January 2023 Sightings

Ron & Lori Smith

Navy-Wells
Miami-Dade County, FL

Mostly overcast, very dry. A short visit.

  • Barred Yellow 7
  • Ceraunus Blue 4
  • Baracoa Skipper 5

Baracoa Skipper

Baracoa Skipper

Ron & Lori Smith

Everglades National Park
Miami-Dade County, FL

Got lucky on the first day of the year. It was high up in a stand of gumbo limbos and vines. Poor photo, but it was what it was.

  • Large Orange Sulphur 3
  • Gulf Fritillary 2
  • Florida Leafwing 1

Florida Leafwing

Florida Leafwing

Ken Wilson

Escondido Backyard
San Diego County, CA

Despite receiving up to 2 inches of rain today an adult Monarch and Monarch cat were rescued from the rain and placed under a porch.

  • Monarch 1

Daniel Jones

Our yard at Progreso Lakes
Hidalgo County, TX

70s-80s, strong south wind

  • Checkered White 4
  • Cloudless Sulphur 3
  • Large Orange Sulphur 1
  • Lyside Sulphur 3
  • Boisduval's Yellow 1
  • Little Yellow 2
  • Dusky-blue Groundstreak 5
  • American Snout 2
  • Gulf Fritillary 4
  • Vesta Crescent 2
  • Phaon Crescent 1
  • Red Admiral 1
  • Carolina Satyr 8
  • Monarch 1
  • Queen 1
  • Brown Longtail 2
  • Funereal Duskywing 1
  • Tropical Checkered-Skipper 5
  • Laviana White-Skipper 2
  • Turk's-cap White-Skipper 1
  • Clouded Skipper 4
  • Fiery Skipper 1
  • Common Mellana 1
  • Eufala Skipper 2

Boisduval's Yellow

Dusky-blue Groundstreak

Common Mellana

Vesta Crescent

Turk's-cap White-Skipper

Gulf Fritillary

Queen

Large Orange Sulphur

Ron & Lori Smith

North Key Largo
Monroe County, FL

(7-44) Mostly sunny. Mosquitoes moderate. Florida Purplewings are always a highlight.

  • Giant Swallowtail 2
  • Large Orange Sulphur 5
  • Ceraunus Blue 5
  • Julia Heliconian 16
  • Zebra Heliconian 1
  • Florida Purplewing 14
  • Fiery Skipper 1

Julia Heliconian

Florida Purplewing

Florida Purplewing

Florida Purplewing

Zebra Heliconian

Large Orange Sulphur

Ron & Lori mith

E-111 Canal & Lucky Hammock
Miami-Dade County, FL

Native porterweed was blooming and was a primary nectar source. Sunny skies. A one-hour visit.

  • Cloudless Sulphur 1
  • Barred Yellow 5
  • Ceraunus Blue 2
  • Zebra Heliconian 2
  • Common Buckeye 2
  • Tropical Buckeye 3
  • White Peacock 6
  • Monarch 1
  • Queen 3
  • Long-tailed Skipper 1
  • Dorantes Longtail 3
  • Clouded Skipper 2

Tropical Buckeye

Ceraunus Blue

Barred Yellow

Ron & Lori Smith

John Stretch Park
Palm Beach County, FL

(15-119) Partly sunny and warm. Plenty to see in a short walk along the park’s north edge below the dike. FL-28.

  • Great Southern White 30
  • Barred Yellow 8
  • Ceraunus Blue 4
  • Gulf Fritillary 5
  • Julia Heliconian 2
  • Zebra Heliconian 27
  • Cuban Crescent 7
  • Phaon Crescent 2
  • Red Admiral 1
  • White Peacock 16
  • Dorantes Longtail 6
  • White Checkered-Skipper 6
  • Tropical Checkered-Skipper 1
  • Three-spotted Skipper 2
  • Clouded Skipper 2

Great Southern White

Julia Heliconian

Cuban Crescent

Cuban Crescent

Dorantes Longtail

Three-spotted Skipper

Tropical Checkered-Skipper

Phaon Crescent

Zebra Heliconian

Steve Carbol

Three Mountains Natural Area
Broward County, FL

  • Cloudless Sulphur 2
  • Zebra Heliconian 14
  • White Peacock 5
  • Monarch 12
  • Long-tailed Skipper 5
  • Horace's Duskywing 2

Brian Ahern

John Stretch Memorial Park
Palm Beach County, FL

0900-1130, too cold when I first arrived for butterflies but the two hours was great. walked the northern edge of the park by the base of the dike going west from the picnic area on the north side of the pond

