February 2022 Sightings

Ronda G Spink

Lower Suwanee Nature Drive-South to North
Levy County, FL

Weather was partly cloudy, 57°-69°, 4mph winds
Surveyed from 11:00am-4:30pm

Walked gate 31

R. Spink, B. Woodmansee

  • Cloudless Sulphur 14
  • Barred Yellow 2
  • Red-banded Hairstreak 7
  • Zebra Heliconian 3
  • Phaon Crescent 3
  • Pearl Crescent 15
  • Carolina Satyr 8
  • Queen 1

Zebra Heliconian

Clouded Skipper

Cloudless Sulphur

Karl and Dorothy Legler

National Butterfly Center in Mission
Hidalgo County, TX

79 degrees and sunny. 33 species. First time here since 30-degree night. Still plenty of butterflies. The plain-looking skipper looks like its actually a male Whirlabout. NBC is currently temporarily closed.

  • Orange Sulphur 1
  • Southern Dogface 2
  • Large Orange Sulphur 1
  • Lyside Sulphur 1
  • Little Yellow 1
  • Sleepy Orange 4
  • Dainty Sulphur 2
  • Gray Hairstreak 1
  • Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak 4
  • Dusky-blue Groundstreak 2
  • Ceraunus Blue 1
  • Reakirt's Blue 4
  • Fatal Metalmark 1
  • Red-bordered Metalmark 1
  • American Snout 1
  • Zebra Heliconian 3
  • Variegated Fritillary 1
  • Vesta Crescent 1
  • Phaon Crescent 5
  • American Lady 1
  • Red Admiral 3
  • Common Buckeye 1
  • Carolina Satyr 1
  • Queen 5
  • Funereal Duskywing 1
  • White Checkered-Skipper 3
  • Tropical Checkered-Skipper 3
  • Laviana White-Skipper 6
  • Clouded Skipper 3
  • Southern Skipperling 5
  • Fiery Skipper 2
  • Whirlabout 3
  • Eufala Skipper 3

Dusky-blue Groundstreak

Common Buckeye

Vesta Crescent

Whirlabout

Roy Cohutta

Chickasawhatchee WMA
Dougherty County, GA

The Gray Hairstreak and Black Swallowtail were unexpected and difficult to photograph. Briefly saw a small or medium sulphur I could not identify.

Summary of low temperatures this season at this location:

30 Jan 2022: 23F (Lowest temperature of the season thus far.)

#Days (usually early mornings) with lows of 36F and below:

30 Nov 2021: 31F
23 Dec 2021: 33F
24 Dec 2021: 34F

04 Jan - 01 Feb 2022: 16 days with lows of 36F and below.
04 Jan - 01 Feb 2022: 08 days with lows of 32F and below.
18 Jan - 01 Feb 2022: 04 days with lows of 28F and below.

This date, 01 Feb:
Time: 1400 - 1610, Temperature: 68-67F, Wind: SE 10-14MPH, Cloud Cover: 14-22%
Habitat:
Mustard field next to swamps.
Coastal plain of inland southwest Georgia.
GPS: 31.47029591072563, -84.37643394048602
Straight-line shortest distance to Atlantic Coast: 178 miles.
Straight-line shortest distance to Gulf Coast: 98 miles.

  • Black Swallowtail 1
  • Gray Hairstreak 1
  • Common Buckeye 1
  • Monarch 20
  • Queen 20

Gray Hairstreak

Monarch

Black Swallowtail

Monarch

Monarch

Monarch

Monarch

Queen

Queen

Queen

Queen

Ronda G Spink

Watermelon Pond Wildlife and Environmental Area and Gothe Sand Hill
Alachua County, FL

Weather was clear/hazy clear, 64°-79°, 8-13mph wind gusts
Surveyed from 10:30am-3:00pm

Gothe Sandhill in on CR 337

R. Spink, B. Woodmansee

  • Cloudless Sulphur 2
  • Barred Yellow 3
  • Sleepy Orange 4

Karl and Dorothy Legler

South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center
Cameron County, TX

72 degrees and partly sunny. We only butterflied the flowers around the parking lot. 8 species plus one brown skipper we did not get a good enough view to identify it. Great fun!

