January 2021 Sightings

Another warm day in Florida brought out some yard butterflies. I spent New Year’s Day trimming back some plants in the yard so had my camera ready when the butterflies showed. What better way to make yard work fun?

Temperatures in the high sixties with sun. We watched Cloudless Sulphurs nectaring on the camellia blooms from indoors, then while outside they would only land camoflaged on Jasamine and other yellow leaves.

Mostly sunny, low 60s.

A new cold front passed and dropped temps, but there was enough warmth and sun between noon and 3 pm to make some butterflies fly the yard. It’s always a good day when an Atala shows up!

(03 species - 03 individuals, and a photo of each.)
My favorite was the beat up Buckeye.
I chased the lady for a while until she got warmed up. (Sometimes necessary.)
It has been a little on the cool side.
Today probably was the best hope for butterflies this week, or maybe this month (?)
61-63F, Wind NW @12MPH gusting to 18.
Full sun.
Mustard field next to swamp. Today it was a sparrow field as well.
Spring will be here before we know it.

11:45 am to 2 pm
Full sun, no wind
low 70s
Days definition of Common 10-50, Abundant >50

12noon-230pm, 70-72 degrees, partly cloudy, light wind.

Recent sightings.

All on Calotropis

Sunny, low 70’s. No spring butterflies seen but a few overwinterers were out enjoying the warmth.

56-59F, Full sun, Wind SW @9 gusting to 14MPH
There was a chill in the air.
2:22 - 3:24 PM = 1 hour:02 minutes
Planted mustard in large field next to wooded swamp.
Two (2) species; perhaps 20+ individuals
I looked hard for other species, but there were none.

The lone male Monarch was wary and I barely got photos from a distance. He looked in good shape though.

Queen were common (20+), but numbers were down from previous recent visits to this location.

Sunny, warm, and breezy.

11am to 3pm; 65 degrees, mostly cloudy clearing to partly cloudy. no wind to 5mph breeze
common = 10-50
abundant >50

Yard butterflies. A cool morning started off great when I spotted an eclosing male Orange-barred Sulphur. As the day warmed from noon to 2 pm other butterflies flew the yard. If you ever have the opportunity to photograph an Orange-barred Sulphur (they rarely perch), don’t forget to get the backlit shot as this is one butterfly that shows well with backlighting.

This was more fun than it looks on paper.
Continuation of visits to the Albany Nursery WMA during this cold season.
4 individuals: 2 each of 2 species. I tried hard to find more to no avail.
2:32PM - 3:35PM = 1 hour and 03 minutes.
Very nice winter day after some fairly cold winter days and nights.
62-64F, Wind SW @ 4, gusting all the way to 5 MPH!
Clear, Full sun.
Habitat was a large planted mustard field next to a swamp.
Observed two Little Yellow butterflies (all 3 photos of the same individual).
Observed two Buckeyes. One was very worn. The fresher Buckeye was noticeably smaller. One photo of each Buckeye.

Mostly cloudy turning into partly cloudy in the afternoon. Low 60s. Gust over 40 mph before calming down later.

Continuation of cold season surveys at Chickasawhatchee WMA.
I actually saw more than I expected, and/or as much as I could hope for. (Though I was hoping for a Buckeye and a Little Yellow to round out the list, but nada.)
4 Species / 30-50 individual butterflies.
1:32PM - 2:55PM = 1 hour:23minutes
Warming trend continues: 62-65F; Partly cloudy; Wind NW @ 8-9 gusting to 13MPH
Planted mustard in large field next to swamp. All species were observed taking nectar from the yellow flowers. No other blooms anywhere near this location (for miles).

The bright Cloudless Sulphur came out of nowhere and was very difficult to follow. I chased after it and watched it fly off into the woods and it did not return. It looked very fresh. Barely got any photos.

Two Sleepy Orange were hard to follow as they kept flying off into the swamp; never could get close with the camera.

The Monarch (possibly 2) flew all over the large field, sometimes into the woods, and was very difficult to follow.

Queen butterflies were common/plentiful, more than 30 individuals. Some looked worn, while others looked fresh. They would disappear when the sun went behind a cloud.

1150am-210pm, 69-70 degrees, sunny, calm.

Warmed to 64 degrees, sunny and breezy.

2:15 to 2:45, sunny, no wind 80 degrees. walked grove trail to the grove which was very dry

1:05 to 1:45, sunny 80 degrees, no wind

10:45 to 1pm 75 - 80, sunny no wind
From the far end back to the parking area

8:45 to 10:45, sunny 65 degrees starting out 75 by finish. walked to the end of the main trail

8:30-10:30, beautiful weather!

Rohlwing section only, 315pm-345pm, 76-76 degrees, cloudy, light wind

130pm-3pm, 77-76 degrees, cloudy, light wind. Second sighting of Carolina Satyrs in the county, both at Deer Prairie.

Continuation of winter surveys at Chickasawhatchee.
Very warm, humid, windy day. 72-75F, Wind S-SW 14, gusting to 24 MPH. Overcast to Partly Cloudy. 12:30-1:28PM=58 Min. Planted mustard field next to wooded swamp. At least 30 Queen. All butterflies very skittish and hard to follow likely due to wind and lack of blooms.

Sunny, breezy with temperatures in the low 60s. Abundant wild radish was attracting hundreds of male Great Southern Whites

Observers: Amy Grimm & Leigh Williams. 11:30-4:00, partly cloudy, 78 degrees. Mostly on roadside wildflowers. First Saltmarsh Skipper we’ve observed after 7 years of looking in this area. Primary nectar plants: yellowtops, Bidens alba, Bay Marigold, Seashore Ageratum,Blue Porterweed, Snow Squarestem.

73 degrees, 1:15 pm to 2:15 pm, cloudy 10 mph wind

10:15 to 1pm 75 degrees, partly cloudy light breeze. return trip. no leafwings

8:30 am to 10:15, 62 degrees sunny no wind. walked about 2.5 miles out the trail. No leafwings….

9 am to 11am, wind none increasing to 15-20, sunny to mostly cloudy