May 2015 Sightings

Indra Swallowtail is a lifer!

14 of the Indra were at one mud puddle!

One unID’d Comma.

Mid 50s this morning, and sunny northerly breeze; warmed to low 80s.

First Red Admiral of the season and the first skipper - a Silver Spotted. 66 degrees only but the sun was warm.

I have a yard full of blooming flowers and 8 milkweed plants. the first milkweed had 40 caterpillars on it, some of them did survive. Very hard to find milkweed here. I finally found 6 more plants and have Monarchs here every day. I found 4 tiny monarch caterpillars yesterday and hope they will survive.

Low 50s to start,clear and made it into the low 80s.

Flew to my lilacs for about 15 minutes today. Was a little shredded around his wings but flew okay.

75 degrees, first sighting this season of an American Snout at this location.

Also one anglewing species

9:30-1:00. Later in the afternoon stopped at nearby Warren Grove to get Hoary Elfin (6) and a worn Brown Elfin to make it 6 of 7 Callophrys species possible in NJ.

Short walk to the creek from the upper parking lot.

We worked hard for our only Appalachian Brown, but were in the right place at the right time to see a Giant Yucca-Skipper pass by and then land very close. FL (98).

Cool morning under the trees, warm in the sun on top of the drumlin. That’s where most of the butterflies were.

Warmer start to the day, mid 60s, easterly wind, and sunny. Spanish Needles are starting to bloom in scattered patches in the area, and are starting to produce some good sightings.

Partly sunny and warm 80’s

in fresh condition; very uncommon for this particular urban-park location, & my first of spring.

Also 3 whites (probably Mustard Whites)

I counted and photographed butterflies driving from Taylor Creek Road to Sam Brown Campground, and finally up the Chrome Ridge. These locales are in the Siskiyou National Forest, south of the resort area of Galice.

Most sunny, high around 80.

At Alaska Maritime headquarters

First Zabulon Skipper of the season.

Later start already in upper 70s, partly cloudy with SE wind, some times strong.

60F

Hot and sunny, 4 hours of slow walking and photography.

68-72F

Lifer King’s Hairstreak!!

66F

When the sun finally came out, late in the afternoon, 9 Spring Azures came out to celebrate!

All Red Admirals flying rapidly N/NE. I observed at least a couple dozen more Red Admirals in the afternoon flying rapidly over the warehouse at work and driving on the way to Old Field.

Late afternoon after work.Sunny and warm 85.My first swallowtail and duskywing of the season.

Red Admiral briefly flying through my back yard

I also saw both boghaunters (dragonflies) including a male ringed and female ebony in a wheel.

Spring Azures are now in the garden every time I look. They puddle on rocks and even on the bird baths.

Plus 3 unidentified Erynnis.

With a Rockland County Audubon Society field trip. The site is well-known for Golden-winged Warblers.

11:20 to 15:00. Larger numbers are estimates. The Carolina Satyr here is also known as South Texas Satyr.

While loading camera gear into the trunk, to head out to a butterfly walk, I found this female four-spotted Sailor on a bush by our driveway.

Afternoon visit; sun & clouds, 70’s [F.] Juniper Hairstreak was missing a portion of a hind-wing.

Spring Azure.

Sunny light southerly wind AM temps mid 70s.

Part of the annual field trip of the Newark Entomological Society:

Overcast cold rain in the A.M.

But overcast conditions gave way to partly sunny, mid-afternoon; temperature climbing from 70 degrees.

All the butterflies listed here found in the same habitat (Bearberry, Bluestem grasses, etc.) in which these moths were noted: Drasteria occulta (several) Yellow-washed Metarranthis, Metarranthis obfirmaria (many); and, Variegated Orange or Black-banded Orange, Epelis truncataria (one); and naturally, many, many Yellow-headed Looper moths, Lambdina pellucidaria

All five species puddling.

First Red-banded Hairstreak of the year!

W.Va.Whites only near their larval host plants. Also noted were few Spring Azures, Mourning Cloaks & E. Comma.

Sunny, southerly wind; calendar says spring, but for us it is summer here on the northern Gulf coast.

Also saw a Question Mark or Comma but couldn’t get close enough to it.

Very freshly-emerged blues & E.Pine Elfin. Clouds & sun with a fresh breeze.

Sunny start but mostly cloudy afternoon.

The bi-monthly survey was cut short by the first strong afternoon rain of the season. The three Zebra Swallowtails were a highlight for this location.

Weekly survey with Alan Wells
Temps in the mid 70’s
One image shows a Dreamy Duskywing with a missing field mark, a white apical dot. The other is better behaved. 10 additional duskywings and one white could not be identified on the wing

Impromptu visit, but not able to spend nearly enough time here. Activity was strong from the back of the parking area, along the orange trail down to the junction with the blue trail. All sightings from this short stretch during my time there (2:00- 3:00)

Brown Elfin near the summit; Falcate Orangetips in 2 separate areas of trail; sun & clouds, 80+[F.] with gusty winds. Blackflies also out in force! Lengthy hike, some flowers out, esp. Ericaceae.