  • Great Southern White 19
  • Little Yellow 1
  • Gulf Fritillary 1
  • Phaon Crescent 4
  • Queen 1
  • White-striped Longtail 2
  • White Checkered-Skipper 1
  • Fiery Skipper 9

White-striped Longtail

White-striped Longtail

Fiery Skipper

Great Southern White

Ronda G Spink

Cow Creek Road, Goethe State Forest
Levy County, FL

Weather was mostly clear, 72°-82°, 9-10mph wind gusts
Surveyed from 10:00am-4:00pm

R. Spink, B. Woodmansee

  • Pipevine Swallowtail 1
  • Cloudless Sulphur 33
  • Barred Yellow 1
  • Little Yellow 1
  • Henry's Elfin 1
  • Gray Hairstreak 1
  • Red-banded Hairstreak 17
  • Phaon Crescent 23
  • Pearl Crescent 24
  • Red Admiral 1
  • Common Buckeye 1
  • Monarch 2
  • Queen 2
  • Horace's Duskywing 1
  • Fiery Skipper 2

Phaon Crescent

Henry's Elfin

Henry's Elfin

Scott Anderson

Scherer Thaxton
Sarasota County, FL

1145am-145pm, 78-81 degrees, sunny, windy

  • Black Swallowtail 1
  • Barred Yellow 4
  • Red-banded Hairstreak 4
  • Ceraunus Blue 2
  • Little Metalmark 8
  • Gulf Fritillary 4
  • Phaon Crescent 6
  • Pearl Crescent 2

Barbara Peck

Anderson River Park, Natural Area
Shasta County, CA

A pair flew together prior to this individual perching in the sun. We have had about a month of dry relatively warm weather.

  • Mourning Cloak 2

Mourning Cloak

Ken Wilson

San Clemente
Orange County, CA

Mostly sunny, 68 degrees, breezy at times. I met up with Bob Gorman.

  • Great Purple Hairstreak
  • Bramble Hairstreak
  • Brown Elfin
  • Gray Hairstreak
  • Mormon Metalmark
  • American Lady
  • Painted Lady
  • West Coast Lady
  • Red Admiral

Mormon Metalmark

Great Purple Hairstreak

Gray Hairstreak

Brown Elfin

Bramble Hairstreak

West Coast Lady

Red Admiral

Painted Lady

American Lady

David H. Bartholomew

San Jose, Alum Rock Park
Santa Clara County, CA

With Sarab Seth, David Rawlinson, and Tom Peterson. Pleasantly warm, mid-60’s.

  • Mustard White 8
  • Sara Orangetip 15
  • Spring Azure
  • Sonoran Blue 6
  • Oreas Comma 1
  • California Tortoiseshell 4
  • Common Ringlet 10

Common Ringlet

Mustard White

Sara Orangetip

Sonoran Blue

Ronda G Spink

Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge-Dixie Mainline Road
Dixie County, FL

Weather was clear, 52-62°, 7-8mph winds
Surveyed from 10:30-3:00pm

Drove down Salt Creek Road and walked Gate 33

R. Spink, B. Woodmansee

  • Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 1
  • Red-banded Hairstreak 6
  • Phaon Crescent 1
  • Pearl Crescent 5
  • Red Admiral 1
  • Carolina Satyr 1
  • Monarch 1

Karl and Dorothy Legler

Edinburg Wetlands
Hidalgo County, TX

After a period of cool weather, today got to 72 degrees (and sunny). 22 species.

  • Orange Sulphur 1
  • Southern Dogface 4
  • Large Orange Sulphur 1
  • Little Yellow 8
  • Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak 3
  • Ceraunus Blue 3
  • Reakirt's Blue 2
  • Zebra Heliconian 3
  • Red Admiral 1
  • Queen 2
  • Brown Longtail 2
  • White Checkered-Skipper 4
  • Tropical Checkered-Skipper 3
  • Julia's Skipper 1
  • Clouded Skipper 2
  • Southern Skipperling 2
  • Fiery Skipper 3
  • Whirlabout 1
  • Southern Broken-Dash 1
  • Sachem 1
  • Eufala Skipper 1

Julia's Skipper

Southern Broken-Dash

Gulf Fritillary

Reakirt's Blue

Ronda G Spink

Cow Creek Road, Goethe State Forest
Levy County, FL

Weather was clear, 55°-68°, 4-5mph winds
Surveyed from 10:00am-4:00pm

Drove Cow Creek north to south

Saw two Monarch caterpillars at the end of the boardwalk to the Gothe Giant on Asclepias Perennis.

