May 2020 Sightings

3pm-515pm, 79 degrees, sunny, windy

mild, breezy and dry. This Zebra Heliconian came by hours earlier than I usually see them. Most of the time one or two will come about noon, when there is more shade in the back.

(15-58)

This N. Checkerspot shown had an unusual solidly orange color. Usually there’s a lighter band in the dorsal HW.

Results of NABA count.

1-2 pm

2pm-445pm, 82-84 degrees, sunny, calm

80F, sunny. With the boys. Wetlands fairly dry, and streams dry. ~12pm-5pm

Today, on first warm afternoon with no sign of recent rain and winds, I saw my earliest ever sighting of a Monarch. She was full of energy and didn’t pause long on milkweed, or on money plant blooms. Photo not good enough for submission, but at least date stamped for records.

13:55-16:30 EDT. Mostly sunny (20% cloud), 68-73 deg F, wind 0-5 mph.

Upper 50s to low 60s clear and sunny. Observed while birding

85 degrees, sunny with light wind.

85 degrees, sunny, light winds.

First sunny day in what seems forever!

Spring Count, Most species 46, and individuals 1569 seen on a Broward County NABA Count. A silver lining in the time of coronavirus. Silver-Banded Hairstreak, first time seen on Broward count.

Start weather: Clear, 67°, 10mph wind
End weather: Hazy, 63°, 12mph wind
Start time: 12:30pm
End time: 5:00pm
R. Spink and D. Dunlap
We went to several different locations

Sunny, low 80s, windy. Conditions were quite dry. Buckwheat is not in bloom yet.

Week ending results.

85 degrees, sunny. Disappointed to find that the fogfruit host plant for Phaon Crescent had been mowed again this year. It grows in the three ft strip along wildlife drive and is where we usually find Phaon Crescents and Little Metalmark. Mowers also got all the helitrope except that at Barbour Landing which is in another report. Sparkleberry was almost all spent so the few species we saw were on pinewoods milkweed. The Oak Hairstreak almost fooled me when I snapped the photo I thought it was a White M Hairstreak.

87 degrees, sunny and breezy.

85 degrees, sunny with cool breeze. All of the Sparkleberry is spent at Harris Neck NWR but here most is still fresh. Still targeting Striped Hairstreak usually seen by early May.

From 3:00 - 4:00 PM.

I found 5 Frosted Elfin on the blue trail and 3 in the gardens in front of the visitor center. This was a life butterfly for me. I had very good looks even though there were a lot of people on the trail. The butterflies kept flushing but returned to the same area each time.

(7-25). 8:30-9. My highest-yet total for Salt Marsh in Pinellas.

Mid morning, sunny, 70’s.

There have been very few Henry’s Elfin sightings in Minnesota. One on iNaturalist, 5 historical on BAMONA, a handful in the Forest Service assessments. So, it was really amazing to see dozens at two locations in Chisago County. From what I can tell this is the first sighting in Chisago County. Both locations were oak-white pine sand plains.

Seen puddling at a roadside pull-off with several others species of butterflies.

warm, 62 at 7 a.m. Still not much flying. Observed while birding

Walked between 10:30 am and 12:30 pm. Sunny and about 80 degrees.

On west bank of Rio Grande near Sculpture Park. Sunny, mid 70’s.

115pm-430pm, 83 degrees, sunny, light wind

Mostly cloudy, windy, 60 degrees. First swallowtails of the year and an American Lady! Apologies for the grainy iPhone image…

Sunny but very windy.

92 degrees, sunny, breezy. Sparkleberry was the nectar source. Still targeting Striped Hairstreak.

another windy day but with sun and 55F. the creek along this trail is now running well and a few flowers are blooming. i was very excited to find the Satyr Comma. they are rare here, but have been sighted on this trail in the past. the spring azure and the Sara Orangetip are the first this season.

Sunny, mid-60s
Walk from gate to trail head.
Started 2pm

(17-88). Nectar sources included thistle, pickerelweed, buttonbush, fleaband, tickseed, blackeyed susan & fewflower milkweed. (FL 103).

Did the first part of the survey at Fontenelle Forest today. Not best conditions for butterflying, 60 degrees, wind gust up to 40 mph. partly sunny

Mostly sunny, breezy, mid 50s. More new sightings for the year including a fresh Pearl Crescent…

933 am til 1233 pm hiking the natural trails, under tree canopy, with clouds, 88 degrees with a ocean breeze

84 degrees, breezy with full sun.

Pleasantly warm today, 10:30 - 4:00 pm. Butterflies were too busy to photograph but a few, but there was a nice variety again. California Tortoiseshell was a surprise.

