February 2017 Sightings

47 species. 83 degrees. Highlights included Cyna Blue, scads of Texan Crescents, White Scrub-Hairstreak, Clytie Ministreak, Julia Heliconian, Band-celled Sister, White-patched Skipper, Texas Powdered-Skipper, Turk’s-cap White-Skipper and Celia’s Roadside-Skipper.

Sunny
Wind Southerly
Winds 10 - 15mph
Temps Lower 50s - mid 60s

Medium sized female monarch laying eggs throughout garden for over 30 minutes. 72 degrees F and sunny, 10am.

Sunny
Wind southerly
Winds 5 - 10
Temps upper 40s - lower 70s

There was a few Monarchs in the area a few miles inland on this day.The spring emergence is stronger and earlier this year.Winter dwarfism of Buckeyes has almost been replaced by their full size spring counter parts.

Observed at a patch of Bidens and wild radish along the road adjacent to an orange grove.

32 species. 2 hours. The male Chestnut Crescent is very rare. The underside was almost completely blank. It was reluctant to open its wings for more than a fraction of a second. Other highlights included Mexican Bluewing, Gulf Fritillary, Zebra Heliconian, Banded Patch, White-patched Skipper, Funereal and Mournful Duskywings, Mazans Scallopwing and White-striped Longtail.

mostly cloudy, high 60s.
1 un-id sulphur, 1 un-id blue

Mostly sunny and unseasonably warm 69 degrees. My FOS butterflies in South Jersey. In addition to identified, an additional (5) anglewing sp. were seen.

Comma was flying around a brushy stream valley in the early afternoon–temperature was in the mid 60s

Partly cloudy to cloudy, high of 70. Winds were gusty and a factor. One no ID, possibly a Marine Blue.

54 species plus a possible Ruddy Hairstreak. Led by Rick Snider. About 17 people attended. Highlights included male and female Chestnut Crescent (male has more of the chestnut color), Mexican Bluewing, Silver-banded Hairstreak, White Scrub-Hairstreak, Julia and Zebra Heliconian, Tropical Leafwing, Red-bordered Metalmark, Band-celled Sister, Potrillo Skipper, White-patched Skipper, White-striped Longtail, Julia’s Skipper, Olive-clouded Skipper and Celia’s Roadside-Skipper.

60F second butterfly of the year - it’s been cold and wet.

11:00 am to 2:00 pm

Cloudy
Wind Southerly
Winds 10 - 15mph
Temp lower 60s - mid 70s

Warm (80-85), sunny, and breezy. A few clumps of dewberry (Rubus trivialis) were the only flowering plants. Many butterflies were nectaring on the dewberry. Common Checkered-skippers more accurately classified as Common/White Checkered-skippers

Sunny
Wind southwesterly
Winds 5 - 10mph
Temps. Mid 60s - mid 70s

Full sun, high 70f

Sunny
Wind. Northerly
Winds 10 - 15 mph
Temps lower 50s - lower 70s

Full sun turned to cloudy, high of 70f.

Female depositing eggs throughout garden. Had dual bent wingtips and appeared to possibly struggle to plant abdomen on milkweeds firmly for egg-laying.

Sunny
Wind southerly
Winds 10 - 15 mph
Temps upper 40s - lower 70s

59F

Pleasantly warm sunny day, lots of greenery but no flowers yet (except willow catkins). All butterflies seen were going to mud or sunning themselves.

Sunny, 70f, very few nectar sources

Merritt Island Causeway 1 mile past Max Brewer Causeway Bridge in small parking area with shrubs, bushes and grass. Here I saw another 11 species but my total species for the day was 15. Again Great Southern White’s are everywhere. I have images of all of the species for today.

There were hundred’s of Great Southern White all over the park and immediate areas. My first 11 species day of 2017.

Mostly sunny with periods of cloud cover. 68f

Warm sunny day 70F.

Mourning Cloak flushed at Bass Pond boat launch.

Survey confined to roadsides, where most wildflowers were found

Great Southern White’s & Salt Marsh Skippers are everywhere. This site has yielded 15 species over the past 2 days.

Hiked a 5 mile loop. Dewberry, Elbowbush, and Mexican Plum in bloom.

Mostly birding but saw a good number of butterflies. Surprised not to see any Great Southern Whites here.

Warm, sunny, 69° with only a light breeze in this valley park of 651-acres that sits atop an outcropping of serpentine stone. My 1st of this year.

Very Warm 81 degrees.
Sunny
Still.

11:50 - 17:00 EST. Near-record warmth: sunny (5-10% clouds), 67-74 deg F, NW wind 0-10 mph. All species were personal first-of-season.

Nectaring on cherry blossoms

This spot continues to amaze me. Two new species here today and a total of 18 species in my 3 visits. Amazing for February. Pictured Queen & Red Admiral.

Sunny, high in the mid 70s.

Recent rains and warm weather bringing out early butterflies. The White-striped Longtail was new for the park list.

Unseasonably warm, 71 degree February day had plenty of butterflies stretching their wings. In addition to the identified, another four anglewing sp. seen.

Leps were on bidens.

