dbmcc09's Favorites

WAHOO! They’re still here! First L. pacificus caught in BC in 86 years, and right near (presumably) a historical site. Looks like this status report for COSEWIC might work out after all, even with the super late wet spring and various logistical hurdles. :-)

I caught three males perching on fallen logs on the side of the trail through the forest, in forest chunks between the clear-cut chunks and pretty far from any open water. Never did see any in the forest matrix itself, and we checked for a while. One of these was perching on the same log as a Eucyrtopogon. Specimens in collection.

You can see the big chunky epandrium, strong medial stripe between the dorsocentral stripes, and unmarked haltere which help ID it to the aldrichii group.

Another L. pacificus I found today. This one was perching on boulders 2 m above a swift creek near the bridge. Interesting variety in habitat! This wasn’t a historical site, just Tristan’s Lasiopogon radar going off.

Two swifts entered the chimney at 2 Maplehurst Dr at 20:22. A third was circling in the sky but I didn’t see whether it entered. This building along with 1 and 5 Maplehurst Dr have been used by swifts in previous years.

LepiLED light trap. Tentative ID but seems like a good match for this one (and none of the other Agonopteryx known from Canada):

http://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu/species.php?hodges=856

Kyle Johnson collected a specimen from Mackinac Co (MI) in a similar habitat on Sept. 18, 2018.

"sand dune ridges/wetland swales with scattered Larix-Pinus-Thuja-Picea-Betula woodland groves."

https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2275095059

[Sept 9, 2021 edit: Kyle Johnson commented:

'sure looks like it to me. Agonopterix lythrella is similar size and pattern (and flies around the same time), but with a distinct dark reddish cast.

Wow, surprising that is new to Canada, given collection efforts on Manitoulin Island and other places. Shows how much we don't know! I've taken it in a few other northern Michigan locations as well, in addition to Mackinac. Co. Should be sought elsewhere in Ontario, esp. near the border with Michigan.

Kyle]