January 2021 Sightings

Edward Perry IV

Mason Terrace, Melbourne, FL, 32935
Brevard County, FL

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?

  • Polydamas Swallowtail 1
  • Great Southern White 1
  • Cloudless Sulphur 1
  • Orange-barred Sulphur 1
  • Atala 1
  • Cassius Blue 3
  • Gulf Fritillary 2
  • Monarch 1
  • Monk Skipper 4

Orange-barred Sulphur

Atala

Monk Skipper

Monk Skipper

Orange-barred Sulphur

John and Nancy Crosby

Sea Way NE, Shellman Bluff, GA
McIntosh County, GA

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.

  • Cloudless Sulphur 4
  • Barred Yellow 2

Barred Yellow

Cloudless Sulphur

Ken Wilson

Escondido yard
San Diego County, CA

Mostly sunny, low 60s.

  • Cloudless Sulphur
  • Gulf Fritillary
  • Monarch

Edward Perry IV

Mason Terrace, Melbourne, FL, 32935
Brevard County, FL

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!

  • Atala 1
  • Cassius Blue 3
  • Gulf Fritillary 1
  • Queen 1
  • Monk Skipper 3

Monk Skipper

Atala

Cassius Blue

Cassius Blue

Cassius Blue

Cassius Blue

Atala

Roy Cohutta

Albany Nursery WMA
Dougherty County, GA

(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.

  • Sleepy Orange 1
  • American Lady 1
  • Common Buckeye 1

Common Buckeye

American Lady

Sleepy Orange

Dennis Vollmar

Quiet Waters Park
Broward County, FL

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

  • Great Southern White 1
  • Cloudless Sulphur 3
  • Barred Yellow abundant
  • Cassius Blue 3
  • Ceraunus Blue common
  • Gulf Fritillary 2
  • Zebra Heliconian abundant
  • Phaon Crescent 1
  • White Peacock abundant
  • Ruddy Daggerwing 5
  • Monarch 4
  • Queen 1
  • Long-tailed Skipper 2
  • Dorantes Longtail abundant
  • Horace's Duskywing 1
  • Tropical Checkered-Skipper common
  • Three-spotted Skipper 1
  • Fiery Skipper 6

Tropical Checkered-Skipper

Ceraunus Blue

Dorantes Longtail

Cassius Blue

Three-spotted Skipper

Long-tailed Skipper

Horace's Duskywing

Barred Yellow

Phaon Crescent

Zebra Heliconian

Fiery Skipper

Queen

Ruddy Daggerwing

Monarch

Ceraunus Blue

Scott Anderson

Sleeping Turtles Preserve North
Sarasota County, FL

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

  • Cloudless Sulphur 2
  • Barred Yellow 28
  • Little Yellow 2
  • Dainty Sulphur 1
  • Ceraunus Blue 11
  • Gulf Fritillary 2
  • Zebra Heliconian 1
  • Phaon Crescent 17
  • Common Buckeye 1
  • White Peacock 4
  • Monarch 1
  • Queen 1
  • Long-tailed Skipper 3
  • Dorantes Longtail 5
  • White Checkered-Skipper 1
  • Tropical Checkered-Skipper 7
  • Three-spotted Skipper 1
  • Monk Skipper 1
  • Ocola Skipper 3

Ken Wilson

Escondido yard
San Diego County, CA

Recent sightings.

  • Cabbage White
  • Cloudless Sulphur
  • Large Orange Sulphur
  • Gulf Fritillary
  • Mourning Cloak
  • Monarch

Tom Palmer

My yard
Polk County, FL

All on Calotropis

  • Monarch 3

David H. Bartholomew

Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve
Santa Clara County, CA

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

  • California Tortoiseshell 2
  • Mourning Cloak 1

California Tortoiseshell

Roy Cohutta

Chickasawhatchee WMA, 7 Bridges Road
Dougherty County, GA

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.

  • Monarch 1
  • Queen common

Monarch

Monarch

Queen

Queen

Ken Wilson

La Jolla Cove
San Diego County, CA

Sunny, warm, and breezy.