R. Spink, B. Woodmansee, M. Woodmansee, S. Eoff, K. Eoff

  • Pipevine Swallowtail 3
  • Cloudless Sulphur 4
  • Little Yellow 1
  • White M Hairstreak 1
  • Red-banded Hairstreak 38
  • Zebra Heliconian 1
  • Phaon Crescent 27
  • Pearl Crescent 27
  • Red Admiral 2
  • Common Buckeye 3
  • Carolina Satyr 3
  • Monarch 3
  • Queen 3
  • Northern Cloudywing 1
  • Clouded Skipper 1

White M Hairstreak

Northern Cloudywing

Red Admiral

Queen

Red-banded Hairstreak

David H. Bartholomew

Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve
Santa Clara County, CA

Warm 75 degrees, wildflowers are getting started and so are the Spring butterflies.

The three Buckeyes were quite small, no larger than the Mylitta Crescent they were interacting with.

  • Spring Azure 1
  • Silvery Blue 1
  • Mylitta Crescent 1
  • California Tortoiseshell 22
  • Mourning Cloak 9
  • Painted Lady 1
  • Red Admiral 4
  • Common Buckeye 3

Mylitta Crescent

Common Buckeye

Red Admiral

Mourning Cloak

California Tortoiseshell

Roy Cohutta

Chickasawhatchee WMA
Dougherty County, GA

Continuation of 2nd season of monitoring at this Monarch overwintering site-12th report this season.

I was joined by Reagan Montalvo and Anna Yellin, Wildlife Resources Division, Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
My previous counts of the Monarchs and Queens were “conservative estimates”.
With all three of us present, we were able to get a more accurate count of the Monarchs and Queens in the large field.
A good time was had by all.

We observed two pairs of mated-Queens. We observed courtship activity by two other pairs of Queens. Hair pencils visible in one of the photos.
The Sleepy Orange photographed was worn. The other two not photographed looked fresh.
The American Lady looked fresh.
Did not post the very poor photo of the Pearl Crescent.

This date:
Time: 1320 - 1630, Temperature: 67-68F, Wind: SW 5-7MPH, Cloud Cover: 19-13%
Habitat: Mustard field next to swamps.
Coastal plain of inland southwest Georgia.
Location:
GPS: 31.47029591072563, -84.37643394048602
Straight-line shortest distance to Atlantic Coast: 178 miles.
Straight-line shortest distance to Gulf Coast: 98 miles.

Low temperature summary for the 2021-2022 cold season at this overwintering site:
30 Nov 2021: 31F
23 Dec 2021: 33F
24 Dec 2021: 34F
04 Jan - 10 Feb 2022: 20 days at or below 36F.
04 Jan - 10 Feb 2022: 09 days at or below 32F.
18 Jan - 30 Jan 2022: 04 days at or below 28F
30 Jan 2022: 23F (Lowest temperature of the season thus far.)

  • Sleepy Orange 3
  • Pearl Crescent 1
  • American Lady 1
  • Monarch 50
  • Queen 100

Monarch

Monarch

Monarch

Queen

Sleepy Orange

Queen

Queen

American Lady

Mark and Holly Salvato

Dinner Island Ranch WMA, Clewiston
Hendry County, FL

  • Great Southern White 1
  • Barred Yellow 2
  • Ceraunus Blue 1
  • Gulf Fritillary 3
  • Julia Heliconian 1
  • Zebra Heliconian 4
  • Phaon Crescent 6
  • Pearl Crescent 14
  • White Peacock 4
  • Carolina Satyr 8
  • Monarch 1
  • Queen 6
  • Dorantes Longtail 6
  • Hayhurst's Scallopwing 4
  • Tropical Checkered-Skipper 3
  • Least Skipper 1
  • Whirlabout 2

Tropical Checkered-Skipper

Hayhurst's Scallopwing

Hayhurst's Scallopwing

Hayhurst's Scallopwing

Julia Heliconian

Hayhurst's Scallopwing

Hayhurst's Scallopwing

Carolina Satyr

Ken Wilson

Otay Mountain
San Diego County, CA

Sunny, 85 degrees, winds were seriously gusty. Joined Bob Gorman & Diane Broduer.

  • Sara Orangetip
  • Brown Elfin
  • Juniper Hairstreak

Juniper Hairstreak

Juniper Hairstreak

Roy Cohutta

Chickasawhatchee WMA
Dougherty County, GA

Continuation of 2nd season of monitoring at this Monarch overwintering site-13th report this season.

