November 2015 Sightings

With Jane Lampkin & Robert Epstein
Hi 80’s. 10:30-12:30
Pic shows reflection of flower, Carphephorus corymbosus on the white underbelly of Fiery Skipper.

Even with the all day soaking rain a couple of butterflies still were sighted.

These are the results of the Texas Butterfly Festival field trip to Weslaco.
Highlights included Giant White, Silver-banded and Lantana Hairstreaks, Red-bordered Metalmark, White Peacock, Mexican Bluewing, Soldier, Guava Skipper, Two-barred Flasher, Falcate Skipper, Mournful Duskywing, Common Mellana, and Brazilian Skipper. (Also a probable female Orange-barred Sulphur flew around at Valley but never landed (as is their won’t).

Mike Rickard, leading a walk for the Texas Butterfly Festival, found an exciting and very different butterfly at Hugh Ramsey Park at around 5pm on the afternoon of November 1, 2015. Analysis of photos confirmed this to be the first US record of Michaelus ira (Shadowed Hairstreak).

I was on a field trip and the group was in the “back 70” at NBC after lunch. An offer was made to take those of us who wanted to the Visitor’s Center. I walked the Hackberry Trail after getting back and at the end of it and to the right was a storage area. The Ruddy Daggerwing was on the other side with a couple of folks excitedly taking images. This butterfly had been on my list to be seen for a very long time. What a great way to end a day of butterfly chasing!

A little sun, but everything was wet, and not enough sun to dry things out.

Found by Kelly around 5:30 pm about 25 feet up in a tree across from tram stop.

Azure observed perched and in flight; no tails or orange spots on hind wings as would be seen in Eastern Tailed Blues; also very bright pale blue above

The Monarch was fresh and immaculate.

I was on a field trip with a group led by Linda and Buck Cooper. We were having lunch at McAllen Nature Center and Linda received a notification on her phone that the Silver Emperor had been spotted in the back garden at NBC. It was still there when our group arrived and we were treated to a real beauty. I learned the angle and light has to be just so to capture the blue flash!

Around 11:30am, saw a monarch flying south all by itself. Temp was 68 at the time and on a very sunny day.

In the south end of the county the day started partly cloudy with potential for a good of sightings.This is a large county, and the WMA is 65 miles away, it was cloudy and misty rain when I arrived then the rain stopped but the clouds stayed.

Not many blooms, bugs just sunning

ON Butterfly Bush

9 - 12; 84-88 and sunny
Terrific bayside habitat in a little-visited preserve.
Soldier is uncommon for this area.
First Dainty Sulphurs seen since the spring.
Unusual mating posture for the Clouded Skippers

Sunny,light SE breeze;nice Indian Summer with temps in the low 80s.The weather predictions with a strong El Nino should make thinks interesting this winter as I track the winter butterfly activity.

With Jane Lampkin
8:30 - 11:30; 80 - 86, Sunny and hot
Terrific well-maintained scrub, riparian & hammock habitat
3.8 miles covered.

Frosted Flasher found by Steve Abbey’s party.

This report combines observations made on November 5th, around the Park’s Visitor Center, during mid-morning and late afternoon visits.

In the lawn flowers,or flying through were the sightings for the low 80 degree day.

Not many blooms

I wish I could have snapped a photo, but frankly, I was too stunned. My daughter and I just watched in awe -with a touch of worry- that it was not further into migration!

This is the latest date I have ever seen a Silver-spotted Skipper. It has been an unusually warm first week of November.

Sunny and mid 80’s. I did a walk around the property (Thorny Olive hedges are in bloom) which were holding many more of the Long-tailed and Ocola Skippers than the lawn.

2 new yard records for us.

I was surprised to see a Monarch on such a late date, but it makes sense due to the SW winds we’ve had lately.

We have lots of monarch butterflies and caterpillars in our yard here in New Orleans.

Flying west along Piermont Pier condominiums.

After several days of seeing no butterflies, observed a Cabbage White flying, then nectaring, around 2:30 p.m., 58 degrees.

With Jane Lampkin & Robert Epstein
9 -12; 80 -86; 3.0 miles
Pic is Variegated Fritillary on Passiflora incarnata

All bflys seen on the lower stretch along the lake.

Bright, sunny, 58 degree day

Emerald Aguna found by John and Nancy Crosby

Cloudy upper 70s with gusty SW wind.

The Silver-banded Hairstreaks were new for the yard after 12 years. Boisduval’s and Mimosa yellows locally rare. Mimosa Yellow, first seen several days ago, was the 19th pierid for the yard.

Also seen on previous day (7th):
White-patched Skipper
and the following day (9th):
Variegated Fritillary
Mexican Fritillary
Dorantes Longtail
Mournful Duskywing
Common/White Checkered-Skipper

Chrysalis on overhang of front door finally hatched. My friend gave the adult male a trip to NC via mail and it survived! His sister let it go in her yard and it started feeding on her flowers. Hopefully it will make it to Mexico or FL. Pretty neat.

Cloudy with occasional mist; only in the mid 60s

An excellent, pleasant late season day (11:40 - 15:45 EST): mostly sunny (30-50% thin to moderate cirrus), 63-68 deg F, wind 5-10 mph. Best location was a farm field with 4 late-blooming thistle on Clark Rd. Was surprised to not see an E. Comma or Question Mark.

Yellow-tipped Flasher found by Tom Gagnon.

Much nicer today sun was out and temps made it to upper 70s.Monarchs and Gulf Fritillary were common,with the numbers of Fritillary seemed to be down,with a slightly larger number of Monarchs than last week.

