July 2019 Sightings

Moon Prairie Road, Parsnip Lake Rd, Green Springs Hwy and Soda Mtn Road. Atlantis Fritillary aka Northwestern Fritillary. Western Sulphur (as were many others) was pointed out by Rob Santry who lead our excursion.

Took I-5 from Medford S to Exit 14, Route 66 East 2 miles to Dead Indian Memorial Hwy to Lily Glen Equestrian Park at Milemarker 18 where we saw Snowberry Checkerspot. Then 3.4 miles to Moon Prairie Road, difficult to see dirt road entrance. Moon Prairie Road is extremely rocky & a short hike will be required if not in a high clearance vechicle. The Mardon Skipper Exclosure on the left. Extreme care should be taken to protect the environment. The Variable Checkerspot was a Snowberry.

Many areas of the count circle are still flooded by the Mississippi River. Blurry iPhone pic of the Funereal Duskywing.

Late afternoon walk

After seeing no anglewings at all this spring, I saw nothing except anglewings today.

Roadside & CRP planting.

Leaderless Walk - 9 participants. Sunny and warm.

Not much diversity, but another new site for Snout (at least for me).

My first record in awhile for snout on the trumpet vines here (a ‘popular’ snout spot in past years)

plenty of red admirals and question marks around too.

Roadside & Wayland Farm.

Went strictly for Edwards’ so no attempt was made to look for anything else. All other species were noted in passing.

Callippe was Elaine subspecies.

Includes Road below Campground on Forest Rd 20. Also to 7000’ elevation (N42.07412, W122.74683) to a known spot for Phoebus Parnassian but our photo was a Spring White with a shadow. It was quite cold. A friend reported he went with a survey group & saw Phoebus 10 days or so later.

Meadowview Trail

Although I have seen a few Eyed Brown nectaring, this was the first time I have ever seen an Appalachian Brown nectaring.

7-8 pm
I was surprised to see so much action from the red admirals. They were in groups of 2 or 3 dancing

E. Tiger slightly unexpected at these sites; Coral Hairstreaks at dogbanes and just-opening orange milkweed (A. tuberosa); Red-banded HS was worn; fresh brood of E. Tailed-Blue just out, but Am. Copper not yet in summer brood there; 1 very fresh Variegated Frit., a female in site where seen in most years; good year so far for QuestionMark thus not a surprise, a fresh summer/dark form; Red Admiral also having fairly good year so far; Com. Buckeye is truly almost common all over this area, a big year for them; summer brood of Little Wood-Satyr out nicely; also a good showing of Swarthy Skipper - locally, not everywhere! - and Delaware Skippers looked fresh as can be, just out, perhaps and always good to see! Many plants, including nectar plants, in profuse bloom, and poison-ivy also very healthy all around. (Sought out Common Checkered-Skipper, but one area where seen prior years was mowed off, and also with some sort of demolition in progress. A stop was made in Kings Co. NY (Brooklyn) at Floyd Bennett Field, but rather slow so moved on to the Rockaway peninsula’s greenspaces, outer barrier beach areas & natural habitats still in fairly good shape after all these years, where I went to look. Arrived at Jamaica Bay Refuge too late in day for a thorough look around; at that latter location, such species as Amer. Snouts have been regular this year, near Hackberry trees, that is. Weather - sun & clouds & very warm.

Nice female.

Saw a Common Buckeye Butterfly flying in my backyard in the morning of July 2, 2019

American snout perched on my camera. Temp in mid eighties and humid and overcast at times. Mixed meadow site on top of wooded hillside. Not reported at this site before. Photo by Carole Mebus.

A fantastic day butterflying. We were out for 4.75 hours with temperature starting at 79 and ending at 95. We saw a Zebra Swallowtail which is not usually seen this far north. Also saw a Tawny Emperor which is seldom seen in the forest. Tons of Painted Ladies. Fun to watch them swarm the button bush.