The primary purpose of this trip was to attempt to determine where the Monarchs and the Queens spent the cold nights. I arrived early while it was still cool (50F) and overcast. I walked and scanned the field and surrounding trees/swamps/brush with binoculars for approximately 2 hours (0930-1130). I did not see a butterfly until approximately 1130 when the temperature reached approximately 60F. The Monarchs and Queens began flying up from previously unseen locations under and around the plants in the field (tentatively identified as ‘Raphanus raphanistrum’ in the mustard family). (The butterflies were scattered randomly around the field. They were not clustered together.)

This date:
Monarch and Queen counts are conservative estimates.
Time: 0930-1400, Temperature: 50-68F, Wind: NE-N-NW 2-4MPH, Cloud Cover: 98-87%
Habitat: Field next to swamps.
Coastal plain of inland southwest Georgia.
Location:
GPS: 31.47029591072563, -84.37643394048602
Straight-line distance to Atlantic Coast: 178 miles.
Straight-line distance to Gulf Coast: 98 miles.

Low temperature summary for the 2021-2022 cold season:
30 Nov 2021: 31F
23 Dec 2021: 33F
24 Dec 2021: 34F
04 Jan - 12 Feb 2022: 21 days at or below 36F.
04 Jan - 12 Feb 2022: 09 days at or below 32F
18 Jan - 30 Jan 2022: 04 days at or below 28F
30 Jan 2022: 23F (Lowest temperature of the season thus far.)

  • Sleepy Orange 1
  • Monarch 40
  • Queen 40

Monarch

Monarch

Monarch

Monarch

Monarch

Monarch

Queen

Queen

Sleepy Orange

Queen

Queen

Barbara Peck

AAA parking lot, Redding CA
Shasta County, CA

Small individual, clearly silvered underneath.

  • Gulf Fritillary 1

Ronda G Spink

Lower Suwanee Nature Drive-North to South
Levy County, FL

Weather was mostly cloudy, 55-57°, 5-8mph winds
Surveyed from 10:00am-4:30pm

Walked the Tram trail, River Boardwalk trail, Gate 14, and Gate 22 coming back at Gate 20

R. Spink and B. Woodmansee

  • Pipevine Swallowtail 1
  • Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 1
  • Cloudless Sulphur 1
  • White M Hairstreak 1
  • Red-banded Hairstreak 14
  • Variegated Fritillary 2
  • Phaon Crescent 2
  • Pearl Crescent 12
  • Carolina Satyr 22
  • Monarch 3
  • Queen 6
  • Clouded Skipper 6

Carolina Satyr

Pearl Crescent

Phaon Crescent

Variegated Fritillary

Red-banded Hairstreak

White M Hairstreak

Pipevine Swallowtail

Ronda G Spink

Big Bend WMA-Hickory Mound
Taylor County, FL

Weather was clear, 72-75°, 8-11mph wind gusts
Surveyed from 11:00am-4:30pm
Drove Swartz Tram, Martin Grade, and Cannon Grade Roads
We ran into a super nice fellow butterflyer, RC!

R. Spink and B. Woodmansee

  • Great Southern White 1
  • Cloudless Sulphur 21
  • Barred Yellow 2
  • Sleepy Orange 4
  • Red-banded Hairstreak 6
  • Phaon Crescent 1
  • Pearl Crescent 5
  • Question Mark 3
  • Common Buckeye 1
  • Monarch 1
  • Queen 5

Ron & Lori Smith

Dinner Island Ranch WMA
Hendry County, FL

(13-72) Warm and very windy.

  • Black Swallowtail 1
  • Barred Yellow 4
  • Gulf Fritillary 1
  • Zebra Heliconian 16
  • Pearl Crescent 1
  • White Peacock 3
  • Carolina Satyr 14
  • Monarch 2
  • Queen 10
  • Long-tailed Skipper 1
  • Hayhurst's Scallopwing 12
  • Tropical Checkered-Skipper 6
  • Clouded Skipper 1

Zebra Heliconian

Queen

Hayhurst's Scallopwing

Hayhurst's Scallopwing

Black Swallowtail

David H. Bartholomew

Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve
Santa Clara County, CA

  • Mustard White 1
  • Sara Orangetip 3
  • Spring Azure 12
  • Silvery Blue 1
  • Mylitta Crescent 3
  • California Tortoiseshell 12
  • Mourning Cloak 3
  • Red Admiral 2
  • Propertius Duskywing 2

Propertius Duskywing

Spring Azure

Spring Azure

Spring Azure

Mylitta Crescent

Mourning Cloak

California Tortoiseshell

Roy Cohutta

Hickory Mound Unit - Big Bend Wildlife Management Area
Taylor County, FL

Not a lot going on here quite yet. Predominant nectar sources included two small flowers growing close to the ground. One little blue flower was in the violet family and the other flower was Southern Dewberry-Rubus trivialis. I was looking for buds and flowers on the trees, but did not see any-should be any day now though.

