2026 February 1

   A Third January Butterfly!
  We already posted news of a Satyr Comma and a Milbert’s Tortoiseshell on January 19.  Now Gordon has drawn our attention to a posting on another site of a Red Admiral on the following day,  January 20. This may be seen at   https://www.facebook.com/groups/176587492920781/search/?q=christa%20b%C3%BAho   It was seen and posted by Christa Búho at Government House.   Although Satyr Commas and Milbert’s Tortoiseshells are known to overwinter here in the adult stage, this is the first overwintering adult Red Admiral I have heard of (writes Jeremy Tatum).  Most of them, I think, migrate south into warmer latitudes.  Until recent years,  all Red Admirals in the UK were believed also to migrate south, but, in recent years, there have been many records there of overwintering Red Admirals – either as adults or even as caterpillars. 

2026 January 24

Another Butterfly!   James Miskelly and Gordon Hart have drawn my attention to a photograph posted by an anonymous observer (nom-de-plume: “thefungiphotographer”) on iNaturalist of a Milbert’s Tortoiseshell seen on January 19 at the corner of Finlayson Road and Quadra Street.  This is the same date as Gordon Hart’s Satyr Comma also seen on January 19.  The photograph and further details can be seen at https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/335445281

2026 January 20

   Butterfly!   Yesterday, January 19, Gordon Hart saw and photographed a Satyr Comma at Langford Lake. 
  Jeremy Tatum notes that in our annual published butterfly records from the southern Vancouver Island birdwatching area from 2015 to the present, this is the first January butterfly report we have had.  In each of 2022 to 2025, butterflies were recorded in our area in all months except January and December.  Is all 12 months possible?

Satyr Comma Polygonia satyrus (Lep.: Nymphalidae) Gordon Hart

2025 December 12

   Here is a European Winter Moth Operophtera brumata from Jeremy Tatum’s Saanich apartment this morning.  It may be compared with yesterday’s Western Winter Moth Operophtera occidentalis photographed by Val George at Goldstream Park.

Operophtera brumata (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jeremy Tatum

2025 December 11

   Val George writes: This morning, December 11, there were nine Operophtera moths on the walls of the nature house at Goldstream Park.  Eight of them were brumata, but this one looks like occidentalis.  

   Yes, writes Jeremy Tatum, this one is indeed Operophtera occidentalis.

Western Winter Moth  Operophtera occidentalis 
(Lep: Geometridae) 
Val George

2025 December 4

   Meara McIntosh sends pictures of some freshwater aquatic invertebrates from Hagan Creek on the Tsartlip Reserve. Saanich Peninsula, December 1.

Gammarus sp.  (Amphipoda:  Gammaridae) 
 Meara McIntosh

Gammarus sp. with eggs  (Amphipoda:  Gammaridae)    Meara McIntosh

Gammarus sp.  (Amphipoda:  Gammaridae)  
Meara McIntosh

Ram’s Horn snail  (Pul.: Planorbidae)  Meara McIntosh

Probably a dipterous larva  (Diptera)  Meara McIntosh

2025 November 27

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  There were about 40 Winter Moths outside the back door of my Saanich apartment this morning.

2025 November 19

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  Here is a female Winter Moth from my Saanich apartment this morning.

Female Operophtera brumata  (Lep.: Geometridae)
Jeremy Tatum

2025 November 18

   Val George writes:  This Vancouver Looper, Erannis vancouverensis, was on the wall of my Oak Bay house this morning, November 18.

  Jeremy Tatum writes:  This species needs some careful work by professional taxonomists.  It is a very abundant moth here, and is indeed usually called Erannis vancouverensis.  Followers of this site may have noticed that I have often written that I believe it is actually the European species E. defoliaria.  I have been assured many a time that defoliaria and  vancouverensis  are different species.  Perhaps so, but this does not answer the question as to which of the species occurs here in the Victoria area of Vancouver Island.  I see no obvious difference between Val’s moth and defoliaria.  More work is needed.

Erannis defoliaria / vancouverensis  (Lep.: Geometridae)   Val George

2025 November 15

   In the last few days, European Winter Moths Operophtera brumata have become quite numerous locally, varying from being quite clearly patterned to having almost no easily- discernible pattern.  Here is one, photographed by Val George on the wall of the nature house at Swan Lake yesterday (November14), quite well patterned.

      Winter Moth  Operophtera brumata (Lep.: Geometridae) 
Val George