September 2017 Sightings

Three Giant Swallowtails! 1:30 - 3pm, 70 degrees, clear. Thank you, Danny Melore, for telling about these beauties.

This may be he first reported sighting of the Giant Swallowtail in Burlington Co. A single sighting was recently reported from Gloucester Co. This location has had a good August for Monarchs; their cats can still be found in the meadows. Sweet!

82 f with David Rawlinson
plus two orange Mendocino silk moths (they look like butterflies), one impaled on our car.

87F with David Rawlinson

Observed in backyard all day….hot, humid 90’s

10:15 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Lots of Bidens. Saw 5 Hummingbird Clearwing and one Nessus Sphinx Moth.

First male Monarch I’ve seen in my yard. Breezy, overcast day, partially sunny, temp 80 degrees. See many Gulf Fritillaries and several Painted Ladies daily

The Zebra Swallowtail sighting is a rather late-in-the-season sighting.

10 am to 3:30 pm. sunny day 75F. lots of Green Commas flying today. we don’t usually see that many so that was fun.

Observed in backyard from 9-2pm
2 Male Black Swallowtails eclosed in garden

Surveyed 3 Bottomland Forest Habitats only where Creole Pearly-eyes fly
Partly Cloudy no wind high 80’s Humid many mosquito’s
Habitat #1 South Side 1:30-2:00 North Side 2:05-2:30
Habitat #2 12:45-1:15
Habitat #3 11:05-12:05

With Leigh Williams. 84 degrees, overcast with occasional light rain. 9:15am - 2:30pm.

Incidental sightings while briefly in the yard. Male monarch has adopted the yard for the past several weeks. Did not see any courtship between the male and female Duskywings as they flew around and past each other nectaring on Rudbeckia in the back yard.

8700-10,100ft

Totals over two-day period while performing a plant survey

Painted Ladies have moved en masse into the area in the past week. Hundreds of them are about in any location you look. Silver-spotted Skippers aren’t too far behind them. Sunk Lake is one of the most reliable areas in the state to see Southern Dogfaces and there were dozens flying. A couple were the autumn form with the pink suffusion on the underside. Yehl Skipper is uncommon in the area and the Dainty Sulphurs were FOY.

11 am - 1 pm; lower 70s, m. sunny.

Very windy, low 70s. 10 am to 1 pm. Many Giant Swallowtails. Quite the sight to see walking down the trails.

Very windy. Sunny, low 70s. Massive amounts of Painted Ladies. Little Yellows also very common. Variegated Fritillary was a new one for me at this park.

Observed in backyard off and on all day

Nectar sources dwindling, with Verbena Bonariensis, Butterfly Bushes, Zinnia, N.Y. Ironweed and a few other minor flowers in bloom. Most fall flowers have not appeared as of now.

12:30-3:00. Sunny. 80-82 degrees.

80 sunny breezy

Half-hour walk, 10:30—11:00 a.m. Sunny, mild.

Incidental sightings as I volunteered outdoors in the morning at the museum. SSS was sunning on a Wax Myrtle growing along the lake shore between Amphitheater and Otter Exhibit; RSP flying and landing to find a good basking spot under trees along path across from Amphitheater; Sulphurs seen nectaring on Cardinal Flowers being staged for fall plant sale near a green house and later on Lady-in-Red Salvia in Children’s Learning Garden

Morning rain, then mostly cloudy and cool. 70 degrees.

First real push of migrating Monarchs along Lake Michigan. Cool temps around 60 degrees and very scattered showers didn’t seem to bother them as I watched five flyby in the rain. This was the highest number of Painted Ladies I have seen in a decade.

Partly sunny and 63 degrees when observing around noon. A male Monarch emerged from chrysalis yesterday afternoon. Wings dried around eve when strong storms came through. It calmly waited on my hand about 2 minutes before flying away.

Observed in backyard for a few hrs in the am…mid 80’s today and humid

Time spent in the yard and walking around the neighborhood. The monarch that I saw was a male.

Thin cloud layer; light breeze; air temperatures ranged from 73-81 F; with Della Wells.

Six mile hike yielded six species, nothing unexpected. Orange Sulphur was seen as I was driving away.

W/lORI. Under mostly cloudy skies. The Hackberry’s were found on and around the horse stables at La Chua Trail.

First Buckeye I’ve seen this season in my yard. A sunny afternoon, mid 80’s with a breeze.

Also saw many Monarch caterpillars on the Asclepias currisavica.

While birding at St. Marks NWR, my husband, daughter & I observed this leucistic Gulf Fritillary.

I was out for 2 hours. The Painted Ladies were thick.