I ‘think’ I saw a Sleepy Orange and a Barred Yellow, but they were very brief looks from a distance.
I’m not completely convinced the male Duskywing in the photo is a Juvenal’s and not a Horace’s. But there is some gray overscaling and it is only February!
The camera-shy Question Marks flew into nearby trees and were followed and observed with butterfly binoculars.

Ran into famous butterfliers RS & BW! A good time was held by all.
Time: 1000-1600, Temperature: 64-75, Wind: SE 7-18MPH, Cloud Cover: 4-38%, A beautiful day.
Location: 30.042852447098248, -83.84252365945584

  • Cloudless Sulphur 10
  • Red-banded Hairstreak 1
  • American Snout 2
  • Pearl Crescent 2
  • Question Mark 10
  • Southern Pearly-eye 1
  • Monarch 7
  • Queen 6
  • Juvenal's Duskywing 1

Red-banded Hairstreak

Queen

Monarch, Queen

Juvenal's Duskywing

Monarch

Queen

Cloudless Sulphur

John Heyse

Carquinez shoreline, Crockett
Contra Costa County, CA

first butterflies of the season

  • Cabbage White 2
  • Monarch 1

Ronda G Spink

Big Bend WMA-Spring Creek
Taylor County, FL

Weather was clear, 68-69°, 8-16mph wind gusts
Surveyed from 9:30am-3:00pm
Drove Mule Wallow Spur, Henderson Road, and Old Grade Road

R. Spink and B. Woodmansee

  • Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 1
  • Cloudless Sulphur 64
  • Barred Yellow 3
  • Sleepy Orange 6
  • Red-banded Hairstreak 9
  • American Snout 1
  • Phaon Crescent 1
  • Pearl Crescent 7
  • Question Mark 13
  • Common Buckeye 1
  • Monarch 11
  • Queen 1
  • Horace's Duskywing 2

Ronda G Spink

Cow Creek Road, Goethe State Forest
Levy County, FL

Weather was cloudy, 75°, 8-10mph wind gusts
Surveyed from 11:00am-5:00pm

R. Spink

  • Pipevine Swallowtail 2
  • Cloudless Sulphur 2
  • Gray Hairstreak 1
  • Red-banded Hairstreak 21
  • Phaon Crescent 6
  • Pearl Crescent 4
  • Monarch 4
  • Queen 8

Queen

Gray Hairstreak

Ron Smith

Sawgrass Lake Park
Pinellas County, FL

(10-17) Warm and partly sunny. A park-first Fulvous Hairstreak, for me anyway.

  • Cloudless Sulphur 3
  • Orange-barred Sulphur 2
  • Fulvous Hairstreak 1
  • Cassius Blue 1
  • Zebra Heliconian 1
  • Red Admiral 1
  • White Peacock 4
  • Horace's Duskywing 1
  • Clouded Skipper 1
  • Fiery Skipper 2

Orange-barred Sulphur

Orange-barred Sulphur

Cassius Blue

Fulvous Hairstreak

Horace's Duskywing

Ken Wilson

Plum Canyon
San Diego County, CA

Sunny, 78 degrees, breezy winds early became calmer in the afternoon.

  • Black Swallowtail
  • Spring White
  • Desert Orangetip
  • Sara Orangetip
  • Sleepy Orange
  • Dainty Sulphur
  • Great Purple Hairstreak
  • Sonoran Blue
  • Silvery Blue
  • Wright's Metalmark
  • Mormon Metalmark
  • Funereal Duskywing
  • Orange Skipperling

Mormon Metalmark

Desert Orangetip

Funereal Duskywing

Great Purple Hairstreak

Wright's Metalmark

Spring White

Sonoran Blue

Silvery Blue

Sleepy Orange

Orange Skipperling

David H. Bartholomew

Sunol-Ohlone Regional Wilderness
Alameda County, CA

Mid-60’s, dry. No roadside seeps or mud puddles.

Orange Sulphurs were barely Ringlet-sized. Also of interest to me, one Margined White was nectaring on Purple Nightshade, and a Variable Checkerspot adult is quite early.