  • Cabbage White 1

Dennis Vollmar

Quiet Waters Park
Broward County, FL

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

  • Giant Swallowtail 1
  • Great Southern White 1
  • Orange-barred Sulphur 1
  • Barred Yellow abundant
  • Dainty Sulphur common
  • Cassius Blue 2
  • Ceraunus Blue abundant
  • Gulf Fritillary 9
  • Zebra Heliconian abundant
  • Phaon Crescent 1
  • White Peacock common
  • Ruddy Daggerwing 2
  • Monarch 1
  • Long-tailed Skipper 5
  • Dorantes Longtail abundant
  • Tropical Checkered-Skipper common
  • Three-spotted Skipper 3
  • Clouded Skipper 1
  • Fiery Skipper common
  • Eufala Skipper 1
  • Ocola Skipper 2

Barred Yellow

Dainty Sulphur

Eufala Skipper

Ceraunus Blue

Three-spotted Skipper

Clouded Skipper

Dorantes Longtail

Fiery Skipper

Ocola Skipper

Gulf Fritillary

Phaon Crescent

Monarch

Long-tailed Skipper

Ruddy Daggerwing

Tropical Checkered-Skipper

White Peacock

Zebra Heliconian

Edward Perry IV

Mason Terrace, Melbourne, FL, 32935
Brevard County, FL

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.

  • Polydamas Swallowtail 2
  • Orange-barred Sulphur 1
  • Cassius Blue 3
  • Gulf Fritillary 1
  • Red Admiral 1
  • Monarch 3
  • Monk Skipper 1

Orange-barred Sulphur

Monarch

Orange-barred Sulphur

Orange-barred Sulphur

Roy Cohutta

Albany Nursery WMA
Dougherty County, GA

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.

  • Little Yellow 2
  • Common Buckeye 2

Little Yellow

Little Yellow

Common Buckeye

Common Buckeye

Little Yellow

Ken Wilson

Escondido yard
San Diego County, CA

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

  • Cabbage White
  • Cloudless Sulphur
  • Large Orange Sulphur
  • Gray Hairstreak
  • Gulf Fritillary
  • Monarch

Roy Cohutta

Chickasawhatchee WMA, 7 Bridges Road
Dougherty County, GA

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.

  • Cloudless Sulphur 1
  • Sleepy Orange 2
  • Monarch 1
  • Queen common

Monarch

Queen

Queen

Monarch

Sleepy Orange

Cloudless Sulphur

Scott Anderson

Scherer Thaxton
Sarasota County, FL

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

  • Barred Yellow 8
  • Little Yellow 5
  • Dainty Sulphur 4
  • Red-banded Hairstreak 2
  • Cassius Blue 1
  • Ceraunus Blue 1
  • Little Metalmark 8
  • Gulf Fritillary 5
  • Phaon Crescent 35
  • Pearl Crescent 1
  • Common Buckeye 1
  • White Peacock 13
  • Dorantes Longtail 1
  • Zarucco Duskywing 1
  • Three-spotted Skipper 2

Dorantes Longtail

Little Metalmark

Little Metalmark

John and Nancy Crosby

Sea Way NE, Shellman Bluff, GA
McIntosh County, GA

Warmed to 64 degrees, sunny and breezy.

  • Cloudless Sulphur 4
  • Red Admiral 2

Red Admiral

Dennis Vollmar

John Pennekamp State Park (Grove Trail)
Monroe County, FL

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

  • Giant Swallowtail 1
  • Zebra Heliconian 1

Dennis Vollmar

Crocodile Lake NWR butterfly garden
Monroe County, FL

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

  • Cloudless Sulphur 1
  • Large Orange Sulphur 4
  • Julia Heliconian 13
  • Zebra Heliconian 2
  • Malachite 2
  • Long-tailed Skipper 1

Long-tailed Skipper

Malachite

Malachite

Malachite

Julia Heliconian

Large Orange Sulphur

Large Orange Sulphur

Large Orange Sulphur

Dennis Vollmar

Dagny Johnson Tropical Botanic Hammock (old 905)
Monroe County, FL

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

  • Julia Heliconian 16
  • Zebra Heliconian 13
  • Florida Purplewing 4

Florida Purplewing

Julia Heliconian

Florida Purplewing

Florida Purplewing

Florida Purplewing

Florida Purplewing

Dennis Vollmar

Dagny Johnson Tropical Botanic Hammock (old 905)
Monroe County, FL

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

  • Julia Heliconian 9
  • Zebra Heliconian 8

Julia Heliconian

Julia Heliconian

Zebra Heliconian

Walter Wallenstein

FPL access road, west side of US27, north of Griffin Rd
Broward County, FL

8:30-10:30, beautiful weather!