ID confirmed with Harry Pavulaan and actual ID was Celestrina Serotina, Cherry Gall Azure patched form

First of season juvenal Duskywing. Temp 55 and sunny with light winds

Sunny and 60 degrees.

Sunny, 80’s, near Rio Grande nature center (arroyo behind park, as park is closed.)

I’ve had Plumbago in my butterfly garden for 5 years but this is the first year I have seen the Cassius Blue. Day before yesterday a male & female were doing what I call the Butterfly mating dance. Then yesterday while working in my garden I saw the female laying her eggs. They usually don’t light long but I really got a good look at her as she was laying each egg. Can’t wait to see the caterpillars and the Chrysalis!

On the trail 10:30 am - 1:30 pm 83 degrees with a light breeze

Sunny, highs in mid 60s.
Walked 2-2.5 miles to an elevation of 6900ft.

Williams Rd Unit 10:45 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Weather: 74°-85°; 100% sun all day; winds 8-13 mph. Nectar sources: Cirsium nuttallii, C. horridulum, Polygala rugelii, Asclepias tuberosa, Cephalanthus occidentalis, Pluchea spp.
Sherman’s Fox Squirrel on Road 1 at north leg of road.

saw in fields; about 40 degrees F and windy (11:30 am -12:15 pm)

Mostly sunny, windy and 50F

12noon-230pm, 82-85 degrees, sunny, light wind

Not completely sure of this ID. Please correct if necessary.

Cold front with temperatures about 72 degrees, sunny and breezy. I saw the ‘Holly Azure’ on the wet soil below my bird bath which only gets filtered sun. No photos as we were gardening.

Cold front with temperature about 70, sunny and breezy.

This is our best skipper spot a little later in May. The county mowed all the pickerel lily in the sun so we were searching where 99% was the shade and only saw 1 butterfly. Last year we photographed 40 species of butterflies on the pickerel lily in the sun before they mowed. This year was a little cooler and the mowing was earlier.

We finally found our targeted Striped Hairstreak! All 4 were on the Sparkleberry on Old Shellman Road just North of the Intersection with Priester Road near Shellman Bluff, GA. Other Hairstreaks were pretty evenly distributed. We like the Captain’s Cove location as you can drive all the way to the cul de sac & park where the Clusters of Sparkleberry Bushes are so quick checks are easier. But all the hairstreaks on Old Shellman Bluff Road were within 1/4 mile from the Intersection of Priester Road.

74 degrees, breezy, sunny.

Suburban foothills, midday with highs in 80’s and sunny

Very cold the night before, sunny but windy during time in field. “Spring Azures” were Atlantic Holly “form.”

Late afternoon walk in my woods yielded these results. In sunny, windless locations I ran across these butterflies to my delight. Cabbage Whites were in the field just outside the woods. This was 5 PM

First Monarch of the year…and probably one of the earliest I’ve ever seen. Surprising since there were snow flurries less than 24 hours ago! Spotted in my backyard while grilling…flew around for 2-3 minutes.

Sunny, near 60 degrees
Just walked to trail head

1030am-2pm, 75-82 degrees, sunny, light wind, with Veronica Battles and John and Jane Lampkin.

75 degrees, Filtered sun from 11-12:30. Fastest finish ever as there were so few butterflies until we reached the end of the penisular and the Sparkleberry.

78 degrees We did not find Striped Hairstreaks on Old Shellman Rd as we did yesterday when we started about 11 am. Today we were not there until 2 pm.

10:30 am - 1:30 pm observed and recorded on the trail. The weather conditions were wicked windy, sunny, and 83 degrees.

Midday, Sunny, low 80’s, light breeze. Suburban foothills area. Flowers such as catmint, meadow sage, yarrow, and James penstemon blooming.

Suburban foothills in late morning. Low 80’s; most butterflies attracted to chocolate flowers.

75 degrees, sunny.

Finally at 4 pm the Pickerel Lily was in the sun!

From the Eulonia Exit at I-95 we continued on Hwy 57 W & turned South in Townsend on Steelbridge Road. We turned left and went East on Cox Rd. Immediately past Townsend WMA sign we checked the huge powerline cut but found no species where we usually get Georgia Satyr. We went Cox Rd back just past the intersection of Steelbridge Rd & turned on a dirt road to Plum Orchard Cemetery. In the roadside wetlands immediately after we turned we found 3 Georgia Satyr. Then we passed the cemetery & followed Wesley Rd where we found huge stands of Sparkleberry. There were only a few bushes full of fresh blooms, others were spent. We found only Oak Hairstreak, Horace’s Duskywing and Cloudles Sulphur. We checked Daws Road as the Palmetto blooms are beginning to open but we found only 1 Oak Hairstreak and no Palmetto Skippers. Back on Steelbridge Road where the woods and ditches were flooded from the Altamaha River a few weeks ago we found fresh thistle with a few skippers. We also checked the Chinquapin, Castanea pumila, a smaller relative of the American chestnut and found skippers.

