August 2016 Sightings

Also four Cloudless Sulphurs caterpillars found on Cassia.

My boys and I hiked up the Monarch Pass Trail from the parking lot to the summit around noon. This was before the monsoon hit Colorado and rained on us for the next five days. I’m only indicating numbers for the species that we infrequently encountered.

Sunny then over cast. Temps in low 80’s. slight breeze.

Dry, only flowers at present are yellow star thistle and a few mustards. And a localized patch of milkweed which I did not investigate because access is blocked by poison oak stretching across the path.

The Small Checkered-Skipper was the 46th species in my yard over the past 30 years.

Found in perfect condition feeding on white butterfly bush in our yard along with a few monarchs. Weather- overcast, intermittent showers last few days. Still here today.

Saw a Female Monarch Feeding on the Milkweed at the Boyers

Sunny with light winds. Many species of butterflies, bees and flies were nectaring on Mountain Mint. Hayhurst’s Scallopwing found ~ a lifer for me

75F

Checked the NWR two weeks after the NABA count and things had changed considerably. Cloudless Sulphurs were still common, but numbers were greatly reduced. Sleepy Oranges were very scarce, but were abundant two weeks ago. However, Dainty Sulphurs were much more numerous and three very fresh Checkered Whites were seen and no Cabbage Whites. Phaon Crescents had increased in number and were at about the same level as Pearl Crescent. Many of the Orange Sulphurs seen were puddling, as illustrated in the photo. One large darkish grass-skipper was seen, but couldn’t be certainly ID’d, however my impression was a Yehl Skipper.

Warm, 63 degrees, but overcast for most of the time spent searching (1:30-3:30) with only two brief breaks of some sunshine. Frit flew only during the breaks with sun. Only butterfly seen along the entire length of the road, up and back.

They have a conservatory with butterflies from El Salvador and Costa Rica. Also have a monarch way station. Saw one monarch at the zoo.

Sightings over two days, the late afternoon (4:00-5:45) of Aug. 2nd and the morning (9:00-11:30) on Aug. 3rd.

On Butterfly Bush in my yard

Both in good condition.

80F mostly sunny, was here 10:00 AM-3:30 PM. Some un-id Duskywings. Also flying were about 1 dozen Western Sheepmoth

Full sun mid 70F. Was here from 4:30PM to 5:30PM.

Observations made from 9:15 to 6 p.m.Cloudy morning with several hours of partial sun in the afternoon.High temp 82 with 4-13 mph S-SSE winds.Most active area today was the formal garden with Joe-Pye weed, NY Ironweed, and Sweet Pepperbush the most attractive nectar sources. A fairly extensive search of the other parts of the refuge were made as well.Most of the R.B.Hairstreaks were on partially blooming Devil’s walkingstick.One unfortunate Zebra was the victim of a very large Argiope spider.

Zabulon skippers were the skipper of the day!

The Red-banded Hairstreak was the first one I’ve seen this year.

The Ocola Skipper was the first one I’ve seen this year.

With Jane Lampkin
9-11; 79-86
Red-spotted Purple was a nice find, freshly eclosed in a stand of willow, possibly its larval host
Numbers are atypically low.

14:00–17:15 EDT, mostly sunny, 83-84 deg F, wind light & variable. Despite a late start and relatively limited field time, I achieved my highest day count this season: 31 species. Skipper diversity improved compared to last weekend, and the recent rain showers and storms yielded butterfly-friendly puddles and mud. Common Buckeye, Fiery & Dun Skippers, and Sleepy Orange were personal first-of-season species. 

Partly Cloudy, upper 80s, no wind. The highlight of the day was watching a Anise Swallowtail & Western Tiger Swallowtail first engage in a bit of a scramble with the Anise being the agressor. Later, while in flight both floated ever so slowly in what appeared to be a dance or ritual of some sort. I had never witnessed this type of behavior but a friend tells me he has witnessed Western Tiger’s doing so in the past. One no ID Lady seen.

mid-to-upper 80s, sunny. On site 11:45 am to 3:35 pm; approx. 3.5 miles of trails

10:40 AM to 1:00 PM. Highest Day count for Spicebush Swallowtails at this location.

