Time from another trip report. It’s been a busy year! Up to 617 species in BC already, and there’s plenty of time left in the year.

Originally I’d booked a hotel in Princeton for the Aug 17-18 weekend but canceled it when the weather reports predicted heavy rainstorms. Of course, the day before I would have left, the weekend was then supposed to be sunny – but by that point there were no hotel rooms left in Princeton to re-book. Doh. So I settled on an impromptu trip to Merritt instead.

I like Merritt. I’ve set up traps there a couple of times and know some good locations. It’s handy not having to waste time hunting around for places to set up the sheets/nets – especially when you’re racing against the light, driving up from Vancouver late on a Friday. The last thing you want to be doing is blundering around in the dark.

The first night I set up sheets and nets; the second night I was suitably shagged out and just set up nets.

Grand total for the weekend was 378 observations, 122 species and 12 lifers. Considering the weather did end up a little patchy, it was a decent haul.

Highlights

Probably the big highlight was on the first night: the geometer moth Eurhinosea flavaria, which is vulnerable in BC and never before reported on iNat for the province. Unique-looking moth. When the first one arrived at the sheets (I saw 3 that night) it reminded me of a dull, faded Xanthotype in how it held its wings – but hardly something you’d mistake for one.

I also saw a slew of other gems. Here are a small sampling:

I was thrilled to finally see Abagrotis vittifrons, the Pale-edged dart. Very cool-looking moth. A pair of Macaria colata (not shown) caught me off guard – I mistook them for Macaria signaria and hadn’t paid them much attention at the time. I took a long time hunting around on bugguide for an ID of the Epinotia solandriana – shown above. I think it’s right, but take it with a pinch of salt. Seems like they come in dark and light modes.

I took the leap on one of my Aristotelia sightings and put it down as an Aristotelia roseosuffusella (Pink-washed Aristotelia) based on some comments on bugguide about a very similar specimen. But those guys are tough.

Saw bucketloads of Euxoa too… the bulk of which I didn’t try to pin down to species. Must find the time to work on those guys.

Lifer moths:

Eurhinosea flavaria
Anacampsis niveopulvella
Macaria colata
Sparganothis senecionana
Agrotis vetusta
Epinotia medioplagata
Epinotia solandriana
Xestia finatimis (alleged)
Abagrotis vittifrons (Pale-edged dart)
Argyresthia oreasella

Lifer butterflies:

Parnassius smintheus (Rocky Mountain Parnassian)
Polites themistocles