November 18
It is mid-November, but it is still possible to find caterpillars. This caterpillar of the Large Yellow Underwing moth was found at the University of Victoria today.  Like the Winter Moth, this is another dastardly European invader. 

Large Yellow Underwing  Noctua pronuba  (Lep.:  Noctuidae)  Jeremy Tatum

November 13 
Jeremy Tatum sends a photo of a Winter Moth  from the wall of his apartment building in Saanich today.
Ian Cruickshank sends a photograph of a Painted Lady at Swan Lake on November 8.  This is a very late date indeed for a Painted Lady, and it is especially surprising this year, in which Painted Ladies have been very scarce.   He also sends a photo of an unknown furry caterpillar from Blenkinsop Lake on October 20.   Jeremy Tatum notes that in general appearance it strongly resembles the caterpillar of Pyrrharctia isabella, which is common in October,but he has never seen one that is all black with no central brown band.   The isabella caterpillar is variable as regards the width of the brown band (mythology has it that the width of the brown band foretells the severity of the forthcoming winter), and I suppose it could indeed be an all-black isabella.  But is there anyone out there who can say for sure what it is?
Ian also sent in this photo of a late Variegated Meadowhawk from East Sooke Park taken on October 15. Rob Cannings, in his book “Dragonflies of British Columbia and the Yukon” lists this species as flying into early October. It is no wonder that these are often overlooked if they aren’t flying, the camouflage is quite good.

Winter Moth  Operophtera brumata  (Lep.:  Geometridae) Jeremy Tatum

Painted Lady Vanessa cardui   (Lep.:  Nymphalidae)    Ian Cruickshank

Erebiid caterpillar.   (Pyrrharctia isabella?)    Ian Cruickshank

Variegated Meadowhawk  Sympetrum corruptum    (Odo.:  Libellulidae)    Ian Cruickshank

October 24
The caterpillar season isn’t quite over yet!  Jeremy Tatum found this Cabbage White caterpillar yesterday on a cabbage growing wild at Elk Lake. 

Cabbage White Pieris rapae   (Lep.:  Pieridae)    Jeremy Tatum

Cabbage White Pieris rapae   (Lep.:  Pieridae)    Jeremy Tatum 

October 3
Karen Ferguson sends a photo of a caterpillar of the Unicorn Prominent Moth from Garry Oak on Saltspring Island on September 30.  The caterpillar shows disruptive coloration – two contrasting colours breaking up the shape of the caterpillar.  The caterpillar will soon make a cocoon and spend the winter fast asleep inside it before transforming into a pupa in the spring.

Unicorn Prominent caterpillar  Schizura unicornis  (Lep.:  Notodontidae)   Karen Ferguson

October 1

Terry Thormin writes:  I went to Cumberland Marsh yesterday to find out if the tansies were still in flower and attracting insects. Although most of the flowers were brown and had no insects on them, a few were still fresh and attracting the usual fall flies and bees. Just for something to do, I photographed a leaf-cutter bee, Megachile sp., but when I was putting this together it occurred to me that, I believe, no one had submitted a photograph of one so far this year. So here it is just in case. I did find two small moths that were frequenting the tansy flowers, Diana’s Choreuta, Choreuta diana, and the Apple Leaf Skeletonizer, Choreuta pariana. These little moths tend to sit on the flowers and move around in a somewhat jerky motion, only occasionally flying to another flower. Because both moths can vary considerably from light to dark, I sent them to some experts at the University of Alberta for identification.
I also finally got around to photographing the Crackling Forest Grasshoppers, Trimerotropis verruculata that I have been seeing for some time now. This grasshopper is generally quite dark and has yellow at the base of the hind wings. As the name implies it is generally found in more forested areas, along roads and trails and in openings. The similar Pallid-winged Grasshopper, Trimerotropis pallidipennis also occurs in our area, but is more likely to be seen in grasslands and coastal sand dunes, and is lighter in colour with two dark bands on the front wings showing when at rest. Although I have been seeing the Pallid-winged Grasshopper for at least a month now, I have not photographed it this year. Both these grasshoppers often make a snapping noise with their wings when flying. I am gradually sorting out the grasshoppers that occur on the island, and hopefully will have a better handle on them in years to come.

Leaf-cutter bee, Megachile sp.  (Hym.: Megachilidae)    Terry Thormin

Diana’s Choreuta, Choreuta diana  (Lep.: Choreutidae)    Terry Thormin

Apple Leaf Skeletonizer, Choreuta pariana  (Lep.: Choreutidae)    Terry Thormin

Crackling Forest Grasshoppers, Trimerotropis verruculata  (Orth.: Acrididae)    Terry Thormin