Present for about 1 week nectaring on Lantana. Last seen 11/19/15.

Lunch and fuel break; large oaks and empty lot next door. We were having a picnic when I noticed some activity under the oaks. It turned out to be a colony of blues, larger butterflies were also sighted.

Attendees: Mike Stanfield, Fred Allen, Steve Freedman, Susy d’Hoot, Heather & Camille Hill , Karen Finch, John Lampkin, Jane Lampkin and Jean Evoy. 3.5 hours, 80-90F, mostly sunny, with light to moderate winds. Photos: John Lampkin, Steve Freedman, Karen Finch, and Jean Evoy

The retention pond at the of the property was over grown and provided a nice environment for a few sightings.

Very magical day today. Witnessed the fall mass migration of Monarchs and Gulf Fritillaries. We didn’t have to move. For more than 5 hours the Monarchs and Fritillaries moved down along the beach over the wild grasses, plants and sand dunes. Conservative estimate by two of us was 5-10 per minute sustained for the whole time. Easily saw a thousand of each species. I saw more of these two species today than the accumulation of all the other days of my life. There were so many butterflies we were laughing trying to count them.

List of butterflies I saw today, not a complete list of everything seen. Sunny till 2:30 with pleasant temps then clouds moved in.

Only here later in day to see Four-spotted Sailor.

Disney his used the color of flowers to help with making it a magical place and they draw in butterflies which also adds to the theme of the parks.

Butterfly garden, 5,010’ elev.
Observers: Bob Behrstock, Karen LeMay, Noel and Helen Snyder, Narca Moore-Craig, Alan Craig. High 60’s, little wind, a few clouds. Barred Yellow (rare) and Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak and a few other things photographed. Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak new for 12 year yard list.

Cold front came through and broke yesterday’s migratory activity although butterflies were still plentiful for certain species.

sunny 80 F until 1:30 PM, then overcast
windy AM

I also saw 2 Common Green Darners!

First butterfly seen in several days.

not a lot of nectar sources, mostly low growing asters

The light rain for the night before move on and the cloudy morning turned into a partly cloudy by mid day.

A lot of the crucitas are done blooming.

sunny, breezy, lower 60s. One hour visit.

Variegated Fritillaries making brief stops but flying south. Eastern Comma feeding on wild grapes.

63 degrees, sunny

exceptionally warm fall so far

Not much time for sightings, but managed to see a few.

I had a little time before check out. Next stop Kennedy Space Center.

Giant swallowtail larva on dwarf mandarin tree

Monarch heading southeast at treetop height

Sunny but strong SW wind.

Unusually warm weather - still hasn’t gotten below 65 yet this fall - produced a good number of late afternoon leps. I saw my first Dainty in Pinellas since early September.

A large, beautiful Monarch flew across my Butterfly Garden late this morning—my first sighting of a Monarch at home. It didn’t light on any plant. I’ve plans for milkweed in the garden for spring.

Light northerly wind and sunny, upper 70s. Monarchs and Gulf Fritillaries were moving to the west.

…..or so I think.

Sunny, lower 50s AM, into the upper 70s early afternoon; wind was light and easterly.

Cloudy day preceding a cold front

Sunny and lower 60s AM; mostly cloudy and mid 70s after lunch. Wind was light and from SW.

Overcast day with no sun at all.

Winter for us has arrived;low 40s AM and only mid 50s afternoon,with strong North wind.The tertiary dunes provide dense cover for sheltering the night,and the earliest sun exposure in the morning.That wind break provided for a few sightings.

Sunny, cold start mid 30s;warmed into lower 60s.

Lots of action on a day when the temps finally dropped below 65 in Pinellas.

Sunny, Cool Temps Low 70’s, Windy

Lantana around the site provided sighting opportunities.

While trying to re-locate R.Harrod’s Mallow Scrub-Hairstreaks from the previous day I lucked into a Hammock Skipper, Pinellas’ second-ever record and second one at the park this year! The first was in January. Today’s was nectaring on sleepy morning (Waitheria indica).

Windy, low 70s, partly cloudy.

With Jane Lampkin
Mid-70’s, bright sun
Ron Smith had alerted us to a Hammock Skipper he saw yesterday. We found two nectaring on Sleepy Morning (Waitheria indica). They are far north of their usual range, but this is a record warm November.

Mid 70s,and a bright Fall day,wind was from the SE,strong AM, but was light by late afternoon. Monarch are still coming to the coast along with fewer Gulf Fritillary, Long-tailed Skippers numbers are rapidly diminishing.

Sunny and temps around 57 degrees.

Sunny warm fall and windy,temps in upper 50s AM into mid 70s along the beach.

Next to the entrance of this brewpub on “Black Friday”, very pleased to see my first butterfly in nearly two weeks, a Cabbage White, nectaring on the exotic flowers planted just outside!
Temperature near 70 degrees.

1 hour visit, temps in upper 50s, two warm days after two cold days which brought our first (light to moderate) frost.

mostly sunny, wind was a little calmer,temps 50s into 70s

Record number of White Peacock, which is typical for late November here, according to my records.

With Dusty Rhodes (photos). Full sun, 78F, light breeze. 2 hours. We expected to see a few species given the time of year, but the lure of plentiful Richardia grandiflora by the Carlton entrance was irresistible to a good variety of species.

The Upper Delta had a light freeze about a week ago while the beach didn’t get cold enough for frost. Barred Yellow was a surprise in Upper Delta.