I had to chase Steven Rosenthal’s Hairstreaks from a few days ago

For the Golden Hairstreak: From Oregon Junction we went toward Oregon Caves NM & took a Forest Road off to the right at 13 miles (it was another 6 miles to the Oregon Caves NM Visitor Center, there was a sign where we turned with that mileage). We took the Fire Evacuation Route from the Visitor Center Parking Lot for the other butterflies. It took 3.5 hours to butterfly the Fire Evacuation Route from Oregon Caves NM.

Survey with Della Wells and Karen Nickeson. 9:00 am to 1:00 pm; overcast skies; air temperature 76-86 F; dew point 69-72 F; maximum wind gusts 2-7 mph from ENE.

Great day for butterflying. We were out 2.75 hours and saw over 1000 butterflies. The Painted Ladies are everywhere.

I saw a pale swallowtail butterfly sunning on some tall grass. I was able to get fairly close and take some pictures with my cellp

Humid after rainfall. Temp of 77 before sunset.

Sunny. 77 to 83 degrees.
12:15 to 4:15PM
Five miles walking.
Main nectar plants, Puccoon, Ox Eye Daisy and Blackberry.

We went Oregon Caves Fire Evac Route to a T junction and took a right, then 0.5 miles & took another right on Forest Rd, 070 to the end to parking lot. Then we hiked to Bigelow Lake targeting Mariposa Copper in the Blueberry Bog & Johnson’s HS at the creek crossings in the trail. (10:15a-3:30p) Then we completed the Fire Evac Route and saw Anna’s Northern Blue, Echo Azures & Lilac-bordered copper as listed here.

Walked up to the lake and then long the west side to other end.

Sunny, 70s

Hickory Hairstreaks seen climbing out of tall grass around 7:00-8:00 AM and flying up into the trees.

A humid sunny afternoon with 87 degrees. Saw 1 Monarch enjoying milkweed in the prairie and another one in the town by a cemetery.

Overcast for several hours then bright sun, extreme heat and humidity….mid 90’s

90 and sunny

Alison found the hairstreak on the road shoulder while I was thrashing about through poison ivy and thorny scrub unsuccessfully looking for them. Time of sighting was 6 PM.

Dogbane & Sweet Clover attracting a lot. Surprised to not see grass skippers.

2:30 p.m., 87, and high humidity

Decided to go look for the Edward’s Hairstreaks that were reported there the other day. Not a one even though I sat for over two hours in the middle of many scrub oaks at the top of the mountain. Don’t know what happened to them. Virtually no butterflies in the whole park.

Sulphur caterpillar on cassia

From Medford on OR 66 to Soda Mtn Road to hillside meadow at powerline cut.

Exciting to observe what appears to be one of the Amythest Hairstreaks ovipositing on the White Mangrove flowers

Surveyed along entrance road past check-in station and loop east a short distance from 2pm to 6:45 with about 2 hours of rain in the middle. The butterflies came out when it cleared and dried up! Most everything was utilizing the blue mistflower in the roadside ditches, also winged loosestrife, prairie clover, rattlesnake master, shrubby false buttonweed, and Bidens alba. This was the most Berry’s Skippers we have seen in one short outing. EPerry & RWarner

Mostly sunny to brief downpours of rain, high of 90. One no ID sulphur & one no ID skipper.

Could not find a Mangrove Buckeye today. Usually a reliable location for me. Statira Sulphers darting around the blooming Mangrove. Did the best I could for the photos.

10:30 a.m., already low 80s and humid.

All individuals seen were males taking nutrients from damp sand along Ohio River.

Second brood of Pipevines now in full presence.

Cloudy and warm.

I’m logging a sighting from two years ago to add it to the database since White Admiral’s appear to be uncommon in the Anchorage area. It’s unclear whether this was the same individual I saw on June 29, 2019, in the same area.

Perhaps it was too early for our last Copper, the Mariposa. We did not go to location for Golden Hairstreak. (From Oregon Junction go 13 miles toward OR Caves Natl Monument & turn R on Forest Rd. to Golden Chinquapin Oak. We stopped at bridge at nectar source & Oak to find it.) The Northern Blues were Anna’s Ricei per Ron Santry. Anna’s were in roadside meadows. The Great Artic was a great find in an odd year & was on the beginning of the Trail to Bigelow Lake!

