June 2015 Sightings

11:50 to 14:50, The Ruddy Hairstreak is a male with the orange showing through the worn wings.

More lifers at this location. Did not see Mountain Mahogany Hairstreaks but did find Hedgerow Hairstreaks instead.

From 10:45 to 13:45

75F

APAFR is in both Polk & Highlands County. This was the NABA butterfly count. Three teams - DCutler, MCutler, JDuBois, JEvoy, SFarnsworth, KFinch, LRhodes, BCooper, LCooper. 78 - 85 degrees, totally overcast all day. 9:30 am - 4:30 pm. Amazing number of Gray Hairstreaks! Soldier and Berry’s Skipper were new to the count.

Dodging more summer showers again this morning, and got caught three times.

also a couple Eight-Spotted Forester moths and a Hummingbird moth

On some Lantana in our butterfly garden.

The first time in having a silver-spotted skipper. Visited a lilac today, but was gone when returning with a camera.

2 of the Mourning Cloaks were very fresh (new generation); the rest were very worn (hibernated individuals). In a “normal” year, the hibernated individuals are gone by mid-May and the new generation emerges in mid-June.

74F

Falcon State Park and Falcon Heights, 10:30 to 16:30

4:30-6:00 PM
Sunny 70’s
1st App.Brown +1st Silver Spotteds this year

66F with David Rawlinson

with David Rawlinson

A daily visitor to my butterfly-friendly yard.

Lunch time census. First Northern Cloudywing of the year.

Weekly survey, with Alan Wells and Nancy Slowik
62-69, completely overcast.
Brown image by Alan Wells.

Checkered Whites are increasing their percentage in the population of Whites as the season is progressing.

These were observed during the NABA Monterey count. Conditions cool, breezy, and foggy. Sunshine rare.

Despite temps in the mid 70s butterflies continue to be scare here in county. I also had an unidentified Sulphur.

With Ricky Tremble, Steve Freedman, Mike Stanfield, Fred Allen, Jean Evoy and Karen Finch. 3.5 hours, 87-91F, full sun, winds light. Thanks everyone for photos. Brazilian Skippers were in larval stage.

Many butterflies feeding at or in vicinity of a large flowering California Buckeye tree growing in creek bed of Crosley Creek. Many bees, wasps, and bumblebees, also were feeding at this buckeye tree and other native plants in the vicinity. Sunny day with temps in the 80’s F.

Butterflies seen on an outing with the Bedford Audubon Society within the Shawangunk Grasslands and adjoining areas.

Came to our backyard milkweed patch but didn’t stay.

With Ron Smith, Eric Plage, Peter Plage. Butterflies noted while our team was participating (and won) a Birdathon held at the preserve.

During NABA Georgia chapter event, numerous species were seen. Note 5+ Gulf Fritillary observed were in caterpillar and chrysalis stage.

Late afternoon, saw Spring Azure at home, then snout and Eastern Tiger Swallowtail near common pool area

65F breezy

1:30 pm to 3 pm

Pink-spotted Swallowtail- P. pharnaces; 1 worn male, along with a yellowish Ruby-spotted Swallowtail on a Bauhinia in my yard in south Del Rio. The Ruby-spotted was a previous county record from my yard in October 2004. Sorry for the poor photos.

1:30 – 5:35 pm EDT. Excellent conditions: sunny to mostly sunny, 75-82 deg F, N/NE wind 5-10 mph. Personal first-of-season records: Eastern Pine Elfin, Hackberry Emperor (which obligingly landed on my shirt twice, as they often do), Crossline Skipper, & Least Skipper.

cool rainy spring weather clearing to near 70 with variable clouds.
Many duskywings were quite worn, limiting precise id.

Jutta Arctics were at the north end of the bog (enter from Route 55 rather than Route 86). Several (Hobomok Skipper) Pocahontas females. Most butterflies on the southern end.

10 AM - 12:30 PM. Central Loop Trail. Added Great Southern White & Delaware Skipper to the new preserve list.

Happened upon this Silver-spotted Skipper while mowing the backyard today.

w/Randy Harrod. Very hot and humid.

1:15PM-3:45pm

85F
The gulf fritillary came by twice, as did the anise swallowtail.

This is the Decatur County portion of the count, not the final total. Striped Hairstreak was seen in Perry County atop a bluff directly across from Mousetail Landing State Park.

In a combined effort with Harry Zirlin, we were unable to find any Southern Cloudywings atop Pell Hill - but found a high density of Northern Cloudywings. Notable for their absence were Eastern Tiger Swallowtails.

10:15am-12:15pm
Juvenal’s Duskywing was extremely worn.

My first Diana sighting EVER!

8:30 am to 1:30 pm

28 degrees at 6 am, but Olive-Sided Flycatchers, Palm and Nashville Warblers and Lincoln Sparrows singing! Jutta Arctics began landing on the boardwalk (Boreal Life Trail) around 8 am (below 50 degrees but sunny).

Late afternoon to early evening around Cascade Road (Route 73).

12-2 pm. The elfin was tiny and worn, and for a while I thought it could be a Bog Elfin. It just did not look like any Pine Elfin I had seen, but once I saw it on my laptop my dream ended.

Also had some 6-spotted tiger beetles, Bronzed Tiger Beetles

Also 3 unidentified azures.

Stopped here briefly as Meadow Fritillary caught my attention.

Observations made between 8:50 & 11:50 a.m.