Marsh grasses and blooming bushes near parking area were loaded with butterflies

10 am to 12 pm

Most of the days sightings were on verbena; which is good for sightings, but not so good for photos.

For over a week I have seen this species but it did not settle until today. Mystery solved - it’s an Eastern Comma and not a Question Mark. First identification of a Comma here this year.

1 pm to 2:30 pm

Partly to mostly cloudy;Frog Fruit was the flower of the day.

One of the swallowtails was a dark female.

Invited to join a survey effort in search of butterflies and plants

Also Page Co.; Big Meadows, Limberlost, Millers Head; sunny, temperatures only in the 50s after a period of much warmer weather.

6.5 hours of path walking and photography

Red Admiral on nine bark in our back yard. Our nine barks were in full bloom this weekend and over the course of the weekend we saw 30 - 50 … maybe even more, on the bushes.

With Adam Emerick

With Adam Emerick

partly to mostly cloudy SE breeze.

small, grayish skipper that may have been Cobweb Skipper, but could not confirm

Sunny, high in the mid 70s, rain needed. Dusted Skippers are uncommon in Virginia. Monarch very fresh.

65-68F

Azure butterflies were making short flights and landing on wet gravel driveway of Beaver Meadow arboretum to drink moisture and also visiting wild honeysuckle flowers. Butterflies did not open wings while drinking. Cloudy day with temps in high 60’s F.

Cloudy with temps in low 70’s with occasional sprinkles

w/B.Ahern & R.Harrod. A nice highlight was a light-colored apparent Horace’s Duskywing (pictured). Also saw my first Hackberry of the year. FL (99).

11:45 am to 12:15 pm

Partly cloudy and strong SE breeze.A lot of activity on a roadside batch of white clover in Magnolia Springs.

1 pm to 2:30 pm

On Soapberry Tree blossoms.

I also saw 37 Azure spp.

I photographed butterflies along the Illinois River Road which follows the designated Wild and Scenic Illinois River. There are two US designated wild and Scenic Rivers in Josephine County. The Rogue River and the Illinois River. The Illinois River is more remote and has a very diverse butterfly fauna. Eight Dollar Mountain is just west, across the river from the Illinois River Road and is another wonderful locale for butterfly photography. Today’s 23 species is a new high for me this year. Temps started cool, in the fifties and warmed to 69 degrees.

Overcast to partly sunny; still apparently too early for certain specialty butterflies, such as Bog Copper, Harris’s Checkerspot, and Arctic Skipper.

Many, many blue leps, as the tinier Bluish Spring Moths flew and rested amongst the Eastern Tailed Blues (including one mating pair) and Spring Azures (some very dark underneath). The “bluish” moths could be confusing for a first-time observer here, as the moths perch vertically like butterflies, and have tiny antennae.

Surprised not to find a single Hairstreak!

Dark tiny duskywings that I couldn’t identify to species. (I know what I was thinking, but dare not say!)

Among the “better” nightttime moths observed here this time: Black Zigzag, Panthea acronyctoides; Lemon Plagodis, Plagodis serinaria; & Northern Thorn or Northern Selenia, Selenia alciphearia.

Falcate Orangetips - one male and one female. From the photo, the female appears to be laying eggs on Garlic Mustard.

Butterflies were flying around and landing on plants in meadow area of Buckhorn Island park. Partly cloudy with temps in the high 70’s F.

A few spp. noted seen w/B. Inskeep, such as a Falcate Orangetip male, Dreamy Duskywings, & some others at Sterling SF.
More than 1 form of Azure seemed to be out, all of ‘spring’ type. Hobomok Skipper was very fresh, & nectaring.

Spotted a few American Lady’s in our backyard.

Red-spotted Purple on nine bark in our backyard.

w/Randy Harrod. Much of the preserve had been (controlled) burned recently and, also, water levels are still down awaiting summer showers. Even though, it was still a great day afield. FL (103).

50+ species in 2 hours on a cloudy afternoon. Dusted Spurwing 3rd US sighting(?)

1-3 pm. Upper 70s, mostly cloudy.

10:15am to 2:15pm

10:30-1:40 on the Serpentine Trail, with Barry Marts and Matt Orsie. Conditions: variably cloudy (after rain), temp rising from mid-70’s, very humid.
Most Dusted Skippers were very fresh; Red Banded Hairstreak was so fresh the body had a light blue sheen.

Partly cloudy, SW breeze.

Heavy rain and thunderstorms most of the day.

The Red-sided Swallowtail (Mimoides phaon) is the 2nd US record.

From 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., mid-70’s, sunny

Mid day, sunny in the 80’s light SE wind. Coastal fronts are now happening daily. By late morning the on shore breeze and the moisture in it are being forced up by the warmer air over the land. Along that boundary where the two air masses meet a line of cumulus clouds forms parallel to the beach.These clouds are then pulled inland by convection of heated adjacent land and begin to grow into the afternoon thunderstorms.These will stop all the sighting activity as everything looks for cover.

