Gloria Morrisette née Clemantine Godkin (1908–2013) emigrated to Canada from Tacoma with her parents and siblings in 1915. They settled on Hornby Island and later moved to Shusharte, a small settlement at the northern tip of Vancouver Island. There, she met her husband, a fisheries patrol officer. They married in 1928 and their first home was […]
Tag Archives | Cortes Island
Western Branded Skipper
Western branded skipper (Hesperia colorado oregonia), July 30, 2020, Gary Fast Western Branded Skipper Western branded skipper (Hesperia colorado oregonia), spotted by Gary Fast, July 30, 2020, Whaletown, B.C. From Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: This skipper is similar to Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma) and generally looks like a larger (wingspan: 25 to 32 mm), paler, washed-out version of […]
Woodland Skipper
Woodland Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanoides), Shannon Hogan, August 3, 2018 Woodland skipper, Ochlodes sylvanoides, is the most common skipper in B.C. Spotted by Melanie Boyle, Cortes Bay, July 29, 2020, enjoying the lavender. They were small and quick! Spotted by Shannon Hogan, near Manson’s Hall (“downtown” Mansons Landing, at the corner of Sutil Point Road and Beasley […]
Grey Hairstreak
Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), photo Ayane Inuzuka-Boyle The gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus) is one of the most common hairstreaks in North America, ranging over nearly the entire continent. It occurs also throughout Central America and in northern South America. Spotted by Ayane Inuzuka-Boyle on July 4, 2020, 3 p.m., Tan Road, Cortes Island Read more: Wikipedia Butterflies and Moths of North […]
Silver-spotted Skipper
The silver-spotted skipper, Epargyreus clarus (Cramer), characterized by a large white spot on the underside of each hind wing, is one of our largest, most widespread and most recognizable skippers. The silver-spotted skipper is found throughout most of the United States and into southern Canada, but has not been seen for a long time on Cortes Island. […]
Anna’s Blue
Anna’s blue (Plebejus anna), spotted by Ayane Inuzuka-Boyle, 11:30 a.m., May 13, 2020, on Tan Rd. Description: Small butterfly with light blue wings (top view). White with black dots from side view. This small, beautiful butterfly’s status is concerned You can read more on these sites: Butterflies and Moths
Pine White
Neophasia menapia, the pine white, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae. It is found in the western United States and in southern British Columbia, Canada. It is mostly white with black veins and wing bars. The species is similar to Neophasia terlooii but their ranges only overlap in New Mexico. This beautiful butterfly was […]
Western Tiger Swallowtail
Western Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio rutulus), photo Christian Gronau Papilio rutulus, the Western Tiger Swallowtail, is a swallowtail butterfly belonging to the Papilionidae family. It is a member of the genus Papilio, of which Papilio appalachiensis and Papilio xuthus are also members. This Western Tiger Swallowtail was spotted by Christian Gronau, July 2, 2018, in the Southpoint area on Cortes Island, a damaged individual, nectaring on Rose Campion (Lychnis coronaria). […]
Lorquin’s Admiral
Lorquin’s Admiral (Limenitis lorquini) – This butterfly is slightly smaller (wingspan: 47 to 71 mm) than the other admirals, it is still a striking butterfly. It can easily be recognized by the orange tips of the forewing upperside. There is a white band across both wings, above and below. Females are considerably larger than males. Spotted […]
Cabbage White
Cabbage white (Pieris rapae) feeding on white flox, photo Christian Gronau, July 4, 2020, Hollyhock Garden Pieris rapae is a small- to medium-sized butterfly species of the whites-and-yellows family Pieridae. It is known in Europe as the small white, in North America as the cabbage white or cabbage butterfly. Cabbage white (Pieris rapae) feeding on white flox, photo Christian Gronau, July 4, 2020, Hollyhock Garden […]
Western Elfin
Callophrys augustinus, the brown elfin, is butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found from Newfoundland north and west through the northern United States and the prairie provinces to Alaska. To the south, it ranges in Appalachian Mountains to northern Georgia and northern Alabama, further south through the western mountains to northern Baja California in Mexico. Subspecies iroides is known as the western elfin. <from Wikipedia> Western Brown Elfin from Wiley lake […]
Painted Lady
The Painted Lady is one of the most familiar butterflies in the world, found on nearly all continents and climates. They are a favourite subject of study in elementary school classrooms and are a familiar visitor to most landscape gardens. As common as they are, though, painted ladies have some interesting attributes, as these 10 […]