70 minute mid-morning visit, temps to low 80s..the town cleared out lots of weedy overgrowth, making the walk a lot easier. Butterfly habitat is still good.

A late day stop on my way home to South Jersey. 5:15 to 5:45 p.m. Searched a sun lit woodland edge and was rewarded with one Gray Comma.

2:25 to 3:35 p.m. 80 degrees with part sun. Nice diversity here.

11:15 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.74-78 degrees part sun.

9:25 to 11:05 a.m. Found some blooming Common Milkweed that must have been previously mowed.

Low humidity, sunny and temperature 84 around 2pm when observing butterflies

Zabulon Skippers, mating pair

Mid 80’s nice day, light breeze. Disappointed no Monarchs.

Second time this summer in seeing a monarch. Unable to get a picture though. Partly sunny skies, twmp 89 when seen at 6:30pm

First sighting of a beautiful Gemmed Satyr butterfly on our property.

We spent four days and three nights in the wilderness crossing from Grand County into Routt County to camp. The sightings include what we saw from the 7th through the 10th.

With Gary & Annie Kessler. We gave up counting Green Commas after 89.

9:30 - 11
High 80’s after a few days of rain.

Cloudy and 75 degrees, from 10:50am to 11:25am. Slight breaks of sun spurred additional coppers into flight at times. Limited time spent in this fragile area.

Hot, humid breezy

Sunny, high in the low 90s. Black swallowtails seen as caterpillars on fennel. Most of the butterfly garden closed for restoration. Butterfly activity finally picking up in Richmond after a slow June and July.

Found this Red-banded Hairstreak perched on a convenience-store wall - just after 6 a.m. - close to three Luna moths, the Green Marvel moth, and Papaipema (Borer) moths, among others.

A butterfly perched vertically “sticks out” compared to moths; always an interesting find!

This is not the first time to find a Hairstreak perched on a convenience-store wall or on a lit sheet. I’m inclined to believe Hairstreaks - and Vanessa species — seem to be more attracted to lights overnight than most other butterflies.

Firstly, comment on a sighting from farther north in Maine by Steve Glynn the day before: form of “Dorcas” Copper in that location is known as “Clayton’s” and is (at least) form L.d. claytoni - which some accept as a full species in Maine & New Brunswick Canada. Here in mid-south Maine, the 11th was hot, 90+ with humidity & sun. Recently out in new broods here were Blk. Swallowtail, Amer. Copper, Pearl Crescent, Common Ringlet (which last was also being seen at least 3 days prior to then.) Despite decent species-variety, overall no’s. of butterflies continue on mostly-low side. It is dry in southern Maine, a mild drought.

Mid 70s. Despite multiple sources claiming full sun, large clouds arrived before noon and blocked the sun for over half of my visit. 1 un-id white, possibly some Pacuvius Duskywings

Giant Swallowtail. Eggs laid on Ptelia trifoliata.

FOS in this park for Monarch nectaring on white Butterfly Bush.

Montana road trip

Road trip in Montana results.

In out of light rain all day.

7700 - 9742ft

There were Frits flying as well.

95, thunderstorms brewing

I found a Red-banded Hairstreak at 41°19’49.26”N / 72° 0’55.61”W

The meadows and wet areas have dried up, so there was not a lot of butterfly activity.

Sunny to mostly sunny, 92-94 deg F, South wind 5-15 mph

Weather—hazy, hot and humid—90s around 9:30 AM. Species in count were seen nectaring on apple mint flowers

2 Black Swallowtail chrysalis, 3 tiny Monarch Cats on Swamp Milkweed, Mating Monarch’s, FOY Red-spotted Purple on rotten fruit, New to yard & life butterfly for me ~Tawny Emperor who was on rotten fruit and new to yard butterfly ~Least Skipper Sunny, Hot & humid temps mid 90’s wind winds abut 8 MPH

70, 73F

11 Bronze Coppers and 17 Hayhurst’s Scallopwings are most I’ve ever seen at one time. Reakirt’s Blue is only 5th record for Tennessee.