Sunny, breezy, 60 degrees

Walked around from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. Temperature was between 73 and 79 degrees and cloudy for the first two hours. Trail was very muddy from rain the night before.

Recon for May 16 north circle spring count

With Nan Wilson & Renee Davis.

Outskirts of Riegelsville, near the Bucks/Northampton county borders. Sunny, breezy, 70 degrees. First Spicebush Swallowtail and Orange Sulphur (of what will be many) of the year…

The Orange Trail has just been widened & most of the trailside Sparkleberry and Common Sweet Leaf destroyed. We finally found 3 small Sparkleberry with fresh blooms in a group and saw 3 King’s and 2 Oak Hairstreaks on the Blue Trail along the river. Last year we had to look in the host plant, sweet bush to find 1 as with global warming they eclose later than the Sparkleberry blooms remain fresh.

11am-230pm, 78-87 degrees, sunny, windy

(18-85) Sunny skies with low humidity. Few skippers flying. Nectar sources: thistle, fogfruit, Nash’s meadowbeauty & buttonbush.

Mostly sunny, 79-86 deg F, 0-15 mph wind. Overall: typical number of species, but relatively low numbers for most species. And not one of my better photography days!

This was just my section of the count

Sunny, breezy and about 85 degrees.

Temp around 60. Lots of Painted Ladies lately

Suburban area of foothills. Sunny, mid 80’s. Midday.

sunny, high 60s

Partly sunny, 60 degrees
Only walked to the first stream crossing (~100-200yd). Wasn’t feeling like a gymnast today so called it. Typical during the Spring runoff. Will get farther next trip.

Saw a Duskywing.

Sunny low 70s,

Peoria Academy of Sciences Entomology Group. Eight socially distancing entomologist; started cool and foggy, ended warm and humid.

warm breezy day,57F mostly sunny skies. i was out from 1:00pm to 2:30 pm. this is a transect that i walk about once a week for boulder county open space.

70 degrees, sunny about 10 am. Roadside wetland habitat. This individual was somewhat worn but this is a fairly early date.

85 degrees, full sun. We social distanced.

80 degrees, filtered sun Trail with Blue Markers on the last few Sparkleberry and Sweet Leaf (host plant for King’s Hairstreak). King’s was a hard find taking a full two hours of walking. Only 1 and it was found on host plant, Sweet Leaf.

With Steve Rosenthal. Azures were “Atlantic Holly” thing.

Mostly cloudy with temp around 70 and some humidity.

early afternoon yard sighting sunny 90 degrees

75 and partly cloudy

This is the first Pipevine I have observed this year despite 3 previous trips to this site. Last year on May 11 I saw 14 here and on this exact date last year I saw 13. Seems clear the cold spring and the all time record low we had about a week ago, in Beaver County, has significantly impacted the butterfly population.

hot, sunny, light breeze.

Little Wood-Satyr is first for me in TN. All seen were fresh

87 Degrees, sunny.

88 degrees, breezy, sunny, becoming very dry but Helitrope is still fresh. The White M, Gray & abundance of Oak Hairstreaks are no longer flying here.

1245pm-4pm, 84-88 degrees, partly cloudy, light wind

I have been butterflying for twenty years or so and this is the first time I have seen the species in my region. Field guides also suggest that this butterfly is well out of range.

Yard Butterflies in-between sun and clouds; hot and humid. The Orange-barred Sulphurs were both females laying on Cassia alata and Cassia bicapsularis. EPerry

On the nature trail, 10 am - 1 pm, 83 degrees, 50% sunny, 50% pouring rain. Hope you enjoy the butterflies captured through my lens 📷🦋

Sunny in the 60’s

80 degrees mostly sunny.

Start weather: Sunny, 60°, 11mph wind
End weather: Sunny, 70°, 9mph wind
Start time: 10:00am
End time: 5:30pm
We went to several different locations including: 120th Ave. and 51st St., the pipeline on 120 Ave., 48th St., 49th Street, two different locations along 126th Ave. and 36th St.
R. Spink, D. Dunlap, and J. Reinoehl

65F

(14-50). Low 80s, sunny and plenty to see.

Suburban foothills area mostly on chocolate flowers and catmint. Sunny, high 70’s. Mid morning.

We have been stuck in a very cloudy weather pattern. Today we saw about 20 minutes of sunshine. We have been lucky to see any butterflies, but the Painted Ladies have particularly been cooperative. We also saw the first Monarch of the season.