  • Mustard White 7
  • Cabbage White 3
  • Sara Orangetip 15
  • Orange Sulphur 25
  • Spring Azure 4
  • Silvery Blue 3
  • Acmon Blue 1
  • Variable Checkerspot 1
  • California Tortoiseshell 1
  • Red Admiral 1
  • Common Buckeye 3
  • Common Ringlet 9

Common Buckeye

Spring Azure

Mustard White

Cabbage White

Orange Sulphur

Orange Sulphur

John and Nancy Crosby

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

75 degrees and sunny.

  • Cloudless Sulphur 1
  • Gray Hairstreak 1
  • Horace's Duskywing 1

Cloudless Sulphur

Horace's Duskywing

Horace's Duskywing

Horace's Duskywing

Gray Hairstreak

Bart Jones

my backyard, midtown Memphis
Shelby County, TN

First butterfly of the year.

  • Question Mark 1

Barbara Peck

Anderson River Park
Shasta County, CA

This is earlier than usual for Pipevine Swallowtails. The first emergence of pipevines typically is in March. This year has been dry and fairly warm since January 8. My estimate of 85 is a minimum number for the 2 mile walk in riparian habitat.

  • Pipevine Swallowtail 85
  • Cabbage White 1
  • Mourning Cloak 1

Pipevine Swallowtail

Mourning Cloak

Ken Wilson

Elsenore Peak & surrounding area
Riverside County, CA

Mostly sunny, 68 degrees.

  • Anise Swallowtail
  • Pale Swallowtail
  • Sara Orangetip
  • California Dogface
  • Dainty Sulphur
  • Bramble Hairstreak
  • Painted Lady
  • Mournful Duskywing

Pale Swallowtail

Mournful Duskywing

Roy Cohutta

Chickasawhatchee WMA
Dougherty County, GA

Continuation of 2nd season of monitoring at this Monarch overwintering site-14th report this season at this location.

With Anna Yellin, Wildlife Resources Division, Georgia Department of Natural Resources and Dan Shulimson.

This date: 19 February: The first butterflies began flying at approximate 1046 AM. These included some Monarchs, Queens and a Common Buckeye. They were first seen flying up from the field. We did not observe any fly down from nearby trees at the start.

We briefly saw one butterfly, possibly a Pearl Crescent, that was not included in the list.
Time: 0930-1751, Temperature: 37-63F, Wind: N 9-22MPH, Cloud Cover: 6%, Severe Clear.

There have been 12 days with temperatures of 32F and below during the 2021-2022 cold period.
The coldest temperature has been 23F.

Habitat: Field Field with Jointed Charlock - Raphanus raphanistrum (Mustard Family) next to swamps.
Coastal plain of inland southwest Georgia.
Location:
GPS: 31.47029591072563, -84.37643394048602
Straight-line distance to Atlantic Coast: 178 miles.
Straight-line distance to Gulf Coast: 98 miles.

  • Gray Hairstreak 2
  • American Lady 3
  • Common Buckeye 2
  • Monarch 20
  • Queen 20
  • Zarucco Duskywing 1

Common Buckeye

Gray Hairstreak

Monarch

Gray Hairstreak

Zarucco Duskywing

Gray Hairstreak

Queen

American Lady

Roy Cohutta

Chickasawhatchee WMA
Dougherty County, GA

Continuation of 2nd season of monitoring at this Monarch overwintering site-15th report this season at this location.

With Anna Yellin, Wildlife Resources Division, Georgia Department of Natural Resources and Dan Shulimson.

This date, 20 February: The first Monarchs and Queens began flying at approximate 1004 AM (52F). They began flying up from the field. We did not see any fly down from the nearby trees.

Time: 0900-1230, Temperature: 45-64F, Wind: NE-E 7-13 MPH, Cloud Cover: 01% Severe Clear.

There have been 12 days with temperatures of 32F and below during the 2021-2022 cold period.
The coldest temperature has been 23F.

Habitat: Field with Jointed Charlock - Raphanus raphanistrum (Mustard Family) next to swamps.
Coastal plain of inland southwest Georgia.
Location:
GPS: 31.47029591072563, -84.37643394048602
Straight-line distance to Atlantic Coast: 178 miles.
Straight-line distance to Gulf Coast: 98 miles.

  • Cabbage White 1
  • Red-banded Hairstreak 1
  • American Lady 2
  • Common Buckeye 2
  • Monarch 30
  • Queen 30

Cabbage White

Monarch

Red-banded Hairstreak

Karl and Dorothy Legler

Estero Llano Grande State Park in Weslaco
Hidalgo County, TX

85 degrees. Mostly sunny. Very windy with gusts to 30 mph. Hard to photograph. Hard to identify butterflies sitting on flowers because of gyrations of the flowers. Dorothy found the rare White Scrub-Hairstreak. We saw another Coyote Cloudywing today about 5 miles away. 14 species. (Some others got away.)

