August 2014 Sightings

The Sheep Moths were flying all over the hillside and seemed to keep disturbing the Colorado Hairstreaks as they were very active in the places where the Sheep Moths were flying, but relatively stationary in places without the moths.

West of Lake Harriet

Had a little excitement when a female moose and her calf crossed the trail 30 ft ahead of me. There were some tense moments but they eventually move off.

Only about a half hour’s observation during sporadic drizzle.

Observations made between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Heavy rain and thunderstorms from 12 to 1:15 p.m.

Finally saw a Monarch today sniffing around my milkweed. I think it was male since it didn’t seem to be interested in egg-laying.

Butterflies in backyard gardens and along side of the house

Redroot and Vanilla Plant rife, but little activity in most patches.

Bronze Copper was in same location as when found 3 years ago. Phaon Crescents were freshly emerged, first of season.

Monarchs are becoming frequent in our area. Found one chrysalis.

Worked a different area before storms arrived. More areas to work. Very diverse basin; More than 7,000 acres of public lands.

overcast drizzly day but more butterfly activity than expected

10:40AM to 12:40 PM

I actually saw a Monarch fly through my backyard gardens both Aug 3&4 2014. Very excited to see it return!

This is the first time I’ve seen an American Snout here this year.

Weekly survey. With Tom Winner
Sunny 72-78

first Monarch seen on my butterfly bush. Welcome back!

Tigridia pavonia (a summer bulb) seems popular with the butterflies, including this tiger swallowtail. They also visit the many A. syriaca that we allow to come up everywhere. We also have tropical milkweed which we grew for places where invasive natives would be a problem. Monarchs have been using both of the milkweeds.

Mostly sunny, High 80’s.

This European Peacock flew into my garden on 8/3. It roosted under my deck’s overhead structure last night and actively nectared this morning. The butterfly’s condition strongly suggests that it did not fly here on it’s own. Possibly transported or an escapee from a commercial butterfly house.

A Monarch gracefully enjoying the outdoors especially aound an Asclepias tuberosa

Maymont is a 100-acre foundation-operated estate with extensive butterfly gardens.

Very slow due to hot dry weather. 8:15-12:30

Sun - 72-80
Giant Swallowtail is rare in Rockland County

Fresh roadkill. Uncommon sighting.

With Jane Lampkin
(part of a larger informal outing)

One tiger swallowtail flew past, but as both the Canadian and Western fly in the area I couldn’t identify it correctly.

Atlantis Fritillary was the unsilvered “Hesperis” form as I’ve also found the silvered “Atlantis” form flying in the same area in the past.

We were lucky enough to notice the caterpillar a day before he pupated. I was so excited the chrysalis was in a place where I could watch and take pictures.

I am posting today to share a photo of an unusual hairstreak. There were many Juniper, Red-banded and Gray hairstreaks feeding on mountainmint… this particular individual seemed to have no color at all. It was not worn, in my opinion, but appeared to be naturally pale and colorless. I’d be interested in anyone’s thoughts on it. Incidentally, I saw no Sleepy Orange here.

Weekly survey with Alan Wells
Sunny 68-76
Pearl Crescents showed overlapping broods

Started around 2pm

Discovered two monarch caterpillars this a.m.! They were on the same plant as well. What a joy!

Backyard garden on Buddelia

on phlox paniculata. Have huge stands of common milkweed, never saw one on the milkweed

Observed in butterfly garden.

This is the sixth time I have seen a Giant Swallowtail in my yard since 2005.

Everybody is here! Lots of action, nectaring and egg laying! Paradise!

I took a couple of hours on my vacation to tour the Ford Estate grounds and look for butterflies. It was a beautiful day in the low 80’s with an intermittent breeze and lots of sun. The butterflies were mainly concentrated around a couple of butterfly-friendly gardens behind the house and near the side porch opposite the house. The diversity was low, due to few larval food plants, but the nectar sources were good.

Had to share this

Several Peck’s Skippers mobbed my coneflowers, while Cabbage Whites and a White Admiral flew by.

Have 3 Monarchs flying around the garden for the last week plus. All three are males and they’re very lonely! They contantly chase each other around, thinking just maybe this time it’s a female. If one doesn’t show up soon, they may perish without being able to mate.

Tiger Swallowtail on crape myrtle, Gray Hairstreak on blanket flower

Unfortunately no camera handy for the Monarch’s visit which was the only sighting in the garden so far this year.

first I have seen in NY this year.

With Jane Lampkin and Marina Soucie
78 Sunny

2:00 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.
mostly sunny low 80’s

Eastern Tigers both females, one dark form

Note faint spot on dorsal forewing of E. Comma making it look almost like a Question Mark, dorsal and ventral views of same specimen.

Arriving here before dusk for a night of mothing, several butterflies were still flying after 7:40 p.m.

(By the way, a good number of Silk moths, Sphinx moths, and Underwings, but the best moth for the night was the German Cousin!)

Includes 1 Hummingbird Clearwing

White Admiral was a first for me here, although I have seen photos of it taken here by others. Giant Swallowtail I believe is first record for this locality, but it was just a matter of time, as they have been recorded in recent years to both the north and south of here. Individual was very fresh.

Sheep Hill, Hopkins Memorial Forest, and yards
With Jane Lampkin, Marina Soucie and Pam Weatherby
78 -82
Other species were not counted but it was a four-fritillary day.

Only the 2nd giant swallowtail we’ve every seen in our backyard.

The photo was taken by a friend visiting the area. She did not know what the butterfly was but said it was BIG and wondered if I could ID it for her.

