Recent sightings

Obs. made from 2:10 to around 5. Mostly Cloudy 76-78 with brief sunny breaks. What a difference a week makes! The first time this year that I was really enthused to be butterflying locally. The action was the best by far so far this year here. Coral Hairstreaks starting off very strong again. A very nice 2nd flight of American Coppers, the best in several years. Common Milkweed partially in bloom. The largest stand of milkweed somewhat overgrown with mugwort. Abundant deer flies and loads of ticks, but on this day it was worth it.

[It's great to have a great day! Nice work Dave in reporting our FOY nbd and coral hs.- jm]

Likely my first Ebony Jewelwing ever in the garden.

My yard has not had a lot bflys lately. Today's surprise was a bfly that I believe was a n. broken dash; however, the bug was a rag. It was so used up that I could bend the verbania any way I wanted to inspect the bfly and it did not fly. I am not going to call this sk.

All Aaron's and Delaware on Common Milkweed. First Red Admiral in quite some time.

high 60's, cloudy with light rain

high 60's, cloudy with light misty rain

It is good to see that the colony of European sk's is still present here.

Incidental sightings while working in the yard this afternoon.

Nice to see Mourning Cloak in June.

Watched Monarch ovipositing in all the milkweed patches around the yard.

It’s so rare to get the black swallowtail sitting still. In such perfect condition I can only conclude that it had just emerged. The benefits of weeding!

The Black swallowtail was laying eggs on the fennel again-2nd time so far that I have seen this year but have not noticed any caterpillars yet. Was only outside for a short time.

Steamy with a few breaks of sun.

Sightings today before the storms rolled in. Still no eggs on the milkweed. Did have one small swallowtail cat on the parsley days ago….haven't seen it since.

I was very surprised to see an Ebony Jewelwing, which I consider an honorary butterfly, on my back deck in CMCH. I have only seen them in Belleplain SF around the wooded streams. While there are wet woods in my area off Hand Ave., I am not aware of any streams.

I had two monarch like butterflies doing "aerial maneuvers" together but just too far away for me to make a positive ID. Might have been Viceroys.

Restricted area, not open to public access. Butterflies seen 8:30-10:30am.

Mystery butterfly photos, as requested.

[Karen posted her report on June 6 which was the day of her sighting. I choose to use today's date in hopes of drawing attention to it.

I believe these photos are of a dusted skipper. All comments and opinions are welcome.

In her first report, Karen only submitted the oak leaf photo and I spent a long time puzzling over it. After receiving additional photos, I enlisted help from Wade and Sharon Wander and from Brian Johnson. Sharon believes the bfly is a dusted sk. The additional photos that Karen sent included the shot that shows a white face, although the white around the eyes is missing. The fw markings are consistent with how some m. dusted sk's appear. Dusted sk's can be highly variable in their appearance. In Cech and Tudor's Butterflies of the East Coast, they make note of two variant forms: hianna and loammi. In my personal experience in NJ, I have seen and photographed variations of this species.

If this butterfly is a dusted skipper, it is a significant find. The only location in CMY where they have previously been found was along the Dennisville rr tracks. The last report was 6/2/2009.

In the first 5 years of the SJBP log, dusted sk was only reported in a few places in small numbers in three counties: CMY, BUR, and GLO. Slowly, our other SJBP counties joined the list which is now complete. Many of the current dusted areas hold large populations.

Is dusted skipper increasing its range and numbers in SJ or are observers now more attentive and interested in seeking this species? -jm]

Another “ butterflying while paddle boarding“ day. Which means I did not have binoculars or camera. But walked back along the shore afterwards and got a few pictures. The pickerelweed and Native Iris were gorgeous! Also seeing lots of buds on buttonbush to check back in a few weeks.

FOY on Dogbane.

[Congrats Cynthia for this FOY for our log. -jm]

"Twilight zone" azure in bad photo. We assumed the brightly-colored fresh azures flying around our yard were summer azures – seems too late for holly azure and just on time for first brood summer azures. But at least one female oviposited more than a dozen times on unopened buds of winterberry holly (Ilex verticillata) while I tried to get a clear shot.
Do some Celastrina neglecta lay eggs on hollies?