  • Gulf Fritillary 32
  • Julia Heliconian 3
  • Pearl Crescent 5
  • Common Buckeye 14
  • White Peacock 17
  • White Checkered-Skipper 1
  • Palatka Skipper 2
  • Eufala Skipper 8
  • Twin-spot Skipper 7

Julia Heliconian

Palatka Skipper, Twin-spot Skipper

Common Buckeye

Pearl Crescent

White Peacock

Eufala Skipper

Scott Anderson

Sleeping Turtles Preserve North
Sarasota County, FL

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

  • Barred Yellow 6
  • Little Yellow 1
  • Cassius Blue 1
  • Ceraunus Blue 3
  • Gulf Fritillary 1
  • Zebra Heliconian 3
  • Phaon Crescent 5
  • Monarch 3
  • Dorantes Longtail 7
  • Tropical Checkered-Skipper 2
  • Three-spotted Skipper 6

Monarch

Three-spotted Skipper

Scott Anderson

Deer Prairie Preserve
Sarasota County, FL

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

  • Barred Yellow 3
  • Zebra Heliconian 2
  • Phaon Crescent 6
  • Common Buckeye 5
  • White Peacock 3
  • Carolina Satyr 2
  • Queen 1

Carolina Satyr

Carolina Satyr

Roy Cohutta

Chickasawhatchee WMA, 7 Bridges Road
Dougherty County, GA

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.

  • Sleepy Orange 1
  • Queen common

Queen

Jean Evoy

Livingston Loop
DeSoto County, FL

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

  • Black Swallowtail 1
  • Great Southern White superabundant
  • Cloudless Sulphur 1
  • Barred Yellow 4
  • Little Yellow 1
  • Gulf Fritillary 4
  • Carolina Satyr 2
  • White Checkered-Skipper 1
  • Fiery Skipper 2

Great Southern White

White Checkered-Skipper

Little Yellow

Cloudless Sulphur

Fiery Skipper

Great Southern White

Amelia Grimm

Sugarloaf and Saddlebunch Keys, State Road 939A, including Sammy Creek WEA
Monroe County, FL

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.

  • Martial Scrub-Hairstreak 3
  • Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak 1
  • Cassius Blue 7
  • Ceraunus Blue 13
  • Gulf Fritillary 1
  • Mangrove Buckeye 9
  • Mangrove Skipper 5
  • Fiery Skipper 4
  • Southern Broken-Dash 1
  • Sachem 1
  • Monk Skipper 2
  • Salt Marsh Skipper 1
  • Obscure Skipper 75

Sachem

Mangrove Buckeye

Southern Broken-Dash

Obscure Skipper

Martial Scrub-Hairstreak

Salt Marsh Skipper

Ceraunus Blue

Ceraunus Blue

Mangrove Skipper

Salt Marsh Skipper, Obscure Skipper

Martial Scrub-Hairstreak

Dennis Vollmar

E-111 canal south from main road
Monroe County, FL

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

  • Barred Yellow 5
  • Cassius Blue 1
  • Ceraunus Blue 2
  • Julia Heliconian 1
  • Zebra Heliconian 4
  • Phaon Crescent 2
  • White Peacock 5
  • Monarch 1
  • Queen 1
  • Long-tailed Skipper 1
  • Clouded Skipper 6

Clouded Skipper

Monarch

Zebra Heliconian

Phaon Crescent

White Peacock

Julia Heliconian

Long-tailed Skipper

Barred Yellow

Dennis Vollmar

Everglades National Park Gate 10 trail
Monroe County, FL

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

  • Large Orange Sulphur 5
  • Gulf Fritillary 9
  • Zebra Heliconian 1

Large Orange Sulphur

Dennis Vollmar

Everglades National Park Gate 10 trail
Monroe County, FL

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

  • Gulf Fritillary 11
  • Zebra Heliconian 1
  • Monk Skipper 1

Monk Skipper

Gulf Fritillary

Dennis Vollmar

FP&L access road off of US 27
Broward County, FL

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

  • Gulf Fritillary 30+
  • Phaon Crescent 2
  • Pearl Crescent 5
  • Common Buckeye 40+
  • White Peacock 5
  • Twin-spot Skipper 4

Gulf Fritillary

Pearl Crescent

Phaon Crescent

Common Buckeye

Twin-spot Skipper