July 2012 Sightings

observers- Rich Porricelli, Harry Zirlin, Steve Rosenthal
8:30-1:30

harvesters were together on a gravel trail near the meadow picnic area baltimore was near the wet corner of the meadow picnic field.

black dash were newly emerged, at least one mating pair seen and photographed

I did a butterfly photography tour on the north side of Lassen Volcanic National Park.

Aftter heat wave, noticeable absence of Swallowtails and Fritillaries

Also a Persius/Afranius duskywing

The Edwards Hairstreak was on the vista on Wawayanda Mountain.

Seen in what was likely once a wetland, but has only a few small remaining marshes. This is the only individual of the species I saw.

Zebra Swallowtail missing its tails. Very distictive even without tails

noted about 10 per hour at my home in Whitehorse, Yukon for most of the day

Dun Skippers and Common Wood Nymphs just coming out. New emergences of American Ladies, Common Buckeyes, and Red Admirals. Monarchs have been abundant all season as have been Canadian Tigers.

2pm-3:30pm

american snout in same trumpet vine plant for the third consecutive year in the first half of july at this site

ladies were very common, several dozen-
painted outnumbered american by about 3:1

This is only the 2nd Dainty Sulphur ever found in this county of Ohio. The first record was from early May of this year. This butterfly is a very rare migrant to Ohio.

Oppressively hot, breezy, temperature hovering around 100 F. Most butterflies observed on second flush dogbane along Key Wallace Drive and on buttonbush (Cephalanthus) on Decoursey Bridge Rd. Traveling with Tom Stock. In the field 1330-1600 hours.

Searching for King’s hairstreak with Tom Stock. Oppressive heat in the upper 90s, sunny. In the field for 2 hours from 0900-1100 hours. On foot on overgrown wet forest trail along a creek. Abundant grape, spicebush and pawpaw understory. King’s food plant, common sweetleaf, scattered throughout. No nectar sources to speak of.

Weekly count with Alan Wells
Mulberry Wing new for site
Dramatic decline of Little Wood Satyrs from last week’s 71

Met up with Tom Stock to survey for Edwards’ hairstreak. He found three before I arrived at 1000 hours; I observed 5 in small fields with emergent scrub oak. Hazy, mostly sunny, temperature around 90 F. In the field 1000-1130 hours. Nectar sources included red clover and yellow Baptisia.

With temperatures in the mid 90’s, the Regal Fritillaries spent much time in the shade at the base of small shrubs. Time spent nectaring was greatly reduced. Observations made between 10 a.m & 2 p.m.

Finally Bronze Coppers, but only at 10 a.m.; finally two species of Swallowtails; but Delaware’s official state butterfly, the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, notably absent; butterfly activity diminishes during hot midday; one ‘white form’ Sulphur; Silver-spotted Skippers all very fresh

One Sleepy Orange seen; 3 observed July 6 at same location

First record of this species in Wisconsin!

photo of continuing snout , taken ca 6pm, facing west into the sun

And finally a Baltimore Checkerspot…a lone female who was worn. The second brood of the Giant Swallowtail is out and about.

Ray Bruun and I returned to this reliable spot for Great Copper. The locale is just past the turn into the N.E.E.D. Camp, along Paige Bar Road.
We also saw a group of first-of-season Woodland Skippers.

Observed in my yard by three observers. Photographed multiple times

Seen along road through tropical hardwood hammock.

We saw 4 Dainty Sulfurs.

This Ocola Skipper was found in the Herb Garden at Quail Hollow State Park, Hartville Ohio. It was the only one of it’s species that I saw. It was with Fiery and Pecks Skippers.

Butterflies observed from 4–6:30 p.m. in mostly overcast conditions, 75–80 degrees. Swallowtails back; Fritillaries & Crescents absent

Red-banded Hairstreak viewed at better angle than picture so bands were clearly seen

1 Red-banded Hairstreak perched vertically alongside moths, including Great Leopard moth, at 7 a.m.

No Bronze Coppers this time; my first Cloudless Sulphur of the year

The Little Yellow butterflies where easily found as we entered the trail from the parking lot. There were about 10 of them close to the parking lot. We saw other Little Yellows scattered around the park.

Generally overcast, mid-afternoon in residential community

My back yard.

A Portion of the Holden Arboretum NABA 4th of July Butterfly Count.

The Early Hairstreak is a county record and only the 4th or 5th time it has ever been reported in Ohio. It also proves there is a 2nd brood here in Northern Ohio. Sam Eiben found it and took the photos.

Long-tailed Skipper is an uncommon stray that appears every few years in Tennessee. One individual seen nectaring on Gomphrena ‘Fireworks’.

As part of the NABA-Audubon Butterfly Count for the newly-created Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve count circle, I surveyed this area for 1½ hours. This was the fourth and final area of the day and a real treat! I entered the park adjacent to the old barn and parked at the back, near the Delaware-Lackawanna Canal. I followed the canal tow path south until I encountered a field full of Daisy fleabane, the dominant nectar source ( 40°30’13.02”N, 75° 4’18.13”W). Several other nectar sources were observed - Milkweed & Dogbane were not in bloom, but Queen Anne’s Lace, the tall White Clover, Bull Thistle were all blooming.