1:30 to 3:15. Windy, with temperature around 60 degrees. Hobomok (earlier than usual at this site) and Zabulon Skippers were quite fresh.

Flying across the road.

12:30-12:45 pm & 5:10-6:00 pm EDT. Mostly sunny, 65-70 deg F. Most interesting sighting was 8 Common Ringlets (Coenonympha tullia inornata). Very distinctive & not listed in the NABA field checklist for this location.

A cool, sunny, breezy day on Catoctin Mountain, with stops in Gambrill State Park and the adjacent Frederick Municipal Watershed Forest. Nectar sources in bloom included daisy fleabane and blackberry.

East Beach Woods Area and Fountain Area

Mint is coming into bloom, it adds to the nectaring sources for the summer; there are several species and they over lap as to when they come into bloom. It is also a fair mosquito and gnat repellent that does not repel our subject.

A Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak was present yesterday, but it was not found this afternoon.

55 degrees and cloudy and calm at 9:00 am but warmed up to 65 degrees by 1:00. First time I have seen a Chryxus Arctic nectaring.

Quick stop on the way home. I stopped yesterday but it was 55 and cloudy and I saw no butterflies. 65 degrees and some sun today!

First Painted Lady of the season here in the garden and first Monarch of the season nearby.

Also had two dark skippers, possibly either Common Road-Side or Pepper and Salt, but couldn’t get either to stay in the area to be seen well.

Brief visit, on my way home, so only had a brief time to visit (about 45 minutes). Large fields along an access road, not far from the parking area, should be an excellent field soon for frits and other butterflies.

Much cooler morning; with a light northerly wind.

with Dave Bartholomew
note: Calippe Fritillaries from Mines Rd. in Alameda Co.

Butterflies flying — or trying to! — with temperatures in the upper 40s and strong winds.

Forest Route 112 and Briery Gap Road. Sunny, in the 50s. Two of the West Virginia Whites were in an area with abundant garlic mustard that had no garlic mustard when I visited the area in 2012. These individuals repeatedly landed on and nectared on the garlic mustard. The remaining five West Virginia Whites were at higher elevations where there is no garlic mustard at present. The Cabbage White was seen in a highly disturbed area at the base of the mountain.

Sunny (10% cumulus), cool (62 deg F), breezy (10-15 mph). 1:00-2:00 pm EDT.

.

short visit on sunny, moderately warm afternoon; many species appeared to be quite freshly-out, many butterflies going to nectar, esp. at Rubus (bramble) blossoms.

Hundreds of butterflies nectaring on soapberry, thistle, frog fruit and crucita.

9:45 to 11:45

Cool again this morning; wind is shifting to the east late
morning, and sunny.

12:30-3:00 pm. 57-59 degrees, sunny. Surprised to see hibernated Mourning Cloaks still around (normally gone by early May).

Report include butterflies seen within the Park, as well as along roadsides immediately outside of the Park within Liberty County.

Ginny & I, Dan Jones, and other visitors sighted 70+ species at the NBC today. Highlights were a Silver Emperor and a Glazed Pellicia, both FOY, and a male Red-sided Swallowtail, 3rd US record, to go with Dan’s female of May 19.

Skipper butterfly landed on granite gravel at ruins of Glacier Lodge hotel. Partly cloudy morning with temperatures in the 60’s F. Elevation ~8000 ft.

Butterfly landed on branch in the middle of a large flowering manzanita patch near hiking trail and quickly flew away up the slope when disturbed. Only one individual seen. Partly cloudy day with temperatures in the low 70’s F and occasional showers. Elevation ~8300 ft on North Fork Big Pine Creek hiking trail.

10:30-12:30. Mostly birding.

2:30-4:15.

10:30 am to 12 pm

Cool morning - 50 at 9am

11:15-1:20; temp rising from about 72 to 82; sunny

One-and-a-half-hour walk, 3:15—4:45 p.m.
Mostly sunny, 78—80 degrees.

Pretty routine butterflies for this location in late May; was hoping for Meadow or Great Spangled Fritillary…

Stayed just an hour (5-6 PM). Remarkable place! FL (108).

01:15 - 5:10 pm EDT. Sunny (0-20% clouds), warm (78-83 deg F), wind 0-10 mph. Personal first-of-season Hoary Edge, Silvery Checkerspot, Great Spangled Fritillary, Tawny-edged Skipper. Surprisingly no E. Comma, Question Mark or Eastern Tailed-Blue.

Field trip run by Hairstreak Chapter (Tallahassee region) of NABA. Listed leps are just those Lori and I counted. FL (106).

Mostly sunny and windy.

Counted 40 caterpillars of Harris’s Checkerspot and many more caterpillars of Baltimore Checkerspot on English Plantain.

Overcast skies. 8-11 AM. FL (109).