Cow Creek rd
11:30 am mid 70s and warming
partly cloudy

Sunny
Wind southerly
Winds 10 - 15mph
Temps mid 50s - mid 70s

Spotted two males without camera on Feb. 19, 2017. Returned yesterday, Feb. 20, and photographed one male. Saw 11 males. Tennessee record keepers say the next earliest record was Feb. 28. Temperature range was 64-74 and partly sunny to overcast both days.

Warm 72
Sunny
Still

1-3pm Sunny and warmer First juniper siva hairstreaks seen this year.

9:30-11:00

(10:30-2:30) An amazing day for Mallow Scrub-Hairstreaks. All 36 were either on or closely associated with sleepy morning (Waltheria indica).

60° and Sunny. Note: 4 other people have reported seeing E.C.s at 5 locations this year before me. Earliest being Feb. 17th.

record high of 72 degrees, sunny, Been breaking high records for last couple of days

Sunny

First butterfly of the year for me. Partly sunny and 65 degrees.

Sunny
Wind Easterly
Winds 5 - 10 mph
Temps mid 50s - mid 70s

Unseasonably warm, sunny 70s day. Most of these were hilltopping on gravel fire road.

26 species. About 1 hour. 93 degrees. Dorothy took photo of female Blue Metalmark.

36 species. About 2 1/2 hours. 93 degrees. White female Orange Sulphur is Dorothy’s photo.

Full sun but only up to 60f, very strong cold winds. A canyon buffered some of the wind which where I found most butterflies.

The predicted temp was 66 degrees. The actual weather conditions was sunny, 55-59 degrees with 18 mph gust. It felt colder. Dave & Bob saw a few butterflies I didn’t to include one Silvery Blue.

70° sunny SW breeze with all butterflies seen in the woods on sunny south slope, however at least 100 yards inside wooded area, thus cutting the air movement.

Seen at approximately 1pm on a 67 F degree day.

Great to see multiple Atala on Coontie

Sunny and warm (71 degrees) with expected activity. Two other anglewing sp. also seen in flight.

Several species of leps were enjoying the azaleas by the Visitor’s Center.

I was at a local nature preserve in Southfield, Michigan—for the 4th time in a week—hoping to see a butterfly in February for the first time in Michigan. It was the last of several days of record-high temperatures in the 60s for the Detroit area and the last one predicted for the foreseeable future. Finally—a Mourning Cloak.

Dramatic increase from last month’s survey, probably due to consistent warm weather. With Charlie and Jayne Woodruff. Approx. 2 hours. Temp 75-80F; overcast and then full sun. Several Black Swallowtail males appeared to be hill-topping.

Butterflies observed along Black Point Wildlife Drive.

Tattered Antillean Daggerwing present in the “Blue Butterfly Garden” on 23 and 24 Feb. Feeding always on tall wild sage. Ruddy Daggerwing also present.

Made a return trip to ABDSP hoping for better weather and more sightings. The temperature topped out at 60 with full sun and a light breeze. It felt much warmer than the previous day with the wind greatly reduced.

Another warm 73° day with each Comma being seen in a wooded setting, singly about 300 yards apart from Serpentine to nice upland woods and lastly an impenetrable Greenbrier patch

Full sun, 58f. Plants in good condition

50 degrees, sunny

Able to find eggs, caterpillars, and a chrysalis of the Atala butterfly on Coontie.

Not really looking for butterflies as the air temperature was only 45 degrees, but kicked up this American Lady that was sunning on the dirt road. It was surprisingly active for such a low temperature. Individual was extremely small.

Very dry, no flowers blooming & February, not a lot going on.
10:30am-3:00pm

Mourning Cloak puddling then lit upon an oak in the sun. 70F.

Eastern Comma ascending into the tree canopy after the sun came out around 1 p.m., about 70 degrees.

My first butterfly of 2017, and 2—3 weeks ahead of the time I usually see my first butterfly of the year, typically a Cabbage White. [I might’ve been able to see one of the overwintering butterflies earlier this February, had I been able to take off a warm weekday afternoon from work!]

Also saw up to five species of moths this A.M. around Northeast, MD.

Whether leps or vegetation, this year is definitely progressing 2—4 weeks ahead of schedule!

This Red Admiral wanted to join in on the Mardi Gras fun!

Several more species seen but unable to ID

10:30 - 3:30; weather: 73-78 degrees, clear all day, winds 14 mph. Nectar: thistles, Spanish needles, Tickseed, Camphorweed. An excellent day for February especially for skippers. Linda Cooper

56F
first butterfly in my backyard this year

11:30-2 Hairstreaks found nectaring on Chickasaw plum (Prunus angustifolia). Others species which stopped briefly to nectar at the same source included Zebra & Spicebush Swallowtails and Monarch.

Sunny
Wind Southerly
Winds 10 - 15mph
Temps lower 60s - mid 70s

Few plum trees still in bloom; Bidens only other nectar source in most areas

Mallows still flying.

Sunny turning cloudy; high in the low 70s.

Mourning Cloak was seen in open grassy pastureland through veiled sun, and all 3 Commas seen inside woods. High temp was 64° with a sun and clouds day.

Mostly sunny in late morning, 65 degrees. In addition to counted and identified, another six anglewing sp. seen.