May 2017 Sightings

Silver-spotted Skipper was a surprise today. Mostly cloudy with only short periods of sun and up to 80°, and very windy all day long.

First time observation of Mourning Cloak this season; otherwise rare for this park.

This is a fabulous place to butterfly! There are many diverse habitats, and of course, there were lots of butterflies present. All the pics I’ve submitted were lifers and we saw a total of seventeen lifers on our trip.

Very warm, high 80’s. Spring wildflowers in fine form, yarrow and bluedicks especially.

Windy, mostly sunny, 72°, 16:30 and majority of butterflies seen in and around edges of newly planted garden area. Still most butterflies are nectaring on Purple Deadnettle or Dandelion.

Windy, full sun, mid sixties at 09:45 while working in a south sloping pasture.

1 White.

I wanted to check in again at MC Park to see if any of the Falcate Orangetips were still there this late in the season. I arrived at 2:45 pm and stayed for one hour. The weather was sunny, with a stiff, constant wind of about 15 mph. The temperature was 76º F during the hour I was there.

Full sun up to low 80s. Impressed by the meadows around here. Seemed odd no Ringlets.

First Henry’s Elfins of the year.

Full sun, mid 80s. 1 unidentified Hesperia sp. skipper.

Primarily a birding trip. Almost all butterflies observed looked very fresh/newly emerged.

With Karen Finch (photos), Jean Evoy, Bill Evoy, Dusty Rhodes. Very dry conditions. 84F, winds 10-15 kts. Key nectar: Thistle, Spanish Needles, Frogfruit, Mock Bishop’s Weed.

85F with David Rawlinson, Dave Bartholomew, and Nancy Asquith.

55 degrees, windy and sunny

Beautiful, sunny and warm at 70 degrees. This is the classic locale to find California Crescent. Most years I see a few but this is a banner year for them, I think the long and rainy winter and early spring has certainly helped. This is by far the best year I’ve experienced California Crescent, anywhere!

64 degrees, windy and sunny

periods of sun, dry and windy…mid 70’s

this was the first sunny warm day in ten days. it was 60F and breezy. i was there from 2:15 to 3:25 pm
this meadow is about 8,500 feet

Mostly sunny, 82 degrees, light winds.

67F

68F

Overcast and t-storms threatening. Rained the night before and into the morning before arrival.

Very dry conditions, with little nectar. Find the nectar and you found the few butterflies around.

Observations from May 3,4,5.

Mostly sunny, warm, not sure of temps. Acmon and Lupine Blue abundant around buckwheat and yellow cress blossoms, not sure how many were Lupine. Over 50 California Tortoiseshell caterpillars as well as 2 adults. Saw what i’m certain was a Fritillary for 1 second as it flew by rapidly, can’t determine which species. Weather forecast says this area will go down to low 30s this weekend with snow on Sunday. Not sure how the butterflies will cope with that.

Mostly, 80s. Visited 1 to 430.

Sunny and hot, best conditions for butterflies at the store in Chisos Basin. The. Bromeliad Scrub-Hairstreak ( Big Bend Scrub-Hairstreak) were nice to see on limestone ridges down by the river.

Common Buckeye early at this location

65 to 70 degrees, mostly cloudy and breezy

This is the earliest I’ve seen a Monarch, at least in many years.

Annual Newark Entomological Society field trip
12:30 p.m.—2:00 p.m.
Mostly overcast; occasional bursts of sunshine; windy at times; 63—70 degrees
Spring Azures appeared to be mostly form idella, “Holly” or “Atlantic” Azure
Disappointed NOT to see Cobweb Skipper!
At least two Occult Drasteria moths

Annual spring field trip of the Newark Entomological Society
10 A.M.–-11:30 A.M. Mostly cloudy, occasional sunshine, windy at times, about 63 degrees
Rather disappointing overall
At least two Maple Looper moths — Parallelia bistriaris

4:30pm nectaring on lilac bush

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM.

Poling’s Haistreak is rare and imperiled. Eight individuals were seen on the same milkweed plant.

Scarce Streaky-Skipper also occurs in this region, but it is difficult to distinguish from Common Streaky-Skipper.

Only worked the garden edges of the visitor center parking lot

seen during 5 minute walk from my car to the beach, via the ballfields, partly sunny 57 degrees

buckeyes are out in good numbers early

Very dry with only some bidens and sleepy morning blooming.

After a couple of 80 degrees day, snowmelt is in full swing. Didn’t even make it as far as I did 3 weeks ago up the trail. Water is very high.

Maybe 1/4 mile.

9 A.M. — Mostly cloudy, 49 degrees
Red-banded Hairstreak found on convenience store wall during my morning check for moths; not the first time I’ve observed a Hairstreak on this wall; of course, perched vertically. My first Hairstreak of the year!

Also an Azalea Sphinx moth on that wall, first of the year!

It was sunny before I started the trail, but under a cloud for majority of the hike.

2.5 miles and then back.

With Rich Kelson and David Rawlinson at Juniper Camp (Muir’s Hairstreaks), and solo on trail to North Peak (Edith’s Checkerspots and other butterflies).

All butterflies were noted in the parking lot or from the viewing platform

Butterflies seen nectaring on sea grape (Coccoloba uvifera) flowers.

Some prime areas have been cleared for a cattle lease. There is some Nuttall’s thistle and Bidens.

Sunny, high in the mid 60s.

with Mary Alice Koeneke, Neil Troyer, Ruth Ann Troyer

Hot and dry. Very little flying, but still surprised at the numbers of Bartram’s found.

Extensive search of Long Pine Key and Pinelands Trail. Very hot and dry.

Sunny, windy to 20MPH gusts, cool only into low sixties.