Newark—Bear area portion of annual NABA / Delaware Nature Society’s New Castle County annual Butterfly count… With James White; Amy Wendt White; Sally O’Byrne… Overcast first half of day

A portion of the Quail Hollow NABA 4th of July butterfly count as seen by a group of 6. Park has lots of Partridge Pea and the Little Yellows were unbelievable!

A late afternoon mob of Variegated Fritillaries (Euptoieta claudia) nectaring on MIlkweed (Asclepias syriaca). 18:45 EDT. I saw even more individuals at the same site about an hour earlier. Although some flew off, the fritillaries generally allowed a close approach. Several Pearl Crescents were also in the immediate neighborhood.

The timing of this outing was nearly perfect. There were still a few good seeps creating mud-puddling opportunities along the road. The wildflowers are now at their peak. Nice warm day and lots of butterflies.
Mt. Ashland is located nine miles west of the Siskiyou Summit of Interstate 5, just north of the California\Oregon border.

My sighting record of Sierra Blue is listed under Arctic Blue. Also the commonly seen Anna’s Blue is listed as Northern Blue in the species list.

Butterfly perched on wall of PNC bank branch on an overcast morning, 10 A.M.

Seen well in flight.

Lifer Bell’s Roadside-skipper seen for the briefest of moments flew off before I could get the camera up to take a shot.

Warm and partly cloudy; most butterflies were seen along the road to and in the Bayview butterfly garden. Spent about 2 hours in the field from 1400-1600 hours. Dense concentrations of butterflies, especially zebra swallowtails, on the white clover near the small pond just before you reach the garden.

The Giant Swallowtails have a great affection for Bee Balm as they were feeding in groups on this flower. A silver-spotted Skipper fell victim to an Ambush Bug on a Bee Balm.

with Jane Lampkin
Our target species, Pipevine Swallowtail, usually dependable, was nowhere to be seen as egg, larva or adult

Found my third Appalachian Brown of the year in more or less the same location on the Opelofa trail just before the Loop trail.

Spicebush Swallowtail looks like a male butterfly

Weekly survey with Alan Wells
Little nectar + contracted weather system = low numbers

I have only ever seen the Long-tailed Skipper in FL. Somewhat surprised to see it in PA. This one seems to have lost its tail.

First Giant Swallowtail at this location for 2012 - and the first Red-Spotted Purple ever observed at this location - found feeding on a Butterfly Bush.

Also one Black Swallowtail caterpillar.

Nectar sources were limited to Red Clover along roadsides and some dogbane, goldenrod, and swamp milkweed.

8 mature Pipevine Swallowtails caterpillars on Pipevine

I was looking for recently-reported Sleepy orange butterflies, but did not find them. I did see a Cloudless sulfur, however. It was flying back and forth across the parking area for about 2 hours. The butterfly field has perked up with recent rains after a couple of weeks of drought. Butterfly numbers were down for this time of year, but there was decent diversity of species in my 2 hours there.

I discovered a colony of Checkered Whites on 7-25-2012 along Pointers-Auburn Rd. In the days following they have been observed in at least 6 more spots in that area. They are using Virginia Peppergrass as their host.

WIth Jane Lampkin
Phragmites + Purple Loosestrife = Broad-winged Skippers
…and not much else.

All (8) Tiger Swallowtails feeding on Butterfly Bush - most seen ever at this location.

Saw dozens of Cloudless Sulphurs while driving down I-95, southern Virginia, the Carolinas, and Georgia

Female Julia Heliconian flying wildly above diners eating in outdoor cafe area; periodic nectaring in flowers in median of pedestrian mall — about 3 p.m.

Saw a giant swallowtail in my yard on the echinacea. It stayed around for about 20 minutes, then returned about an hour later.

Very fesh one sitting on picnic table.

This locale is part of the Lassen NABA count circle and contains one of the largest mountain fen habitats in California. There is a reliable and robust colony of Great Spangled Fritillary in the main meadow. I also documented and counted butterflies in the Warner Valley, leading up to Drakesbad.

Perhaps other large Sulphur species were flying in addition to the Cloudless and Large Orange Sulphurs, but these two were the ones that landed, allowing for positive I.D.’s

Yesterday, 7/30, under mostly sunny sky and temperature around 80F Steve Chorvas and I covered several sites in extreme Northern Ulster county, all within NABA count circle and recorded the species listed bellow. Giant Swallowtails were observed at every stop.

Unusual amount of Fiery Skippers on Trefoil, both male and female. Also 5 male Sachems and one female. Almost all Fiery Skippers and Sachems were in pristine condition.

With Charles Mayhood
This is a dependable site for Little Yellows this time of year. Most were fresh like the one in the photo.

The Baltimore Checkerspot was a fresh female.

We are having nature camp this week. One of our sharp-eyed youngsters spotted this Red-banded Hairstreak in the Mariton fields.

It was a new experience for me to see so many Monarchs and Queens interacting with Julia Heliconians & Gulf Fritillaries. What a display of orange & brown!
My first-ever Atalas and a Mangrove Skipper! Possibly other large Sulphurs I could not I.D. to species in flight.