November 2014 Sightings

Wind has was a lot calmer today, temps rebounded from upper 30s to mid. 60s in the afternoon. Same crew was sighted again today, but it was larger than in the past few days.

Spotted on the ‘Rail Line Leps’ guided field trip as part of the 19th Annual Texas Butterfly Festival.

Way Out West field trip for the Texas Butterfly Festival. R Ahrens, E Barry, D Dodd, V Dodd, B Driscoll, W Miller, M Sandell, C Sandell, S Vaughn, L Rivera, B Cooper, L Cooper. Weather: 85°, very windy. We recorded 68 species on the festival field trip. This also included 4 Nov when B & L Cooper returned to the same sites plus Roma World Birding Center and Rio Grande City RR tracks with S Moore, B Volke, T Gagnon, and others. Pearly-gray Hairstreak was our #200 LRGV butterfly. Three species added this day. Weather was the same except stronger winds and slightly cooler temps as a front approached with lots of clouds.

81 degrees, overcast and light rain just starting near end of visit

65F

Both dorsal and ventral views of the Telea Hairstreak spotted nectaring on Chomonque shrub in Falcon Heights on the Way Out West field trip for the Texas Butterfly Festival.

Much warmer today, but the wind picked up; when it switched to East. Most of todays sightings were on the wing, only a few in the lawn flowers.

Flying north.

Brief, early morning visit only (8am-10am)

In the upper 40s this AM,wind was almost calm, sun was out early, and it had warmed to upper 60s when a clouds from an approaching cold front covered the area. Larger butterflies were on the wing again to day.

Warm today started in the low 60s to low 80s this afternoon. most of the day was sunny; clouded over this afternoon and shutdown
most of the activity. Mostly Monarch were still flying with the cloud cover. Toured the usual close spots.

The front that was going to be a rain event broke apart before it reached here; mostly cloudy, temps started in the 60s AM to near 80 PM; and no rain. The numbers of Skipper has dropped considerably; Ocola that were everywhere and very common are now limited to mostly to Spanish Needles.

Week of Nov 1 through Nov 7 but list ends on Nov 5 due to heavy rains on the 6th & 7th. Weather: mostly sunny and warm and strong winds. Nov 1 - Community Day was Open House at NBC. Nov 2 was field trip in the gardens for beginners. Nov 5 was Estero Llano Grande SP. B Cooper, L Cooper

Sunny and cooler, started today in the low 50s and stayed that way most of the day and with the wind it felt even colder. The temp. only got up to about 60. All but one Monarch was on the wing, today, but Gulf Fritillary and Fiery Skippers stopped to nectar on the lawn flowers.

Cabbage White at Gate 41 Quabbin Reservation, cloudy, 45 degrees, windy

These are sightings for Nov 8-11. Cold weather shut down butterflies for a few days beginning Nov 12. Common Bluevent, found by Frank Model, was photographed by many for several days at Estero.

Breezy and 81 degrees

70F

12:40 to 15:30, walked about 1.25 miles in.

Not much change in temps today mid to upper 50s, and over cast. Cloud cover broke late afternoon to late for any warming.

Just spotted a Giant Swallowtail in my backyard here in Santa Barbara near the Mission. It was very fresh looking and actively nectaring on lantana. I have a very blurry photo, but it is identifiable in the photo. A first for my yard!

Butterfly in photo looks like a white form Clouded Sulphur with red-bordered double hind wing spot

Weather: 62°-76°; started at Boca Chica Rd/Rd 4 then on to Resaca in the mid afternoon. Xami is nectaring on Sea Lavender. Buck and Linda Cooper

The E. Tiger Swallowtail is by far the latest sighting I have had in LA. The Texan Crescent was of the Seminole subspecies. The Southern Skipperling sightings may be a Parish record.

11:40 to 14:40

Bright and sunny temps AM upper 40s and warmed into the low 70s. Much better turn out today.

Despite sub-freezing nights, and not having seen a single butterfly in a number of days… saw three Sulphurs flying over Noon hour… temperature at 59 degrees.

Lone Monarch was struggling across the lower harbor / upper Raritan Bay to try and reach N.J. on contrary winds. Sulphurs seen all appeared in good condition, one of them an “albino” form. The weather was sunny, yet still a bit cool.

