Western Pine Elfin (Callophrys eryphon), spotted by Melanie Boyle in Cortes Bay on May 13, 2021. The Western Pine Elfin (Callophrys eryphon) is a North American butterfly that ranges from British Columbia east to Maine and south to southern California, Arizona, and New Mexico. Males are brown and females are orange-brown, with both having bold patterned hind wings. The top of the wings have dark bars […]
Tag Archives | Cortes Island
Red Admiral
Red Admiral ((Vanessa atalanta), first reported on our butterfly page by Barry Saxifrage, and spotted on Cortes Island near Salmonberry Lane in June 2021. The distinctive black, orange and white red admiral is one of the most commonly seen butterflies, with a range extending from New Zealand to North America. It is a mid-sized butterfly […]
Living History – Old Roses
OLD ROSES – LIVING HISTORY – The Heritage Garden at the Cortes Island Museum Here are the seven Old Roses in the Heritage Garden. Moss Rose Most different varieties of this type of rose were introduced in France and were popular in the 1800s. They bloom once in June and the shrub in the Heritage Garden […]
Twin Islands
Thank you, Jeanette! All of us at the Cortes Island Museum and Archives want to give Jeanette Taylor a standing ovation for Saturday’s (January 30, 2021) wonderful online presentation about Twin Islands history and her newest book, Twin Islands, History and Legacy on the BC Coast. More than 50 people attended the talk and slide […]
“F” Stands for Fossil
The capital “F” in a circle is a symbol only rarely encountered on the Bute Inlet Geology map (National Topographic System reference 92 K). One can be found adorning the southern end of the Twin Islands, which are tucked in close to the southeast coast of Cortes Island. Quite remarkable, really. The literature accompanying the […]
Murray Was Large For His Age – From Gloria Morrisette Family History
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 […]
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 […]