I had some time free at the end of my vacation week and decided to go up to Horseshoe bend to check out various areas. Several meadows had been freshly mowed and that decreased the area to be covered. There was a 10-15 mph breeze most of the time and it was in the low 80’s, but there were a fair number of butterflies out and about. I spent 2½ hours in various fields shooting pictures and counting butterflies.

Periodic survey with Matt Ceplo, Groundskeeper
Sunny 78-82

First Monarch sighting of 2014! Also a dark morph and 2 yellow E. TST.

The rows of flowers, particularly the zinnias, in the farm fields are productive butterfly places. I was stunned to see a giant swallowtail among them.

70F

Medium Dark Eastern Tiger Swallowtail found on a large Canadian Thistle bush.

Today I came across two of the highly migratory butterflies that pass through this area. Both are also are native to this region; but
have not been seen since late winter; plus I sighted the 1st Monarch of the season yesterday.

My first Hummingbird Clearwing sighting. They love my butterfly bush!

Sighted between 2-2:30 PM.

Buckingham County portion only: Route 640 and Walker, Slate River, and Glover Forest Roads. Mix of clouds and sun, threat of rain at times, high in the lower 80s.

Most of the butterflies were seen in the butterfly garden.
There were 8 Zabulon females.

Weekly survey with Alan Wells
60-68 Sun and clouds

First Giant Swallowtail seen at this location for 2014.

First Gray Hairstreak sighting in the backyard butterfly garden!

I consider any hairstreak a good find.

Observed in backyard butterfly garden.

Observed in backyard butterfly garden.

The Variegated Fritillary loved my marigolds!

Giant Swallowtail seen in back yard on August 12, 2014. This is the first that I have seen in Westchester.

What an unbelievable sighting! First Giant Swallowtail I’ve ever seen. Flying disoriented and landed 10 feet in front of me around 4:30pm. Exciting find!

Observed in backyard butterfly garden.

One-and-a-quarter hour walk, 11 a.m.—12:15 p.m.

My first Painted Ladies of the year!

Raised from an egg found in the butterfly garden and released 8/16/14.

Superb weather for chasing butterflies today! Only a few of the Zebra Swallowtails were fresh. Primary nectar sources in the butterfly garden were NY Ironweed & Joe pye weed.

Observations made late in the afternoon from vehicle. No hiking permitted at this location.

It was a skipper morning,in the drainage ditchs of Gulf Shores Al..

My second ever observation of this species where I live, both this year.

Overcast, 60’s and rain threatening all day

All were seen above 9400ft

Unknown Sulphers and Frits

Extensive mowing of trails and fields has negatively impacted butterfly numbers.
Also; 1 Black Swallowtail larva on Queen-Anne’s-Lace and 1 Silver-spotted Skipper larva on Black Locust.

Giant Swallowtail very fresh/intact. Two tigers were dark phase.

The street is dirt,on this section of the Juniper.

Yet another Desert Checkered-Skipper in our yard, nectaring on Frogfruit.

Observed in backyard butterfly garden.

Periodic Survey with Groundskeeper Matt Ceplo and Jane Lampkin
68-75

4 Giant Swallowtail Caterpillars: Last year we planted multiple host plants, including 3 small prickly ash trees and a hoptree, host plants for the Giant Swallowtail. I’ve occasionally seen a Giant Swallowtail fly through our yard. Today I found 4 Giant Swallowtail caterpillars on 1 of the prickly ash trees. A good day!

A Red Admiral finally stopped by, but took off before I could get the camera. I did manage to get a good pic of a Clouded Sulphur that came by later.

Strong southeasterly winds for several days.

reported by my friend Ernie DeMarie at his home on his Lantana shrub. His yard is filled with butterflies, bees, and other insects.

Nectaring

This has been a very active day; with a lot of variety. The 1st sighting of the day was a Funereal Duskywing , Erynnis fureralis, at sunrise.

Photographed on a buddlea in my wife’s garden.

edge of woods

Observed in backyard butterfly garden.

I photographed this Ocola Skipper yesterday. My friend and mentor Bob Yukich of Toronto, tells me it is a terrific record.

Giant Swallowtail most common Swallowtail, as it has been at this location for a month now. All are worn (see photo).
Common Ringlets fresh.

Monarch feeding on a butterfly bush

Photographed on buddlea in my wife’s garden this morning.

17 Silver-spotted Skipper caterpillars in various stages counted today on Black Locust and Hog Peanut.
Butterflies mostly nectaring on Buddleia and Monarda.

She’s laying eggs on my milkweed!

nectaring on an orange zinnia on our back deck.

Hot dry sunny day 85-90F

The tiger was a female black phase.

Was feeding at pink clover flowers on pesticide free front lawn of suburban house near county open spaces. Sunny day.

Black Swallowtail newly emerged (home raised)

Butterflies were on the buddlea or asclepsis in my wife’s garden.

South side of the James River between Boulevard Bridge and Lee Bridge. Broad-winged Skippers are unusual this far upriver.

Incidental to regular botanical survey work.

Rare sighting in the Adirondacks for this species. Saw in my garden for 3 days straight!

Just saw 2 mating Monarchs

Lots of butterflies and a Hummingbird Clearwing this morning on the Buddleia

Observed in butterfly garden.

This is the first year I grew milkweed and this is the very first monarch I’ve ever seen in our neighborhood. It stayed for over an hour, so I’m hoping for some eggs!

Walked only to a fresh water pool — about 1/4 mile

From sunrise,until 8am I only had one sigthing;but at 8am everything came out of the wood work.

Observed in butterfly garden.

Lots of butterflies this afternoon on the Buddleia

Corridor through Marion and Reedy Creek preserves. Some of it recently mowed, which affected results.

77-81F

Female monarch laying eggs

Hot and very dry.