2025 October 20 morning

   Jeff Gaskin reports a Cabbage White from Cuthbert Holmes Park yesterday, October 19.  The butterfly season may not be quite over yet, so keep looking, and see if we can record the date of the last butterfly of the year.

2025 October 18 morning

   Winter Moths usually start to appear in mid-November, so, if you see a moth in October that looks like a Winter Moth, have a closer look – it may be a Juniper Carpet, like the one shown below, which was at Jeremy Tatum’s Saanich apartment this morning.

Juniper Carpet  Thera juniperata  (Lep.:  Geometridae)  
Jeremy Tatum

2025 October 17

   Jeff Gaskin reports a Cabbage White today on Wascana Street in the Burnside/Gorge area, and a Blue-eyed Darner in the Gorge Park.   He also reports that Kirsten Mills saw two Cabbage Whites on McKenzie Avenue between Glanford Avenue and Rainbow Street today, as well as a Mourning Cloak on Glanford Avenue, just south of Vanalman Avenue.

2025 October 16

   Val George writes:  This moth, Xanthorhoe defensaria, was settled in the grass at Clover Point yesterday, October 15.

Xanthorhoe defensaria  (Lep.: Geometridae)  Val George

   Gordon Hart was at McMicking Point today, where he saw a few Cabbage Whites, and photographed this Drone Fly:

Drone Fly Eristalis tenax   (Dip.: Syrphidae)   Gordon Hart

2025 October 15

    Jeff Gaskin reports sightings of seven Cabbage Whites in the last two days in various locations, and another two were reported by Marie O’Shaughnessy, so keep reporting this species.  It is evidently not yet finished for the year. Jeff also reports a  California Tortoiseshell at McMicking Point on October 14.  He writes that there was Ivy nearby.  This is the fifth California Tortoiseshell reported since September 19 – so keep an eye out for this one, too – especially at clumps of Ivy in flower.

2025 October 14

   Marie O’Shaughnessy writes, from McIntyre reservoir, October 14:   I was delighted to find  three Cabbage White butterflies still fluttering around in the afternoon sun and  warmth.  

Male Cabbage White  Pieris rapae (Lep.: Pieridae)  
Marie O’Shaughnessy

   Dragonflies were a surprise too.  There were five Cardinal Meadowhawks, one Paddle-tailed Darner,  and three Blue-eyed Darners.

Male Cardinal Meadowhawk  Sympetrum illotum  (Odo.: Libellulidae)
 Marie O’Shaughnessy

Male Blue-eyed Darner  Rhionaeschna multicolor 
(Odo.: Aeshnidae)
Marie O’Shaughnessy

2025 October 13

   The butterfly season is not quite over yet – Aziza Cooper reports three Cabbage Whites from near McIntyre reservoir today, and Wendy Ansell saw another at Island View Beach.    Aziza also photographed this fly in the Martindale valley today.  Jeremy Tatum writes:  It may be the common Narcissus Bulb Fly Merodon equestris, but I’m also thinking that it might be a species of Mallota.  The wing venation looks like Mallota, but Mallota should have thick femora on the hind legs.   If anyone can identify this fly with more certainty, please let us know.

Merodon  or  Mallota  (Dip.: Syrphidae)  Aziza Cooper

2025 October 10

   Marie O’Shaughnessy writes: There was an interesting moth on the ceiling overhang of my carport at lunch time on October 9.

    Jeremy Tatum writes:  It is indeed an interesting moth in that it is difficult to identify.  It is either a Barberry Geometer  Rheumaptera meadii or an American Tissue Moth Triphosa haesitata.  The former species is quite variable, and there is a variation that looks very like a Tissue Moth.  This is one of them, and we are not 100 percent certain which species it is.  However, Libby Avis is “reasonably sure” (which is not quite the same as 100 percent certain) that it is R. meadii.  Note that the fourth tooth on the outer margin of the hindwing is markedly smaller than the adjacent teeth; this is characteristic of meadii.

  In case anyone is asking the question:  “If two moths are so similar that no one can tell the difference,  why are they not one and the same species?”  A good question – but, writes Jeremy Tatum, the caterpillars of these two species are totally and utterly different, and obviously quite different animals.

Probably Rheumaptera meadii  (Lep.: Geometridae) 
Marie O.Shaughnessy

2025 October 9 evening

   Jeff Gaskin writes: On October 8,  I saw a Red Admiral at the end of the berm near Admirals Road [a suitable place to find an Admiral!  – Jeremy] in Cuthbert Holmes Park.   Also, today, October 9, there were two Cabbage Whites in the Burnside/ Gorge neighbourhood.

2025 October 9 morning

   There may still be a few Cabbage Whites around.  Marie O’Shaughnessy saw three on October 7 on or around the McIntyre reservoir and the adjacent cabbage field.

  Aziza Cooper writes:  On October 8, this grasshopper was at Harling Point. This is the grasshopper that can be mistaken for a Mourning Cloak because its wings are dark with pale edges.   Jeremy Tatum writes:  It can indeed – I have so mistaken it myself from time to time.  It “official” name is the Carolina Grasshopper, but some people refer to it as the Mourning Cloak Grasshopper.

Carolina Grasshopper Dissosteira carolina  (Orth.: Acrididae) 
Aziza Cooper