Odo.: Libellulidae)
Aziza Cooper
2025 August 3 evening
Here are some photographs from Ian Cooper’s evening photo shoot along the ^E&N trail and the #Galloping Goose Trail in View Royal on August 2.
Callizzia amorata (Lep.: Uraniidae – Epipleminae) Ian Cooper
The former Family Epiplemidae of some authors (to which this moth belongs) has now been absorbed as the Subfamily Epipleminae in the Family Uraniidae. This may surprise some viewers who may be familiar with the moth Urania fulgens of the uraniid Subfamily Uraniinae, but there are reasons for it. Jeremy Tatum writes: You might like to see what Urania fulgens looks like. Try https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/142950-Urania-fulgens
^Banded Garden Snail – Cepaea nemoralis (Pul.: Helicidae)
Ian Cooper
^Goldenrod Crab Spider Misumena vatia (Ara.: Thomisidae)
Ian Cooper
^Goldenrod Crab Spider Misumena vatia (Ara.: Thomisidae)
with prey
Ian Cooper
#Female Eratigena duellica (Ara: Agelenidae) Ian Cooper
#Pacific Foldingdoor Spider – Antrodiaetus pacificus
(Ara.- Myg.: Antrodiaetidae)
Ian Cooper
Ian writes: A male Folding-door spider, Antrodiaetus pacificus, out searching for a female to mate with. These robust spiders are relatives of tarantulas and usually remain at their burrow’s entrance laying in wait to ambush passing prey. During mating season, males leave their burrows to seek out receptive females. This sighting of a wandering male on August 2 is the earliest I’ve seen one out.
Aziza Cooper writes:
Today, August 3, six people went to Swan Lake for our monthly Butterfly Walk. The weather was calm and mostly overcast. We found two butterflies – one Lorquin’s Admiral and one Woodland Skipper. We also found a moth, dragonflies, damselflies and many other invertebrates, as well as birds, frogs and plants. A very pleasant afternoon!
Cyclophora dataria (Lep.: Geometridae) Aziza Cooper
Woodland Skipper Ochlodes sylvanoides (Lep.: Hesperiidae) Aziza Cooper
Pacific Forktail Ischnura cervula (Odo.: Coenagrionidae)
Aziza Cooper
Blue Dasher Pachydiplax longipennis (Odo.: Libellulidae)
Aziza Cooper
There will be more on today’s Butterfly Walk tomorrow.
Aziza tells us that this large spider was found today in Uplands Park. See Ian Cooper’s note on this species above. Jeremy Tatum adds that it is probably not a good idea to handle this species. I don’t think it is deadly dangerous, but it may have a not particularly pleasant bite.
#Pacific Foldingdoor Spider – Antrodiaetus pacificus
(Ara.- Myg.: Antrodiaetidae)
Aziza Cooper
2025 August 3 morning
Here is a miscellaneous collection of insects photographed by Sher Falls at Pipers Lagoon, Nanaimo, on July 28, and by Aziza Cooper on Mount Washington and Nanaimo River Road, July 30, 31. In addition, Aziza reports a latish Western Tiger Swallowtail butterfly at Governmant House, August 2. We thank Scott Gilmore, Rob Cannings, Ian Cooper and Claudia Copley for help with the identifications.
Pebble bee Dianthidium sp. (Hym.: Megachilidae) Sher Falls
Pebble bee Dianthidium sp. (Hym.: Megachilidae) Sher Falls
On flower Pebble bee Dianthidium sp. (Hym.: Megachilidae)
Sher Falls
In flight: As yet unidentified
Sand Wasp Bembix americana (Hym.: Crabronidae) Sher Falls
Sweat bee Agapostemon (probably texanus) (Hym.: Halictidae) Sher Falls
As yet unidentified. Help, anyone? Sher Falls
Probably Spotted Spreadwing Lestes congener (Odo.: Lestidae) Aziza Cooper
Crimson-ringed Whiteface Leucorrhinia glacialis
(Odo.: Libellulidae)
Aziza Cooper
Hudsonian Whiteface Leucorrhinia hudsonicus
(Odo.: Libellulidae)
Aziza Cooper
Seven-spotted Ladybeetle Coccinella septempunctata
(Col.: Coccinellidae)
Aziza Cooper
Lepturobosca chrysocoma (Col.: Cerambycidae) Aziza Cooper
Flower fly, also known as Hover fly (Dip.: Syrphidae) Aziza Cooper
2025 August 2 morning
Although there seem to be very few butterflies around now, apart from Cabbage Whites, yesterday Wendy Ansell saw a Lorquin’s Admiral in Saanich, and Jeremy Tatum saw a single Woodland Skipper on Carey Road on a Lavendar patch on which in most years there are usually dozens there.
If there are few butterflies, however, there are lots of other creatures that Ian Cooper is photographing. Those below are from his Aug 01 2025 photo shoot in *Colquitz River Park in Saanich and the #Galloping Goose Trail in View Royal.
# Medetera sp. (Dip.: Dolichopodidae) Ian Cooper
#Brown lacewing Hemerobius sp. (Neu.: Hemerobiidae)
Ian Cooper
#-Crematogaster sp.