  • Giant Swallowtail 1
  • Orange Sulphur 1
  • Southern Dogface 1
  • Large Orange Sulphur 1
  • Gray Hairstreak 2
  • White Scrub-Hairstreak 1
  • Fatal Metalmark 1
  • American Snout 1
  • Gulf Fritillary 2
  • White Peacock 1
  • Coyote Cloudywing 1
  • Tropical Checkered-Skipper 1
  • Laviana White-Skipper 1
  • Fiery Skipper 1

White Peacock

White Scrub-Hairstreak

Linda Romine

Shawnee State Forest Bridle Trail #5
Scioto County, OH

First butterflies of the year.

  • Eastern Comma 4

Roy Cohutta

Hickory Mound Unit - Big Bend Wildlife Management Area
Taylor County, FL

Time: 1100-1500, Temperature: 72-78F, Wind: 9-17 MPH, Cloud Cover: 10-08%. 30.039293279725495, -83.85578136613829

  • Cloudless Sulphur 12
  • Barred Yellow 2
  • Red-banded Hairstreak 1
  • Pearl Crescent 8
  • Question Mark 7
  • Monarch 3
  • Queen 5
  • Clouded Skipper 2
  • Fiery Skipper 1

Pearl Crescent

Fiery Skipper\

Question Mark

Juvenal's Duskywing

Cloudless Sulphur

Monarch

Ronda G Spink

Lower Suwanee Nature Drive-South to North
Levy County, FL

Weather was clear, 72-77°, 6-7mph wind gusts
Surveyed from 10:15am-4:30pm
Drove Cabin Road, Barnett Creek Road and then all the way to the north entrance

R. Spink and B. Woodmansee

  • Palamedes Swallowtail 1
  • Cloudless Sulphur 34
  • Barred Yellow 3
  • Great Purple Hairstreak 1
  • Juniper Hairstreak 9
  • Red-banded Hairstreak 1
  • Gulf Fritillary 1
  • Phaon Crescent 27
  • Pearl Crescent 42
  • Red Admiral 1
  • Carolina Satyr 34
  • Monarch 4
  • Queen 2
  • Northern Cloudywing 1
  • Horace's Duskywing 2
  • Clouded Skipper 6
  • Least Skipper 1
  • Fiery Skipper 1
  • Broad-winged Skipper 2

queen caterpillar

Cloudless Sulphur

Juniper Hairstreak

Great Purple Hairstreak

Cloudless Sulphur

Roy Cohutta

Albany Nursery WMA
Dougherty County, GA

An over-wintering Southern Dogface was seen here this past weekend. I was trying to find and photograph it. No luck, but it is all good.

Signs of spring are everywhere here in southwest Georgia.

Time: 1330-1500, Temperature: 80-83F, Wind: SE 7-10 MPH, Cloud Cover: 13-16%.

  • Cabbage White 10
  • Cloudless Sulphur 3
  • Sleepy Orange 4
  • Gray Hairstreak 1
  • Red-banded Hairstreak 1
  • Eastern Tailed-Blue 6
  • Pearl Crescent 10
  • American Lady 5
  • Common Buckeye 9
  • Silver-spotted Skipper 1
  • Juvenal's Duskywing 3
  • White Checkered-Skipper 1

American Lady

White Checkered-Skipper

Silver-spotted Skipper

Cabbage White

Juvenal's Duskywing

Gray Hairstreak

Red-banded Hairstreak

Eastern Tailed-Blue

John Heyse

at home, Crockett
Contra Costa County, CA

  • Common Buckeye 1

David H. Bartholomew

Monte Bello Open Space Preserve
Santa Clara County, CA

Sunny but chilly, barely into the low 50’s.

  • Mustard White 12
  • Orange Sulphur 1
  • Mylitta Crescent 3

Mylitta Crescent

Mustard White

Mustard White

Mustard White

John and Nancy Crosby

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

Unseasonably warm at 85 degrees with full sun. Also saw an unidentified Duskywing. Azeleas and Carolina, Jasamine and a few other nectar sources are blooming. Conditions relatively dry.

