January 2019 Sightings

9:55-10:35. My lifer Bartram’s Scrub-Hairstreak.

My lifer Atalas!

Partly Cloudy and warm. 12:10pm - 3:55pm. We pulled into the check in station and when we opened our doors the Hayhurst’s Scallopwing flew into the car. I was able to coax it to perch on my finger so we could photograph it. We then released it back into the grassy area it flew in from. With Leigh Williams and Ellen Hudson.

Overcast with temperatures in the mid 60s.

12:30pm-2:00pm

8:38am - 11:20am. Sunny and warm. With Leigh Williams and Ellen Hudson.

Mostly sunny. 9:45am - 10:15am. With Leigh Williams and Ellen Hudson.

Hour and a half. 73 degrees and sunny. We found 19 species. (An Orange also zipped through (Sleepy or Tailed) for a total of 20 species.)

79 degrees and sunny. We found 23 species. (Also an Orange flew through (either a Sleepy or a Tailed) for the 24th species. A noticeable decline after several cold days.

Mostly cloudy, windy, a high of 60 degrees today. FOY butterfly.

Sunny. 78-82 degrees. Afternoon. Saw 41 species. Not bad for mid-winter. (Others saw additional species!) Highlight was the rare Rio Grande Valley specialty, the Isabella Heliconian. The Mexican Yellow was in the darker winter-season coloration. Great fun! Glad we visited the National Butterfly Center today!

Mostly sunny, 60 degrees.

10:00am-11:30am

61-62F
First butterflies of the year!
Lots of Epirrhoe moths

Mostly sunny, 75 degrees.

57F First photos of the year!

Full sun 68f high

I went out to check the mail and was surprised to see a female Julia nectaring on Richardia grandiflora near the mailbox (it was a cool day but had warmed some). I returned with the camera and there was a male nectaring and trying to court the female!

55 degrees

55F - very fresh

Pleasant, sunny day. No flowers yet, but overwintering butterflies were out there enjoying the sunshine (Mourning Cloaks and California Tortoiseshells).

Mostly cloudy with a two hour period of sun, 70 degrees. Photo of Amethyst Hairstreak basking on Sweet Acacia by Leigh Williams. With Leigh Williams and Mark Whiteside.

Sun and temperatures approaching 60.

55F

Spent about 3 hours here. 76 degrees. Sunny. Fairly breezy. 17 species. Blue Metalmarks are always a treat. But the find of the day was our first Coral Snake, which has a poem dedicated to it: “Red touches yellow, kills a fellow!” (Or feel free to use “yellow touches red — Soon you’ll be dead!”)

59F