[The "Twilight Zone" reference is a phrase Jack C used in his wonderful and thorough May 2 2021 article found on South Jersey Butterfly B/log "Five Ways Of Understanding South Jersey’s Azures." I wonder if more people will move towards Wade Wander's position which he stated in a response to Jack's article: "and most of all I do not believe there is more than one species of azure—Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon)!" Athough it could make things easier for observors, the Cherry Gall Azures might feel a bit neglecta from this system. -jm]

Afternoon walk, hot & humid, 94 degrees by 3 pm. Dogbane just starting to bloom, but not much on it. Monarch egg on c. milkweed.

On Virginia Sweetspire (Itea) blooming by Cape May NWR Headquarters building. Inkberry was also in bloom by building ramp, drawing in mostly by hover flies.

This was a fun day for a naturalist wildlife gardener, especially since spent mostly on my knees digging up GILL (Grrrrrr). Found an American Snout caterpillar suspended from its strand of silk over my garden path. Made positive ID and placed it on a Hackberry leaf. Only later when looking at my photos did I see the 2nd Am. Snout cat. on another leaf on the same branch. Cool huh! Question Mark eggs on Hackberry. Small Black Swallowtail cat on Fennel. Appalachian Brown at 5:30 pm to gooey fruit.

[Good to see these fine photos of eggs and cats. Also congrats to Pat for our FOY Appalachian Brown. The last time this species was reported was on 9/13/20 at the Sutton's garden. -jm]

Sunny and 88 degrees. Azure nectaring on Ilex glabra.

Another area that has seen broad cutting and clearing of habitat that used to support rare/endangered species. This time it's Bronze Copper habitat.

Two private property areas have been cleared and planted. Other areas managed by county and state have seen broad fields of dogbane and Bronze Copper host plant, water dock, wiped out. Crown vetch now grows and expands. Sad.

First brood of Bronze Coppers apparently ending, as lone individual found was very tattered and been through the gauntlet.

Congrats to Steve for our FOY reports of bronze copper and broadwing sk. The news about the bronze coppers is disturbing. -jm]

11:30-12pm sunny at 88 degrees'

[Congrats to Jack for finding our first hackberrry emperor for 2021. -jm]

In wet areas of garden, frequent sightings of low-flying azures in the past two weeks. Many huge holly trees here, also Inkberry.

Obs. made from 3:40 to 4:45. Deer flies out in full force.

Obs. made from 1:30 to 3:30.

Was only out in the morning and evening because of the heat but in the early evening noticed the Spring Azure on the New Jersey Tea that is just about ready to flower.

Summery!!

[Good to see our log's FOY's glassywing for 2021. jc]

10am-2pm sunny at 85 degrees

My "favorite patch" isn't looking so good this year. Deer have taken over the plot for their sleeping, and the milkweed is sparse this season. Time will tell, but activity was pretty low at my mid-afternoon search.

Euro-skipper colony still present, but numbers very modest.

Ventured into this area, although recent activity by 4x4 trucks mudding the area have gouged the bog area, creating deep, soft wet areas that leave foot travel dangerous. I sank into thigh depth, when I thought I was planted on a good, firm spot. Ended any further searching, beyond the very edge of the area.

Tough area now to navigate. The other trail area is heavily overgrown and always a huge tick area.

Logic suggests a trip to Franklin Parker might be smarter and easier for Bog Coppers going forward.

Hot and humid, but active at this spot and along the powerline.

[Thanks for the alert, Steve, and for the report, including our FOY bog coppers. Be careful out there, everyone! jc]

Aaron's skipper the least numerous of the "salt-marshy" skippers in our yard. This only the fourth we have found here in last ten years.

2 to 5 pm. Sunny, hot, temps in the low 90s.