  • Great Southern White 20
  • Orange-barred Sulphur 1
  • Barred Yellow 6
  • Dainty Sulphur 2
  • Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak 1
  • Ceraunus Blue 8
  • Gulf Fritillary 8
  • Julia Heliconian 4
  • Zebra Heliconian 18
  • Cuban Crescent 1
  • Phaon Crescent 1
  • Pearl Crescent 2
  • Red Admiral 6
  • Common Buckeye 2
  • White Peacock 28
  • Monarch 1
  • Long-tailed Skipper 2
  • Dorantes Longtail 3
  • White Checkered-Skipper 6
  • Tropical Checkered-Skipper 2
  • Clouded Skipper 11
  • Least Skipper 1
  • Southern Skipperling 1

Red Admiral

Southern Skipperling

Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak

Phaon Crescent

Julia Heliconian

Cuban Crescent

Cuban Crescent

Cuban Crescent

john heyse

at home, Palatka
Putnam County, FL

My first butterfly of the year and the first at my new home in Palatka.

The Monarch was large and had androconial spots. Obviously, it was a male, but it was unusual. It was dark, like a female. I’ve never seen one like it.

  • Monarch 1

Brian Ahern

Dinner Island Ranch WMA
Hendry County, FL

1000-1300. Spot checking several areas along the long loop road. Many Thanks to Ron Smith for the helpful pointers to finding Hayhurst’s Scallopwing. This species has been a nemesis of mine and is probably my last Lifer in Florida.

  • Great Southern White 4
  • Barred Yellow 8
  • Little Yellow 2
  • Ceraunus Blue 1
  • Gulf Fritillary 5
  • Zebra Heliconian 3
  • Cuban Crescent 3
  • Phaon Crescent 1
  • Pearl Crescent 1
  • White Peacock 12
  • Viceroy 2
  • Carolina Satyr 8
  • Monarch 30
  • Queen 11
  • Long-tailed Skipper 4
  • Dorantes Longtail 1
  • Hayhurst's Scallopwing 6
  • White Checkered-Skipper 1
  • Clouded Skipper 3
  • Fiery Skipper 9
  • Sachem 1
  • Ocola Skipper 12

Carolina Satyr

Cuban Crescent

Hayhurst's Scallopwing

Hayhurst's Scallopwing

Hayhurst's Scallopwing

Hayhurst's Scallopwing

John Heyse

at home, Palatka
Putnam County, FL

The Little Yellow was a Lifer.

  • Cloudless Sulphur 1
  • Little Yellow 1

David H. Bartholomew

Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve
Santa Clara County, CA

Just enough sunshine today to bring out a single Spring Azure. First butterfly of the year for me.

  • Spring Azure 1

Ron & Lori Smith

Long Key Natural Area
Broward County, FL

Mostly sunny with few nectar sources.

  • Atala 1
  • Zebra Heliconian 17
  • Ruddy Daggerwing 1

Atala

Ruddy Daggerwing

Ron & Lori Smith

Fort Zachary Taylor State Park
Monroe County, FL

(18-166) Mostly sunny.

  • Large Orange Sulphur 20
  • Lyside Sulphur 3
  • Barred Yellow 70
  • Little Yellow 6
  • Martial Scrub-Hairstreak 2
  • Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak 15
  • Cassius Blue 8
  • Ceraunus Blue 5
  • Gulf Fritillary 4
  • Zebra Heliconian 1
  • Phaon Crescent 3
  • Mangrove Buckeye 1
  • Queen 4
  • Hammock Skipper 5
  • White Checkered-Skipper 5
  • Fiery Skipper 9
  • Southern Broken-Dash 3
  • Sachem 2

Lyside Sulphur

Southern Broken-Dash

Martial Scrub-Hairstreak

Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak

Large Orange Sulphur

Hammock Skipper

Fiery Skipper

Ron & Lori Smith

Dinner Island Ranch WMA
Hendry County, FL

(16-73) Very dry. Specifically sought the scallopwings and found a only a few. FL-46.

  • Barred Yellow 2
  • Ceraunus Blue 1
  • Zebra Heliconian 3
  • Phaon Crescent 3
  • Pearl Crescent 5
  • White Peacock 12
  • Carolina Satyr 12
  • Monarch 2
  • Queen 8
  • Dorantes Longtail 2
  • Hayhurst's Scallopwing 5
  • Horace's Duskywing 1
  • Tropical Checkered-Skipper 3
  • Three-spotted Skipper 1
  • Fiery Skipper 7
  • Ocola Skipper 6

Hayhurst's Scallopwing

Carolina Satyr

Horace's Duskywing

David H. Bartholomew

Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve
Santa Clara County, CA

Sunny, and just warm enough to bring out several Spring Azures and a Tortoiseshell.