  • Cloudless Sulphur 2
  • Sleepy Orange 1
  • Common Buckeye 1

John Crosby

Tabby Oaks, Shellman Bluff, GA 31331
McIntosh County, GA

Unseasonably hot at 85 degrees with full sun. FOS Henry’s Elfins despite dry conditions. Henry’s Elfin is the yawehus subspecies photographed on host plant Yapon Holly (ilex vomitoria) Also saw an unidentified white.

  • Cloudless Sulphur 8
  • Henry's Elfin 3
  • Red-banded Hairstreak 4

Henry's Elfin

Cloudless Sulphur

Red-banded Hairstreak

Roy Cohutta

Chickasawhatchee WMA
Dougherty County, GA

Weather has turned warmer. Signs of spring everywhere.

Time: 1400-1600, Temperature: 80-74F, Wind: SW 7-11 MPH, Cloud Cover: 76-70%, 31.470192173267712, -84.37632594966617

  • Spicebush Swallowtail 4
  • Cabbage White 1
  • Cloudless Sulphur 1
  • Sleepy Orange 2
  • Gray Hairstreak 1
  • Pearl Crescent 10
  • Question Mark 4
  • Carolina Satyr 9
  • Monarch 20
  • Queen 20
  • Silver-spotted Skipper 1
  • Juvenal's Duskywing 1

Queen

Spicebush Swallowtail

Monarch

Carolina Satyr

Linda Cooper

Three Lakes WMA - Williams Road Unit
Osceola County, FL

8:45 a.m. - 3:45 p.m. Weather: 67°-83°, winds 6-9 mph, clear to partly cloudy. Drove Williams Rd to Rd 2. Large areas on Williams Rd had been burned recently and should be spectacular for wildflowers and butterflies this fall. Mostly searching for Yucca Giant-Skippers and did find eggs and caterpillar chimneys but no adults. Nectar: thistles and blackberries. Photos are labeled. LCooper, EPerry.

  • Zebra Swallowtail 7
  • Black Swallowtail 2
  • Spicebush Swallowtail 4
  • Palamedes Swallowtail 15
  • Great Southern White 1
  • Cloudless Sulphur 7
  • Barred Yellow 2
  • Little Yellow 10
  • Gray Hairstreak 2
  • Ceraunus Blue 2
  • Little Metalmark 1
  • Gulf Fritillary 2
  • Phaon Crescent 1
  • Pearl Crescent 7
  • Common Buckeye 3
  • White Peacock 4
  • Carolina Satyr 35
  • Confused Cloudywing 1
  • Sleepy Duskywing 7
  • Horace's Duskywing 1
  • Swarthy Skipper 2
  • Whirlabout 10
  • Palmetto Skipper 2
  • Dun Skipper 1
  • Twin-spot Skipper 1

Palmetto Skipper

Whirlabout

Palmetto Skipper

Dun Skipper

Twin-spot Skipper

Sleepy Duskywing

Carolina Satyr

Sleepy Duskywing

Cloudless Sulphur

Little Metalmark

Confused Cloudywing

Gulf Fritillary

Sleepy Duskywing

Whirlabout

Confused Cloudywing

John Heyse

at home, Crockett
Contra Costa County, CA

  • Cabbage White 1
  • Mylitta Crescent 1
  • Red Admiral 1

Mark and Holly Salvato

St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park, Fellsmere
Indian River County, FL

  • Zebra Swallowtail 2
  • Great Southern White 4
  • Cloudless Sulphur 1
  • Little Yellow 3
  • Gray Hairstreak 2
  • Common Buckeye 1
  • White Peacock 1
  • Sleepy Duskywing 7

Sleepy Duskywing

Sleepy Duskywing

Sleepy Duskywing

Sleepy Duskywing

Jeanette Klodzen

Southern walkway of Sugarhouse Park Salt Lake City
Salt Lake County, UT

  • Checkered White 1

John Heyse

at home, Crockett
Contra Costa County, CA

  • Cabbage White 2
  • Spring Azure 1
  • Red Admiral 1

David H. Bartholomew

Long Ridge Open Space Preserve
San Mateo County, CA

Sunny 72 degrees. Spent 15 minutes in Upper Stevens Creek County Park (Santa Clara County), then across the road for 2-1/2 hours at Long Ridge (San Mateo County). Margined Whites were numerous; one was unusually dark.

  • Mustard White 44
  • Brown Elfin 1
  • Spring Azure 7
  • California Tortoiseshell 15
  • Propertius Duskywing 2

Mustard White

Mustard White

California Tortoiseshell

Spring Azure