Periods of light rain, a bit cooler-80’s

Mostly cloudy, 60’s

Quick survey of the back yard after work.

Sunny & warm. Seen about 4 PM.

Shore and Allen Drives. Berry’s Skipper a male.

A gorgeous day at the gardens. Butterflies everywhere, especially on the goldenrod and boneset. There has been an explosion of Painted Ladies in the area. Yes we saw over 800 and that is conservative.

Hot even early, up to 90f. Painted Ladies were a pest

With David Rawlinson and John Hibbard. Not until 3:00 PM did the sun finally overcome the heavy cloud layer, dry out the flowers, and bring out the butterflies.

Much cooler today….65 to start out the day….butterflies were noticeably later to come out this morning
Observed 4 hrs in am

Noon to 3:30 pm. RWarner & EPerry. Partly sunny, hot, and humid. The calm before the storm. Hurricane Irma is projected to go right through this area in two days. Searched but could not find a single Arogos Skipper, but the blooms of the rayless sunflower, their favorite here, have about another week or two before they reach bloom, buds are reaching for the skies.

FOY for me up here. Seen as I was walking into the park ca. 2pm, same individual presumably in same area leaving the park 1.5 hours later. Buckeyes still around, also one albinistic orange Sulphur.

Sunny, low 70’s. Sachems everywhere

Partly cloudy, low 80s.

Hike from TH 9,400 ft above Catherine’s Pass and over to the Supreme Lift at 10,550ft.

All of the Clouded Sulphurs, Painted Ladies, Western White, and Acmon Blue were seen at 10,500+ ft.

UnID’d Frits and other bflys were seen at lower elevations.

The umber skippers were chasing each other on my enormous plumbago plant. The pipevine swallowtails ranged from large to very small.

Clear and cool…59 at 7:30 am!!
Warmed up nicely….several butterflies in the gardens

The property was closed today due to impending Hurricane Irma (Governor ordered all state agencies to close on Friday), so we surveyed the perimeter of the property and saw much of what we saw inside the day before, with the addition of Clouded Skipper. EPerry & RWarner from 8:30 a to Noon, partly sunny, hot, humid. Bidens alba and purple thistle were the most common nectar sources.

…initially was there for birding, however there was a good variety of butterflies as well ;)

As walked in or out of front door, saw sulphur nectar on Lady-in-Red Salvia.

Only the areas near the golf course and Prescott Rd horse area and trail. About 1-3:40 pm. Conditions - abt 70, p. cloudy (50%), variable light breeze.

Low 60’s again this morning….observed in backyard from 9 until 2 pm

1-2 pm.

Only walked down to Mushroom Springs; a bison herd blocked the trail.

Happy to see the one Melissa Blue as this area was burned by a wildfire last summer.

Sunny, mid 80s.

Just incidental.

Cloudy, windy and cool…expecting Trop Storm Irma tomorrow.
Observed outside for 3 hrs in the am…only had 1 species

1:10-4:45 pm; temps rising from low 70s to abt 78; mostly sunny dropping to hazy conditions.

Sunny, 68 degrees
Most butterflies found in powerline swath. A few Clouded Sulphurs were found near parking area in Alpena county.

Checkered White had lost at least 35% of its wings.

Warm. Overcast. Irma in South.

73 degrees with filtered sunshine.

Sunny, low 70’s. Best clouded Sulphur flight I’ve seen this year.

Maps show these just outside of range for my area.

One Female White was in Children’s Learning Garden, other flew by while I was volunteering outdoors at VLM. RSP was basking on boardwalk, skipper seen on Rudbeckia near staff gate to Fire Road. A dark faded swallowtail, possibly a Spicebush Swallowtail, was seen flying over the water near the lake shore moving south as I walked near the raccoon exhibit.

One day after Trop storm Irma came through our area…I was anxious to get outside to check caterpillars…etc. Everything was in good shape!

Sunny, 75 degrees

2-3 pm. Upper 70s.

Thin cloud layer; light breeze, 4-6 mph; air temperatures ranged from 69-75 F; with Della Wells.

Lots more butterflies this week but fewer species. Best was a Mourning Cloak enjoying the nutrients in a hog wallow.

Low 70’s to start the day….observed in backyard 3 hrs 9am-12pm

Leaderless Walks - 6 participants

Some white flowering Eupatorium here along the roadside.

Again much of the roadside along the ditch has recently been mowed.Past the parking area and trailhead the edges have been mowed as well leaving little nectar.

Best nectar in the area today. Nice amounts of mistflower,and Joe-Pye weed. This small bridge roadside is just north of the Washington ditch entrance.