  • Spring Azure 7
  • California Tortoiseshell 1

Spring Azure

John Heyse

at home, Palatka
Putnam County, FL

60F

  • Little Yellow 1

Karl and Dorothy Legler

National Butterfly Center
Hidalgo County, TX

About 76 degrees and sunny. Somewhat windy but OK in protected areas. 30 species in 2 hours.

  • Pipevine Swallowtail 2
  • Giant Swallowtail 3
  • Checkered White 8
  • Orange Sulphur 4
  • Southern Dogface 2
  • Large Orange Sulphur 2
  • Lyside Sulphur 6
  • Little Yellow 5
  • Sleepy Orange 2
  • Dainty Sulphur 2
  • Gray Hairstreak 2
  • Dusky-blue Groundstreak 5
  • American Snout common
  • Zebra Heliconian 1
  • Bordered Patch 2
  • Texan Crescent 25
  • Phaon Crescent 13
  • Question Mark 2
  • Red Admiral common
  • Common Mestra 2
  • Tawny Emperor 1
  • Monarch 2
  • Queen 15
  • Brown Longtail 2
  • White Checkered-Skipper 2
  • Tropical Checkered-Skipper 3
  • Clouded Skipper 1
  • Southern Skipperling 4
  • Fiery Skipper 4
  • Common Mellana 1

Common Mellana

Dusky-blue Groundstreak

Checkered White

Bordered Patch

David H. Bartholomew

Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve
Santa Clara County, CA

After just a few days of warmer dry weather the Spring Azures are already seeking the mud puddles.

  • Spring Azure 15
  • California Tortoiseshell 1
  • Mourning Cloak 4
  • Red Admiral 1

Mourning Cloak

Spring Azure

Spring Azure

John and Nancy Crosby

Captain's Cove Road
McIntosh County, GA

It was a brisk 54 degrees with full sun and a light breeze. The Red-banded Hairstreak was our first butterfly to photograph this year. (We’ve seen a couple of Cloudless Sulphurs and Little Yellows earlier that didn’t stop for photos.) And guys that’s NOT snow but sand on the ground! :)

  • Red-banded Hairstreak 1

Red-banded Hairstreak

John Heyse

at home, Palatka
Putnam County, FL

51F

  • American Lady 1

Ken Wilson

Escondido backyard
San Diego County, CA

Sunny, 70 degrees.

  • Cabbage White
  • Large Orange Sulphur
  • Monarch

Ken Wilson

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
San Diego County, CA

Sunny, upper 60s, breezy.

  • Becker's White
  • Spring White
  • Orange Sulphur
  • Painted Lady
  • White Checkered-Skipper

John Heyse

at home, Palatka
Putnam County, FL

73f All males.

Little Yellows on sorrel.

  • Cloudless Sulphur 1
  • Little Yellow 2

Karl and Dorothy Legler

Estero Llano Grande State Park in Weslaco
Hidalgo County, TX

Temperature in low 80s. Sunny. 24 species in a small portion of the park. Highlight was Banded Peacock which is rare in the Rio Grande Valley. It looks like it travelled a long distance to get here.

  • Giant Swallowtail 1
  • Southern Dogface 1
  • Cloudless Sulphur 1
  • Large Orange Sulphur 2
  • Lyside Sulphur 5
  • Little Yellow 1
  • Cassius Blue 1
  • Rounded Metalmark 2
  • American Snout 4
  • Gulf Fritillary 1
  • Texan Crescent 3
  • Vesta Crescent 1
  • Phaon Crescent 1
  • White Peacock 3
  • Banded Peacock 1
  • Queen 1
  • White-striped Longtail 1
  • Brown Longtail 2
  • Mournful Duskywing 1
  • White Checkered-Skipper 1
  • Tropical Checkered-Skipper 4
  • Laviana White-Skipper 2
  • Southern Skipperling 1
  • Eufala Skipper 2

Banded Peacock

John Heyse

at home, Palatka
Putnam County, FL

  • Cloudless Sulphur 3
  • Little Yellow 2

Steven Glynn

Whitewater Draw WMA
Cochise County, AZ

  • Checkered White 1
  • Mourning Cloak 1

Checkered White

John Heyse

at home, Palatka
Putnam County, FL

77F Little Yellow was grayish (female)

  • Cloudless Sulphur 4
  • Little Yellow 1
  • Sleepy Orange 2