Todays start was clear and chilly, mid 40s.The clear skies allowed
it to warm into the low 70s.I went looking for butterflies today.

Upper 40s and mostly cloudy, warm quickly lower 70s. Cloud cover kept the numbers down.

sunny, low 60s. First butterflies in several tries since Election Day, and likely Last of season, with the arctic “bomb cyclone” air due tomorrow.

sparse butterflies on equally sparse lingering blooms in formal garden area within large urban park.

Started the day in lower 60s with a cloud cover that lasted all day. The temps stayed about the same, wind was light and from the NW. Most of the days butterflies were on the wing. They know a change is coming.

63 F

This is the 1st day that the temps have gotten warm enough in the past couple of days, and the winds have calmed. These factors allowed the butterflies to shake off the cold and take to the air. They have moved from the lawn to the hedge.

Apparently the second Arizona record since 2001 - the first being a few days ago in Jim Brock’s Tucson yard (fide R. Bailowitz). Jim’s was a female, mine a male. Found at 11:30 a.m. among Queens and a variety of pierids, ladies, and blues. Abundant nectar present (trees, vines, shrubs).

After a couple of days in the 40’s the butterflies have rebounded nicely.

60s start but warmed to the low 70s and mostly cloudy. The butterflies are finding a hedge plant; I think is called Silverthorns or Thorny Olive; Elaeagnus pungens: irresistible.

68°-77°, cloudy to light rain to sun in mid-afternoon. Laurel & Dusty Rhodes, Linda and Buck Cooper

Week of Nov 14-20.

It warmed into low 60s from the mid 30s AM. The warmth brought out the hungry butterflies, after 3 freezing and near freezing nights. This area of the NWR has a thick ever green broadleaf canopy with pines mixed in and provides shelter for both the butterflies and for the remaining wild flowers .

With Jane Lampkin
70 degrees, cloudy, windy

Cloudy to partly cloudy 72-79 degrees and very windy. L Rhodes, D Rhodes, B Cooper, L Cooper. 11 am - 4 pm

upper 40s this morning, warmed into the upper 60s with full sun. winds were building from the south ahead of another front, this one is not a polar front. Like the past week the action is on the hedges.

With Jane Lampkin & Karen Finch
73 degrees, cloudy & windy

Clear and mid 50s AM, warned to upper 60s and cloudy PM. The usuals had to operate in 20 t0 25 mph winds off the gulf today, which meant they were the strongest fliers

59F

The day started in the lower 60s with thick sea fog. About 11am the fog burned off and the Monarchs took to the sky. Nothing new in the mix for today. The day ended with the temps having made it into the mid 70s and clouds moving back in.

Cloudy , windy, and temps in the 50s all day. Did not expect to see anything, but I was surprised .

Went looking for Whites today, temps started in the low 40s and was not expected to get any warmer than upper 50s, no problem finding host plants. There were no Whites, but good numbers of our fall visitors. Ft Morgan was holding dozens of Monarchs, and in the late afternoon the were soring among the tree tops looking for places to roost.

The day started off in the mid 30s but it did make into low 60s by mid day. Spanish Needles are still in bloom in this area, which allowed for a Thanksgiving turn out; both the families the Hesperiodea and Papillionoidea each had members present for the feast.

Cold start again temps in mid 30s, but did not make it out of the mid 50s which was enough to warm some of our visitors to take to the air.

Week of Nov 22-29. Weather ranged from cloudy with drizzling rain to sunny and clear.

Bed time it was already in the upper 30s,at 4am it was in the low 50s and by 2pm it wa in the mid 70s,and clear SE winds between 10 & 15 mph. Early Camellias were getting the attention today.

Just a quick visit to see these two butterflies found by S Hengeveld, J Hengeveld, J Kelly, P Kelly. Mexican Silverspot was laying eggs on passiflora species. Buck and Linda Cooper

Warm over night upper 50s to upper 70s in the afternoon with clear skies.The warmth of the past couple of days may have triggered movement in some of the migrants that have been around for a while?

Two-barred Flasher in front garden.
three caterpillars on Milkweed.

Mexican Silverspot today in middle garden.