Partly cloudy, upper 80s to lower 90s. Hardly any flowers seen.

Walked 1st 3 miles and back
Sunny, highs in the 80s

10:30 - 5:30. Mid-80s, very humid, with a couple of thunderstorms.

Surveyed the ditch and parking area from 8am to noon. Major nectar is winged loosestrife & blue mistflower, also frogfruit, and shrubby false buttonweed. EPerry & RWarner.

Looking for female Greenish Blues, but only saw four males.

Also had two Browns of some sort, but I couldn’t id them because they didn’t sit still long enough.

Oppressive heat/humidity. 9:00 to 12:00 AM.

Acadian Hairstreak observed in scrub oak / pine barrens habitat, far from willows or water.

Hoary Edge and Southern Cloudywing are good finds in this area.

Unidentified grass skipper is possibly a Tawny-Edged.

I-5 Medford to Ashland Exit 14. Turn E on Dead Indian Hwy. Go 3.4 miles past Lily Glen Equestrian Park on Moon Prairie Rd. The last 1/4 mile requires high clearance due to huge boulders. Just past the Mardon Exclosure the road became wet & impassable even in 4 x 4. There were at least 100 Fritillaries! The Variable Checkerspot was Snowberry.

Partly cloudy with 83 degrees in afternoon.

81 degrees and partly sunny

The Cloudless Sulphur was a female ovipositing on Cassia hebecarpa.

Finally my lifer Acadian! Thanks a million to Karlo Mirth for his help in finding it.

we were out from 9:30 to 11:30 am 65F sun and clouds. this was the highest count day on the transect to date. nice to see Black Swallowtails since they have been absent the past few years.

8500ft

I even let one field of Canada Thistle & Musk Thistle go to bloom, hence some went well beyond, becoming flying seed, to no avail in getting more than Cabbage Whites and bees using this plant.

Beautiful morning, with strong activity and diversity in this primary area for Rare Skipper.

Scouting for annual NABA count; cloudy with intermittent sun; some rain

About 7500 ft, low 70s. Meadows of lupine.

Aberrant individual photographed

Lots of puddling. Huge numbers of American Snout. Harvester was a first for me.

2:00-2:45 pm.

Conservative estimate for Red Admiral numbers. All very fresh, probably just emerged, in a field covered with Canada Thistle.

10:30-12:15pm.

Low 80’s Partly Cloudy

Hackberry Emperor Actual Count

Humid, 84 and sunny at 11 a.m. in this mixed meadow. I have not seen any monarchs on the common milkweed as of yet this year.

I joined a professor from Creighton to walk his weekly survey route. I saw a species that I hadn’t seen before, Regal Fritillary.

Weekly walk. Great day for butterflying. Few Red Admirals but plenty of Painted Ladies. We were out for 5 hours.

Butterfly getting moisture from freshly watered flower bed.

Funereal Duskywing Skipper enjoying the bee balm; Checkered White enjoying the mint; Western Tiger Swallowtail cruising the garden.

Sunny and warm

(18-338) Mostly cloudy with rain settling in by 12:30. Found my 2nd park-record of Zarucco Duskywing. Always something to see at Fort D.

Primary locations were the Zuck Arboretum, Hepburn Woods & prairie by the science building. 88F with sun. I was expecting more diversity and higher numbers.

17 of 18 Pipevines taking nutrients on damp sand along Ohio River.
Second brood of Pipevines going strong.

From 12:10 - 12:50 PM.

Sunny with clear skies, 90 degrees. Have a Black Swallowtail caters in a garden.

1-2:15 pm. Marsh habitat.

Bronze Coppers (both females) were VERY fresh.

Banded Hairstreaks and Tawny Emperors across the street from the marsh in a small natural area.

Allen Wells, Della Wells and Nancy Slowik Thank you much for letting me join you in your Lilly Pond Nature Survey !

