Every year up until this, my purple-blooming oregano and marjoram plants have been engulfed with small orange moths. They were very eye-catching as they swarmed around the flowers. I see a few bees on the plants this year but no moths. I thought the common name was Copper Penny Moths but I can't find anything on-line about them. I have also had numerous 'Swallowtail' butterflies in my garden in past years but have not seen one this year. Where have they gone? It is so upsetting and I suspect far more widespread than just in my little area.
Perhaps it's part of the general decline of insect populations that has been noted for the past several years. I've noticed several beneficial declines: Spotted Wing Drosophila fruit flies - significantly fewer during the last 3 years; stink bugs - practically disappeared this year; Apple Maggots - haven't noticed any damage on my apples so far this year.
I have noticed a subjective dramatic increase in pollinators visiting my yard this year including these moths which i have yet to identify. I have been building up the yard and things are getting established so there is more forrage.
I saw a couple of swallowtail “flutter by’” some small white moths around our exterior lamps lots of hummingbirds (not sure if rufous or Anna’s ) towhee bird population seems active swainsons thrush have left to fly south (approx arrive May 20 and depart July 20) i always forget the purple “weed” flower that is tall and bees and hummers love it — begins with L … ah yes - this https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linaria_purpurea do you all think it’s colder august than usual ? Old BC know the rain starts when PNE starts :)
For the last five years, seems normal. Today's high is supposed to be 22C degrees. That's right in the middle of what's shown for the last five years: Almanac Averages and Extremes for August 21 - Climate - Environment and Climate Change Canada (weather.gc.ca) Those stats put the lie to our thoughts about the rainy PNE days, at least on August 21, except for 2020.
All well and good. Since I raised a concern in my (very rural) garden a few days ago, I am disappointed that none of the replies since have really addressed the dramatic decline of moths and butterflies over a very large area. Not to mention the implications. @vitog acknowledges that there is a decline of insect populations but suggests that problematic insects have also declined. @ramkitty has noticed a subjective dramatic increase in pollinators visiting [their] yard this year which they credit building up the yard and things getting established so there is more forage. @Georgia Strait has seen some moths and butterflies. I suspect the sudden disappearance of formerly abundant moths and butterflies in a fairly out-of-the-way area like mine is another manifestation of a changing climate. It’s obvious that Western Red Cedars are dying at an alarming rate. What is not so obvious is the inter-connectedness of other plants and organisms contending with a minimal amount of moisture in the soil. Whether or not current stats ‘conform to those of rainy PNE days’ signifies NOTHING. Based on what I see happening in the natural world around me, I am very worried about what the future may hold.
It looks like you're right. Bellingham broke the record today for the lowest max temperature, at 60F degrees. Normal max temperature for Aug 21 is 73 degrees. This is from Facebook. The previous low max record of 61 degrees was in 1973. I'm just mentioning Bellingham because they (Whatcom County) have such a great newsy weather page on Facebook and it just came up in my feed. It's not a regular weather report though, the way the weather.gr.ca page is. The Vancouver high today was 16.8C/62F degrees. There is a rainfall warning in effect for tonight (Aug 23) and tomorrow.
I realize this is diverting from moth topic to weather cold august here is news LINK BELOW re: Apex which is west and above of Penticton and above Hedley BC in a sense it is good for moisture and wildfire potential https://www.castanet.net/news/Penti...-top-of-Apex-Mountain-Resort-Saturday-morning
Augtober never thought of this in our Okanagan Lake too cold for Ironman Penticton triathlon https://www.castanet.net/news/Penti...s-swim-portion-shortly-before-Penticton-event Not as tho I’d be in the event tho I realize it’s important for others - I know someone who did it to celebrate a situation they’d survived