Observations made between 1 & 4 p.m. Very little activity in the serpentine barrens. Most of the sightings from the meadows at the western end of the park.

Rain in a.m. partly sunny afternoon with mild winds.

Saw two Milbert’s Tortoiseshells on a warm sunny calm day.

The Fritzgaertner’s Flat was resting in the darkness of the restroom alcove, where other nice skippers have been found over the years. The Jalapus was visiting Tenaza blossoms.

Humid, warm, overcast all day. First time I have seen California Dogface at this location. Sylvan Hairstreak is Tailless, Satyrium dryope.

Plus 1 unidentified Polygonia.

from 10:00 to 13:30, the Fitzgaertner’s Flats were at nearby Bentsen State Park.

While common down in the Lower Rio Grande Valley/South Texas, the butterfly is unusual for this Houston backyard! And it is a fresh specimen to boot!

Duskywings seen in our county are usually Funereal or Mournful. This one does not have white fringes on the hindwing, nor does it have the dark color of the preceding, so I am uncertain of its identification. Best guesses are Horace’s and Wild Indigo.

10:30am - 2:45pm
with Keith and Anita Richmond

Quiet in the garden waiting for more nectar plants to bloom.

Nature Conservancy preserve, a frost-pocket boreal relict bog. Central bog surrounded by uploand meadows. Warm, sunny, light breeze. Accompanied by Tom Stock. Nectar sources included red and white clovers, viburnum, and various composites, principally hawkweeds (Hieracium), and escaped domestic carnations and comfrey. Eastern Tiger Swallowtail count includes 9 Appalachian Tiger Swallowtails.

Warm, dry, clear. Nectar sources included New Jersey Tea, red and white clovers, and dogbane. Accompanied by Tom Stock.

78F

70s, rainy then mostly gray.

In my backyard, I was surprised to find a Coronis Fritillary on my Buddlaeia bush. It did not stay around for a photo.

Spot-celled Sister - perhaps a dozen sightings in the US.

70s, partly sunny, gray and a little rain.

66F with Barbara DeWitt

67F with Barbara DeWitt

w/Randy Harrod. Still no sign of any E.Pygmy-Blues at the park.

Brief visit.

w/Randy Harrod & Brian Ahern. (Photos - R.Harrod). Just one swallowtail species.

The Gray Hairstreaks love the mint in my butterfly garden. Also lots of Cabbage Whites enjoy our butterfly garden.

3:00 - 4:15 PM.

FOS hairstreaks

Gulf frit, laid eggs, hurray! And Fiery skipper.

Went 4 miles and then back

UnID Sulpher

4-5 pm; about 85, humid, partly cloudy. GSF and Baltos were happy puddling after rain

NABA count - great weather and enthusiastic participants - BCooper, LCooper, CConk, DCutler, MCutler, SFarnsworth, LRhodes, NPrine, DTrimble, MVonEhr. New to count - Three-spotted Skipper.

With Dennis Olle

With Dennis Olle

A great day of butterflies. Most of the fritillaries were nectaring on multiflora rose. Ten to twelve would be on a branch at one time.

Foggy at the preserve until 9 this morning, it is about 70 miles north of the coast, and the property has two tracts. There is one tract that is wildlife management area, with the other is a wildlife preserve.

15:30-17:00. Central Loop Trail 3.5 miles

Diane Fritillary was a female

Appalachian Blue on Bugbane

2.5- 3 miles before turning around
Elevation 7000-9000ft

A great emergence of Harris’ Checkerspots.

Surprising scarcity of butterflies, 3:30—4:30 p.m. Too hot?

Nice to see one male Bronze Copper; perhaps others hiding under the dock in the pond.

Tiger Swallowtail noted as well. Not sure if Eastern or Canadian.

Several hrs. in early afternoon, not visiting all areas of large park. Sun with temp’s in low 80’s. An Azure was observed laying eggs on Cimicifuga racemosa, host plant to Appalachian Azure. Silvery Checkerspots seemingly doing well this year. Satyrium hairstreaks just starting up; skippers mostly not out here, or perhaps scarce. Dogbanes in bloom, Milkweeds not just yet. Orange Sulphur & Red Admiral were added later just outside the park.

10:20 to 14:20

Mourning Cloak was very fresh. Butterfly numbers and diversity are still both poor.

With David Rawlinson and Noah Arthur, most of what we saw was along Branscomb Road. The Hydaspe Fritillary was at the Rest Area south of Laytonville.

Continued hot and dry, in the lower 90s. Butterflies have been scarce.

Fitsgaertner’s Flat found in restroom at visitor’s center.

Stopped to stretch legs and walked a little patch and surprised to see the hairstreaks working the ground clover

9:30 - 1:00 PM.

I walked in the field for 2 hours and 15 minutes. I probably averaged 20-30 European Skippers per minute of walking!

76F part of Benicia count

First Silvery Checkerspot ever at this location.

Many miles and hours and the Jutta Arctics remained elusive.

Found the 1st of this year White Peacock

Eastern Divide Ranger District; Forest Route 181, Forest Route 229 and the Fenwick Mines Recreation Area. Photo of the Diana Fritillary taken on June 19 when two males were seen and three additional species: Pearl Crescent (1), Little Wood-Satyr (1), and Southern Cloudywing (1).

Milkweed starting to bloom.

Elevation 7600-9600ft

86 degrees and breezy.