(Hym.: Formicidae – Myrmicinae – Crematogastrini)
Ian Cooper
Tegenaria domestica (Ara.: Agelenidae) Ian Cooper
*Clubiona sp. (Ara.: Clubionidae) Ian Cooper
#Antrodiaetus pacificus (Ara.: Mygalomorphae – Antrodiaetidae) Ian Cooper
2025 August 1 evening
Gordon Hart writes:
Our next Butterfly Walk is on Sunday, August 3. We will meet at 1 p.m. at the summit of Mount Tolmie at the parking lot by the reservoir. After a look around for butterflies, we will decide where to go from there. Car pooling is encouraged and we will try to be back by 4 p.m. Cancellations or special instructions will be posted on this site, or on the VNHS calendar: https://www.vicnhs.bc.ca/?page_id=1518
Here are some of Aziza Cooper’s finds yesterday from the flowers along Nanaimo River Road.
Common Woodnymph Cercyonis pegala (Lep.: Nymphalidae) Aziza Cooper
Hydaspe Fritillary Argynnis hydaspe (Lep.: Nymphalidae)
Aziza Cooper
Mylitta Crescent Phyciodes mylitta (Lep.: Nymphalidae)
Aziza Cooper
Woodland Skipper Ochlodes sylvanoides (Lep.: Hesperiidae) Aziza Cooper
Down here in Victoria, writes JeremyTatum, there seem to be very few butterflies around other than Cabbage Whites, which are still common. However, I saw a Woodland Skipper along Carey Road, and Jeff Gaskin reports a Tiger Swallowtail (species uncertain) along Hector Road.
Ian Cooper photographed the following moth this morning:
Herpetogramma thestealis (Lep.: Crambidae) Ian Cooper
2025 August 1 afternoon
There will probably be more this evening.
Ian Cooper writes: Here are more invertebrate pictures taken during my July 29 2025 photo shoot along the ^E&N trail and the #Galloping Goose Trail in View Royal.
Necydalis laevicollis (Col.: Cerambycidae) Ian Cooper
Thanks to Scott Gilmore for species identification of this beetle
^Meadow Spittle Bug Philaenus spumarius (Hem.: Cercopidae)
^Metallic Sweat Bee Lasioglossum (Dialictus) sp.
(Hym.: Halictidae)
Ian Cooper
^Common Greenbottle Lucilia sericata (Dip.: Calliphoridae)
Ian Cooper
#Long-jawed Orb Weaver Metellina sp. (Ara.: Tetragnathidae)
Ian Cooper
#Callobius pictus (Ara.: Amaurobiidae) Ian Cooper
#Cybaeus signifer (Ara.: Cybaeidae)
Jeremy Tatum writes: This moth was at my Saanich apartment this morning. I don’t know of any reliable method of distinguishing between Drepanulatrix monicaria and D. secundaria. The former has a more southerly distribution, and it is possible that many, most, or even all moths hitherto labelled on this site as possibly monicaria, may in fact be secundaria.
Drepanulatrix secundaria/monicaria (Lep.: Geometridae)
Jeremy Tatum
2025 July 31 evening
Gordon Hart writes:
Our next Butterfly Walk is on Sunday, August 3. We will meet at 1 p.m. at the summit of Mount Tolmie at the parking lot by the reservoir. After a look around for butterflies, we will decide where to go from there. Car pooling is encouraged and we will try to be back by 4 p.m. Cancellations or special instructions will be posted on this site, or on the VNHS calendar: https://www.vicnhs.bc.ca/?page_id=1518
Aziza Cooper writes:
On July 30 at Mount Washington, there were:
Great Arctic – 2, at the summit
Hydaspe Fritillary – 20 or more, at the summit
Anna’s Blue – 1, near the Lodge
Common Branded Skipper – 1, near the Lodge
Western Meadow Fritillary – 2, Forbidden Plateau
On July 31 at Nanaimo River Road:
Mylitta Crescent – 2
Common Woodnymph – 1
Hydaspe Fritillary – 1
Woodland Skipper – 20 or more
Lorquin’s Admiral – 1
Cabbage White – 2
Jeremy Tatum writes: Since there have been some minor taxonomic changes since these species previously appeared on this site, I have in some cases included the Subgenus or Subfamily name in the photograph labels below.
Anna’s Blue Plebejus (Lycaeides) anna (Lep.: Lycaenidae)
Aziza Cooper
Common Branded Skipper Hesperia comma (Lep.: Hesperiidae) Aziza Cooper
Great Arctic Oeneis nevadensis (Lep.: Nymphalidae – Satyrinae) Aziza Cooper
Hydaspe Fritillary Argynnis (Speyeria) hydaspe
(Lep.: Nymphalidae)
Aziza Cooper
Hydaspe Fritillary Argynnis (Speyeria) hydaspe
(Lep.: Nymphalidae)
Aziza Cooper
Western Meadow Fritillary Boloria (Clossiana) epithore
(Lep.: Nymphalidae)
Aziza Cooper
Invert Sightings 