One-and-half-hour walk, 9—10:30 a.m.
Already temperatures in the mid-80s.
Zebra Swallowtails: Some very worn individuals, but many more fresh with long tails. Presumed transition from 2nd to 3rd broods.
Surprised no Cabbage Whites nor Sulphurs nor Vanessa species.
No Monarchs either, but saw one later flying over Route 40 while driving back into Delaware.

Butterflies were flying in the riverbed area of Arroyo Seco. Sunny day in the 80’s F.

14 species. Great place! Photos by Dorothy.

Cropped cellphone pic. on Prairie Dock flower. During storm from Louisiana stretching from there, through Indianapolis to Columbus, OH.

Heavy rain the night before seems to have caused some eclosions. Many individuals very fresh.

Afternoon rain slowed the butterflies down today.

10:50 AM - 1:30 PM.

Sunny day with low humidity. Temp is 78

45-minute walk, 10:15–11 a.m. Temperatures already in mid- to upper 80s.

Observed male Eastern Tiger Swallowtail perched flat (like a Silkmoth) on a Wawa convenience-store wall at 7 a.m. From afar, I thought it was some bizarre morph of the canary yellow Imperial Moth and the veined Regal Moth. In 20+ years of checking convenience store and rest-stop walls for moths in the morning, I have never seen a Swallowtail perched on a convenience store wall like that.

It was so hot (already) at 7—7:30 a.m., saw two other Eastern Tiger Swallowtails flying over the highway.

87 degrees, lots of nectar sources, few skippers

5th and 6th stops on the way to 5Rivers

On the way back from 5Rivers

2nd & 3rd stops along the way to 5Rivers.

4th stop in rout to 5 Rivers

This is the 1st of six stops on my way to 5Rivers Delta Reasouce Center.

FOY Cloudless Sulphur for my yard

A monarch was flying alongside the cornfield at 7:45A.M. It was partly sunny, low humidity and 66 degrees. A light breeze. It was the only butterfly in that area at that time.

Very hot & extremely humid. 94 degrees but some clouds sure did help. If I had to estimate how many Hackberry Emperors I saw throughout my travels today, it would be around 300. It was unbelievable and yes, most of them landed on me at some point.

Montana road trip

The area the butterfly was flying in is called South Battery on the large lawn between St. Cornelius Chapel and Yankee Pier in front of the fortified building.

With John Lampkin, Jean Evoy and Dusty Rhodes. Two hours, 89-92F, full sun. Spent all our time on or near the hill adjacent to the nature center. Good weeds were abundant, e.g., Frogfruit and Bidens.

Checking Bronze Copper colony areas. New, 3rd brood emerged and flying.

Mostly cloudy with showers today, temperature in the low 70’s.

Searched about 70% of park across 2 days - 3 hours on Aug. 15 and 1.3 hours on Aug. 17. Many records for the park! Shocked by number of Monarchs given limit amount of milkweed.

Survey of “spillway area” restricted access

This butterfly has been in the area for a couple of weeks.

FOS and county lifer Sleepy Oranges found today. Cloudless Sulphurs were common as well.

Started around 4:30pm

Also 5 mature caterpillars of the Cloudless Sulphur found in the flower heads of Cassia.

My boys and I went on two separate walks through the park hitting the prairie before lunch and the woodland/wetland trail after lunch. The temperature approached 90 after lunch, but the lack of a stiff breeze allowed us to spot many more butterflies here than I remember in the past. This has become an annual trip for me and my boys on the last day of our summer break.

Another example of a butterfly perched vertically on a convenience store wall, among many moths, including a Hog Sphinx Moth, around 6 a.m.

But the first time I’ve seen a Silver-spotted Skipper doing this.

Muted sunshine due to wildfire smoke. Very dry, but butterflies are still around.

10:45am-3:45pm, 90 F and humid

Moderator’s Note: Mike Newlon first found an Ocola Skipper in Somerset County on August 15. He also found one in Morris County on August 19. These two in Monmouth County make four so far this year in northern NJ. As far as I know none have been reported yet this year in southern NJ.

California Sister seen at Descanso Gardens

Mostly sunny to mostly cloudy, 84-88 deg F, wind light & variable. Personal first-of-season Common Checkered-skipper.

9900 - 10,810ft