Partly Cloudy and 78 degrees. Sadly most of the nectar along the ditch was recently mowed.I believe the Chrysalis image is that of a Question Mark.Observations made between 10:15 a.m. & 1:15 p.m. with a 15 min. heavy rain shower at 12:30

A Long-tailed Skipper briefly stopped on a Butterfly Bush. I could not re-locate it.

The Anise Swallowtail was so small, that I could not identify it until it landed. It was very fresh and about the size of a Cabbage White.

Morning showers then mostly cloudy. 60’s

Partly cloudy and very windy. This area needs more rain.

Observed in backyard for approx 3 hrs in late afternoon….3pm-6pm

11:00 to 14:00

Got above 90 degrees while out and windy. We were out from 10:00 - 1:30. Not near as many Painted Ladies as last week but still lots of Cabbage Whites.

With David Rawlinson, John Hibbard, and Nancy Asquith. We were looking for fritillaries, woodnymphs, and Columbia Skippers which this time of year visit the Rabbitbrush at the summit of Mt. Hamilton. It appears that we were a bit early, the rabbitbrush was not yet in full bloom. There were no fritillaries or woodnymphs, but there were Columbia Skippers to be found among the predominant Woodland Skippers.

With David Rawlinson, John Hibbard, and Nancy Asquith.

Spring flooding scoured the creek bed; most of the buckwheat and milkweed is gone, clover is predominant now. Goldenrod was attractive to blues and hairstreaks.

Acmon Blue females were much smaller than the males, seems like it is usually the other way around.

Numbers for most species less than what I have found here in the past. Still plenty of action and such an outstanding garden. Much effort has been made to attract butterflies as well as other polinators. Observations made between 11 a.m. & 5 p.m.

Observations made from 8:30 a.m. till about 10 a.m.

Avid hiker but never seen a butterfly like this in the flesh so thought I should share.

observed in backyard for 4 hrs 9-1
sunny and hot

Sunny, light winds and 78 degrees during the observation. Monarch seen flying at a metro school parking lot.

80 and sunny

Today in a patch of Verbena, 68 Sachens were nectaring, the most I have ever seen here at one time. Butterfly Bush, Verbena b.,Asters and White Clover are the main nectar sources here now.

All seen since 9/4 to 9/15, most in the last few days. The Giant Swallowtail is probably the one seen earlier but worn.

80 and sunny

Observed in backyard for several hrs both morning and afternoon

Former logging road with nice little meadows all along at the old log landing sites

Observations made after 4:30 p.m. Mostly Cloudy and around 78-80 degrees.

Hiked the larger loop.

20 degree temperature drop on Friday. Temperatures now in the upper 50s.

Post Hurricane Irma

It was windy and hot, around 84 degrees. There were hundreds of Painted Ladies. Too many to count flying around.

slow day compared to the beginning of last week
Hot, not quite as humid…84

Strange day with mostly cloudy conditions, yielding a Broad-winged Skipper-1st here, Pipevine- 2nd for this year and not seen each year and single Silver-spotted Skipper that are my mainstay. Sachems way down today and Peck’s numbers spiked.

Friday I drove 128 miles in the hopes of finding a few Coronis Fritillaries, and saw none. Today I had one in my backyard!

Mostly walked the woodland trails. Temps in the mid-to-high 70s. Light winds.

Beautiful late summer day. Highs in the mid-70s. Very light winds.

Sunny 80, both Swallowtails very fresh

9:00 a.m. 85 degrees F. clear light breeze nectar sources: Mexican Bird-of-Paradise and Bebbia

Temperatures 45-52 degrees at 8700-9500ft

First snowfall (a dusting) fell on Friday 9/15.

One UnId’d Fritillary

First outing since Hurricane Irma. Warm, breezy, lots of roadside wildflowers in places. Very wet.

One of Eastern Tiger Swallowtails was a black form female.

At long last the park finally opened after the passing of Hurricane Irma 7 days ago, though only the east end and middle key were actually open, the north end was still closed. Several of the leps were pretty battered-looking. Nice surprises were a Painted Lady, my first-for-fall Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak in the park and my 2nd-ever-for-the-park Spicebush Swallowtail.

Temperature in the mid 80s. Sachem and Snouts were nice surprises.

great butterfly watching evening. 6pm, 85 degrees.

Light breeze, 4-9 mph; air temperatures ranged from 72-75 F; with Della Wells.

extremely hot and humid

Saw one Monarch caterpillar too.

Surprising amount of diversity given how late it is in the season for Minnesota. Saw the first Gray Hairstreak I’ve seen in the state thus far, and Fiery Skippers are a first for this park… and the county, I believe.