Walked 6 miles on the River Corridor Trail and 7 miles on the road back to the car. Observed butterflies from 10:30 am to 6:30 pm. Sunny around 81 degrees. Out of the 16 Pearly Eyes seen, only able to confirm one as a Creole and 2 as Northern, the other 13 are unknown.

Very cloudy. Rain is on the way!

69F

Sunny, low 60s.
Walked the road (6200ft) to trail and then the trail up to 7950ft. Stopped because of snow field.

After heavy morning frost, saw first of season Black Swallowtails. Temp 58, 1 pm and partly sunny, light winds.

11am-145pm, 87-90 degrees, sunny, calm

Warm day, mid-70’s, lots of checkerspots. Tailed and Gorgon Coppers were first of season.

Sunny, light breeze, 70 degrees…first species of “Grass Skipper” of the season!

Migrating butterflies flying out over Sapelo Sound were observed this afternoon.

Sunny, 85 degrees this afternoon.

Based on a report to the South West Leps listserv, we went to check on a week of previous sightings of a Creamy Stripe-streak, A. jada. My husband Mark and I found two at once, one on the nightshade Solanum elaeagnifolium. After searching for an hour, we ran into Lori and Mark Conrad, the couple who originally posted the find, who showed us a different bush where their individual could be found. I took photos at each sighting, which totaled 5. Checking my photos on the following Saturday, it turned out we found 5 different individuals, based on wing wear and scale loss patterns. Comparing to other photos posted previously to the listserv, there may have been 7 different individual A. jada documented so far at this location as two pictured there have different wear patterns.

The Tiger Swallowtails didn’t land so didn’t get a great look at them. I believe they were Easterns, but seemed small. .

88 degrees, full sun, had rain here last night.

Sunny. Temps in 60’s.

90 degrees and we’ve gotten 1/2” of rain! Seeing new species now!

930am-11am, 85 degrees, sunny, calm

70 and variable

Admirals were very fresh - all seen in nettles

McDowell Nature Preserved Praire
I walked a portion of the prairie at McDowell Nature Preserve, southwest Mecklenburg County, from 2:00-3:50 this afternoon under sunny skies with temps ranging from 81-85 F.

Roadside Wetland. 93 degrees, sunny. Timing is everything! We have checked this site numerous times seeing very little, then today the Dion’s are worn.

Historical site for Dukes Skipper.

Known spot for Dukes Skipper historically.

Targeted Eastern Pygmy-Blue on roadside Ox-eye Daisies. 92 degress, sunny.

I spent an hour and a half Searching a powerline ROW for butterflies.

11:30-1:05, 73-78 F, COuldy at the start but quickly becoming sunny.

11am-12noon, 84 degrees, sunny, calm, with Nancy White and Veronica Battles

hot humid day, rained the night before. It was sunny early turning cloudy after 1pm. Horace Duskywing paying a visit.

Start weather: Partly cloudy, 82°, 8mph wind
End weather: Sunny, 83°, 3mph wind
Start time: 4:15pm
End time: 6:45pm
We went to two different locations: 49th Street for Frosted Elfins and Olympia Marbles and 48 Street/123rd Street for Olympia Marbles
R. Spink and J. Rutgers

Start weather: Mostly clear, 75°, 5-10mph wind
End weather: Mostly clear, 79°, 5-13mph wind
Start time: 10:40am
End time: 12:00pm
Ronda Spink

First Grass Skipper of the year.

Partly sunny, low 70s, breezy at times.

Sylvan Hairstreak only the second I’ve seen in my yard.
It’s been about 20 years!

With Jane Lampkin, 9:30 - 12:30
80- 87, overcast with rain at 12:45
The northernmost established colony of Julias still thrives. Statiras are difficult to suss out from Cloudless Sulphurs on the wing.
Dainty Sulphur count of 250+ is conservative.
Kudos to Hillsborough County for a well-executed prescribed burn two months ago.

Cloudy, low 60s. 12:30-1:45.

I have been seeing a very small number of Sachems in the spring in town during the past several years (normally seen commonly only August-October).

First Monarch of the year today flitting around my yard ~ interested in common milkweeds that are in bud and a little over a foot tall. Wouldn’t stop for a photo!

Hot, humid and cloudy day. Two Gulf Fritillary caterpillars on passion vine amid many plants in butterfly garden. These are two different individuals.

seen while birding

Start weather: Cloudy, 72°, 5mph wind
End weather: Mostly cloudy, 83°, 5mph wind
Start time: 9:45am
End time: 3:40pm
We went to several locations within the SGA
R. Spink and D. Dunlap

12:15 - 2:00 PM. Started off cloudy in low 60s, then clouds broke and warmed up to low 70s. The Giant Swallowtail was completely unexpected. This is our first spring sighting of one in New York State.

Leaving work today near the parking lot. First Silver-spotted Skipper of the year (of likely hundreds)…