Weekly survey with Della Wells and Nancy Slowik, (joined in part by Mike Trayer ?) 9:15 am to 12:30 pm. Air temperature 73-86 F; dew pt 68-72 F; wind gusts 3-4 mph from ENE. * Silvery Checkerspot represents a site record and is very rare in the County, seen only by Nancy Slowik, she was unable to get any photographic documentation.

Lots of Black Swallowtails are flying all over, from the Rio Grande through the city of Las Cruces and up into the foothills of the Organ Mts. Even people who don’t usually watch butterflies are asking about all the big black butterflies.

Hot 89 Deg High Humidity Clear Skies

85 sunny admirals everywhere

Five mated pairs of Monarchs

Pleased to see a couple of beauties out at the swamp this evening nectaring on some beautiful flowers

hot humid…not much activity at all

Mostly sunny and temps around 86.
Certified garden #2490 - a monarch visited along with a female Black Swallowtail.

There’s a trail that runs between Island Lake and Lexington Ave — I saw several Monarchs but then saw a Red-spotted Purple and took video. It wouldn’t stop and pose politely for me so the pics are just blurry little screen caps from the video.

Lots of different species flying with Acadian Hairstreak, Mulberry Wing, and Broad-winged skipper the most common.

Numbers of European Skippers have unfortunately exploded in No. Central Minnesota this summer; 1:40 to 3 p.m., 80F; milkweed and thistles in bloom; farmers are haying to beat the band.

Overcast less humid in the morning.

Started at Silver Lake (8500ft), passed Lake Solitude and up to the Summit Express Lift (10,035ft) and back down past Twin Lakes.

Saw 1 Unknown Blue on way down from Twin Lakes.

Sunny, mid-70s

88F, partly cloudy. 9-11:30 am. Wet start.

Low 70s not much flying

27th Annual count for southeast portion of count area by one of four teams with Hillary Stoltz, numbers to be tallied. Mostly along Lake Alice bog area, Spider L. County Forest Rd and Boot Lake Rd. Pretty good day with four teams seeing about 45 species or more. About 74 to 82 F. from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Numbers submitted to compiler. Other teams also saw a number of late-for- the-season species such as N. Cloudywings, more CTS’s and Hobomok Skippers. Hairstreaks just starting to emerge. Deer flies were very irksome.

Rachel and I went out for a day of butterfly photography and fun but the count turned pretty serious when we started seeing some rare skippers. We surveyed entrance road and the shorter loop using Crossroad. Major nectar is blue mistflower, winged loosestrife, frogfruit, Bidens alba, and Carolina redroot. Loop east also has some prairie clover (Dalea sp.) blooming in patches near the bend at the pines. Near the end of the day we reached a recently burned zone that holds a lot of promise for a fall bloom. There we found the dotted skippers, each sitting on a narrow-leafed sunflower blossom. Overcast but hot; survey from 8 am to 3:15 pm. A good time was had by all.

A very humid sunny day at garden #2490.

Gulf Pier, and Bay Pier rangers house area only

mid 90’s hot and humid

These species of butterflies appear every year in my garden.

Tawny Emperor is hard to find in Howard County and this is the first time I have seen it here.

Disappointing again. Only species in numbers was European Skipper.

Mostly sunny skies with temps in mid 90s at lower elevation and 85 in the mountains.

Power Pole 136. Florida Purple-wing puddling. Julia was also puddling. With Linda Evans, Leigh Williams, Amy Grimm. 11:23am - 11:50am. 90-94 degrees.

The Sachem was the first for the year and a female.

The Western Tiger Swallowtail flies a circuit every day around the garden. The Gray Hairstreak is one of a group. The Checkered Whites live in the garden,a s do the others.

Hot and humid weather continues….90’s
Surely thought there would be more action

11:30 a.m., upper 70’s, bright sun
15 of 16 Pipevines were males on damp sand along shore of Ohio Rive, other on thistle. All part of second brood, still going strong.