Colder northern slope that was mostly shaded, with butterflies only seen in sun the drenched locations of this Serpentine Barrens @ 59°, windy and full sun.

Also saw 5 Pipevine Swallowtail caterpillars on Dutchman’s Pipevine.

More general search from beginning at the visitors center and out to Flamingo. Very hot and dry.

Drove 11 miles on Forest Road 365 (gravel road) to burn area on a mid 70’s and sunshine day.
All Azure encountered on a large wet area on road from snowmelt. Encountered 8+ other Comma (unidentified). Also had a Moss’or Hoary Elfin blast by me.

59 to 64 degrees, about 15% sun, windy at times, 3 to 4pm

Full sun 78F

10:00am-1:30pm, 62 F, high clouds

64F

Elevation: 7500 - 8200 (about 1.5 miles from the road)

Once on the actual trail, still lots of snow (2-4 ft).

Always fun to watch Mourning Cloaks and Commas flying over the snow. And lots were flying today! (Spotted counting at 20 for both.)

So many butterflies in numbers today! Wow

Full sun, 80F, occasional breeze became very gusty in the afternoon.

63F

82 degree and sunny, light wind
Best picture I could get

65F

At the park for a regatta but able to sneak away for lepping between races throughout the day. Surprised to find an Eastern Pine Elfin because it was not on county list I had seen. Possibly a county record.

Very windy; Most nectaring on Buttonbush along canal east of marina

Energized by seeing a (possible county record) Eastern Pine Elfin yesterday, I snuck away from the regatta for a couple hours and found a second one on a different trail. Only saw one female Zabulon Skipper over the two days; the rest were males.

Returned to try for better pictures of the hairstreaks!

First sunny day in eons, but unfortunately I suffered 40 mph gusts of wind. You can’t win when it comes to spring butterflying where I live.

Sunny and windless, 80°+. A number of skippers found as well, I can’t be sure of ID so I had to leave off sighting list.

Sunny, high in the upper 70s.

Windy, 64F.

90°sunny day

heil ranch is in the lower foot hills. it was sunny breezy and about 70F. habitat is open meadows with some trees, woody shrubs and a stream. we walked the stream. this is one of the boulder county sites we monitor . six of us participated.

10:00 am first spotted on azalea bush just resting and then flew to milkweed…80 degrees

Hot, dry conditions…no wind to speak of…92 degrees for the high

9:30am-3:30pm, 80F

83°partly cloudy hot day

Beautiful day. Pure sun, no wind and temps in the high 70’s.

74 degrees, sunny

72-77 degrees, sunny

May 17th My mother’s birthday and I have a butterfly garden in her memory. So I decided to watch and delighted I had a Black Swallowtail laying eggs on Rue plant and also Marine Blue sunning with open wings.

First time I’ve seen a CA Sister in this part of town — I’ve usually seen them in northwest Bexar County and westward. This is a fairly shaded trail, so we’ve never had high numbers of species / individuals here.

70F

Butterflies seen throughout the day while working.

1:00 PM On lunch
sunny-high 80’s
Ringlet-FOY

After work
5:30-7:00 PM

74 to 80 degrees, sunny, windy

63F

Atala activity is all around north side Ranger Station and the coontie plants used in landscaping; many cats and chrysalis seen today and one adult in a short time observing. The Statira was spotted ovipositing on coinvine plant not far from Ranger Station.

sunny, 85 degrees

The white Yerba Santa was gloriously in bloom along the highway - demanding a stop. The Llavia Hairstreaks seem to find it irresistible, even at 4pm.

Full sun, high 60s. Includes 1.5 mile of road to trailhead and some side trails. Most butterflies seen at lower elevation.

Sunny, 85 degrees at 12:30pm. Strong winds. Saw first tiger swallowtail

79F

Observed during a birding field trip led by Dave Hall.
8:30 am - 11:30 am
Viceroy photo by John Fagan.

Pleasantly warm day, enjoyed seeing 4 very fresh California Tortoiseshells. Unfortunately the Open Space people have begun mowing the trail-side vegetation, which does not bode well for future butterflying at Rancho San Antonio this season.

Kinney Creek is a few miles downstream of the Applegate Dam on the Applegate River in Southern Oregon. This location is a spot that I have studied in the butterfly literature as having California Crescent in the past. The last two years I’ve searched for them here but found none. This year was a success and it follows the success I had just south of here at Ash Creek. It is a great year for California Crescent!

82-88F
with David Rawlinson and Nancy Asquith

85F with David Rawlinson and Nancy Asquith

Sunny but windy most of the trip.

Sunny, 90 degrees plus, light breeze. California Tortoiseshell was abundant.

So many 🦋

With Linda Cooper, Linda Evans, Trudy Ferraro, Susan Farnsworth, and Dan Jones

Various locations on the northeastern side (state conservation lands) of Key Largo. Only reporting the butterflies that Holly and I observed. These are some of the preliminary numbers from the Key Largo NABA count.

Wow it’s hot. 91 degrees today with a slight breeze and some clouds.

Late afternoon visit.

With Linda Cooper, Sue Farnsworth and Dan Jones.

59 to 65 degrees, sunny, windy

Butterflies seen in yard in late afternoon. Larger butterflies nectaring on firebush (Hamelia patens); Ruddy Daggerwing nectaring on black olive tree (Bucida buceras). Statira Sulphur identified by unmarked pale greenish-yellow wings below.

10:00- 16:00
Party of 2, with Dan Bone
15C to 20C sunny, breezy

sunny, light east winds, 56 to 68 degrees F., a pleasant day!

Mid 60s, mostly sunny but foggy in some locations, windy.

From I-70 28.3 miles north to the Green River Cutoff Rd
Various stops along the way.

Sunny and bright a targeted trip looking for West Virginia Whites.