[Two remarkable finds: our log's FOY Georgia satyr on the earliest we have ever recorded (breaking old date of June 8 (2018); and the first dusted skipper reported in BUR since May 2009, twelve years ago.
Good work, Tom! jc]

My go to spot for Hayhurst's Scallopwing and was not disappointed today with 7+. Males and Females in mint condition.

[Nice! Our log's FOY Hayhurst's for 2021. jc]

Despite egg laying by a female Monarch on Common Milkweed in early May, these were my first caterpillars spotted (3: 1 big and 2 small).

Early stage spotted lanternfly nymphs abundant. Finding them frequently on Common milkweed. Photographed a number of them on Virginia Creeper.

Incidental sightings while in the yard this afternoon.

Two Oak Hairstreaks. One alive, one being eaten by a spider, both on dogbane. A few scattered white oaks along the edge of the landfill but otherwise a highly developed area.

[A superb find of this elusive species! These are the first oak hairstreaks reported to our log since 2019 when two were reported in June in CMY, after a five-year period of no reports. These are also the first reports of the species in BUR since June of 2010, eleven years ago. Good work, DM! jc]

1:50pm. Cloudy and very humid

Question Mark was chasing Mourning Cloak around the fruit dish.

Like living in "Groundhog Day". Same butterfly species and numbers appear day after day.

Late in the day basking in sun. Two early install Question mark butterflies on hackberry sapling.

3rd stop on the tour. This Euro sk colony is doing fine. Few people on our log have reported this bug for the past few years. I am including a handful of photos in hopes that people may feel more confident about seeking them out and appreciating this cool bug.

[… and our log's FOY of this puzzling skipper. jc]

The area that hosted the sleepy orange colony has been completely plowed. However, some senna remains uncut along the back edge and new senna sprouts are rising from the mowed area. My guess is that sleepys will be seen here this year. The good news from this stop is that I did not have to consider stepping out from my car into deer fly city.

Early afternoon. First stop of 3 on a "now that Steve Glynn is not here, somebody has to do it tour." This field looks good, but I only surveyed it from the road as it is a bit early for checkered white. I can hardly imagine how many variegated frits must have been in the field judging from the small area I surveyed. Surprisingly, there were few species present.

10:30- 12. Sun and clouds. I have not come to this location to look for dusted sk in June. Although some of the dusted could go by "clear-winged dusted," many of them were in pretty good shape. This place was loaded with crossline, tawny-edged and swarthy, and honestly, identifying the crosslines and tawny-edged made my head spin, so I hope the photos can help others. There was no way to get and accurate count of these buzzing sk's; therefore, all counts are conservative.

[Thank you for the good shots of those tough IDs! jc]

This fresh Delaware skipper joined the worn one from yesterday. As Sootywings are wont to do, today’s led me on a wild goose chase as I tried in vain for a photo.

[Keep chasing that elusive skipper, D.A. This is our first sootywing report in several weeks – since three in early May – and no one yet has managed a photo. jc]

A big emergence today of a new brood of Cabbage Whites.

Nice variety today. Skipper season is here!

[Good finds – including log FOYs, dun and Delaware. Interesting that the Delaware skipper appears on an early date (May 29th our all-time earliest) yet looks fairly worn. jc]

Photos: Question Mark, Silver-spotted Skipper and Zabulon. First Monarch I've seen at Lumberton Leas this year.

Sun out after a couple days of rain and cool temps. Seven monarch cats on milkweed, 3rd instar (?), but several look troubled, moving lethargically and not feeding – parasitized? After-effects of bad weather?

First Summer Azure here. Both Q-Marks were summer form. Zabs were male & female.

Nice to see some butterflies after the rain and cold. All species on Silky Dogwood flowers. FOY Silver-Spot.

3:45 to 4:30 pm. Sunny & breezy. Temperature in the low 70s.

Black Swallowtail ovipositing on fennel and Monarch ovipositing on common milkweed.

54 degrees at start, warming to 64 degrees and some sun. Early instar monarch cat on common milkweed.