Recent sightings

Nice to arrive home to this bug.

1:00- 2:30. Thrilled to find Frosted here again after not seeing them here in 2018. The gray hairstreak was a rag. I don't know what to call the azure in the photo; it doesn't look like a blueberry or holly. It was the only azure to land today and it choose my sneaker creating a photo challenge. It was completely content to the point I had to shake vigorously to get it to fly (never to land again).

Full sun, light wind, temps rising into the 70's, between 10:00- 11:45. A Twilight Zone day here. Driving into this area, there were duskywings everywhere. On the return trip, only a few dozen. I scanned a couple of photos (150+ bugs) and did not find a single species other than Juvenal's. The photo I submitted is of 60 Juvenal's. The total count is the number for driving in only. There were probably more than one Hessel's, but with minimal available nectar they were not interested in landing. There were at least 10 elfins flying but I only could get a look at one Brown and one Pine.

[An impressive mix of species (and numbers) and our FOY Hessel's for 2019. Good going, Jack! jc]

2:00-4:00pm

Sunny, 9 to 13 mph WNW winds, 66 degrees. No Coppers yet.

[Our first spicebush swallowtail of 2019. Good find, Sandra! jc]

Anglewing nectaring on Pawpaw tree blossoms. Blooms smell a bit like rotting fruit.

Observation made 4- 4:30. Horace's duskywing was observed through binoculars: had multiple views of dotless ventral hw and minimal frosting on dorsal view.

[Nice find – our first Horace's for 2019. jc]

Sunny, temperature in the 70's; 1:30-2:15. It is interesting to note the subtle differences in appearance of the frosted elfins in the different colonies in the Cape.

9-11:00am, Red trail, smith's woods

2:30 till 4 p.m. Part sun, near 80. Was surprised to see a dark form female E.Tiger nectaring on Autumn Olive this early. Cypress Spurge in bloom, but no takers this day. Abundant Tick action off trail!! Coppers should be flying here now, but I found none.

At work today. Most of the bugs were in the fields at North Burden hill road. I started a project there last year, taking 14 acres of overgrown fields and bringing them back into early succession. It can be very good for butterflies when the Milkweed is blooming. Check it out if you're in the area. The access is south of Waterworks road. There is a opening in a guardrail on the left. Parking is on the grass. Be very careful after a rain. I have gotten my 4x4 work truck stuck after a thunderstorm.

[This is an invitation worth taking up – to see how an overgrown, woody spot can be transformed with some hard work – actually, lots of hard work – into a butterfly oasis. Thank you, Brian! jc]

An Earth Day Treat.

[Yay! our first monarch of 2018. May there be many more to come. jc]

We’ve only seen one or two Snouts in our 6 yrs. here so it was a nice surprise today. Falcate Orangetip was a male.

2 pm, sunny, breezy, 60 degrees

11:30-12:30, 60 degrees, sunny, breezy at times. Not a good photo as the anglewing wouldn't stay still. Likewise the sulphur which was closer to Indian Trail.

Snout at entrance bridge. Most of the rest near platform overlook at Experimental Pond area.

Obs. made from 3:20 & 3:50 Abundant stands of the invasive Garlic Mustard.

Obs. made from 1:45 to 3:15, mostly cloudy 70 degrees with S winds 14-20 mph. Orangetips were 4 males ,one female. Female was laying eggs on Hoary Bittercress ( Cardamine hirsute ) Red Admiral & E.Tiger were nectaring on Autumn Olive.

[A second admiral today after nearly a month of none. jc]

Incidental sightings while birding.

[Impressive mix of butterflies and our first red admiral since our FOY on March 24 in CMY. jc]

raggedy A. Lady trapped in one of the greenhouses and I was able to get it out.

[Several reports of worn Am ladies this spring – migrants from the South, it would seem. jc]

Overcast, but brief spots of sun

12:30 - 3:00. Lots of time to explore paid off in that finally after years of watching orangetips fly along the tracks I discovered where they hang out. The Juniper hs' without exception landed high in the cedars and none of the azures landed. Only saw 3 ET blues until the last half hour when bunches appeared. Spring Wild Indigos are challenging as Juvenal's exist with many variations.

[Two FOYs in this impressive mix: juniper hairstreak and wild indigo. Nice! jc]

Sunny, light winds, 60 moving to 70 degrees. 10:00 to 11:45.

[This is our FOY frosted for 2019. Nice! jc]

At work today. I have never seen the Orangetips on that part of the preserve before. The big property on Cool run road.

[Pearl crescent is our FOY for 2019. Could this be an orangetip year? Several reports from odd places. jc]

Nice to see so many butterflies.

[We have a tie for FOY pearl crescent: you and Brian J. We are going to have to check wrist-watch time ;-)]

Overcast to partly sunny. 60 to 69 degrees. I didn't see my first butterfly until the sun appeared. A mid to late morning walk.

[Nice find, SK: our FOY tiger. jc]

Cloudy and mid 50's. The weather quieted all bflys in this area except for the duskywings. Nevertheless it was enjoyable to spend time viewing the many subtle differences presented by the Juvenal's. The numbers cited are conservative estimates.

10:20am during school field trip. One of the students spotted the falcate orange tip and amazingly it landed long enough for some of the students to get photos. A second male came by a few minutes later.

12 noon, sunny 60 degrees

11 AM, Sunny, 55 degrees, breezy

Obs. made from 12:35 till 4:45 p.m. Sunny, 61-66 degrees and 15-20mph N-WNW wind. It appears that Celestrina Idella ( Holly Azure) has started their flight already here. Always look for Henry's with green scaling. Found one this day. Also observed a Brown elfin in pursuit of a Henry's. Both Orangetips were males.

[Impressive mid-April list! jc]

A Question Mark was attracted to a fermenting orange on fruit dish.

I was doing surveys again today. Lots of walking. The Sleepy Duskywing was on the RR tracks and the Pine Eflin was on the trail that goes into Bear swamp. I only stopped for a few of the Azures.

[Our FOY pine elfin and sleepy duskywing for 2019. Good finds, Brian. jc]

[Our FOY black swallowtail and silver-spotted skipper for 2019.
good finds, Chip! jc]

Good activity, including several freshly emerged Uhler's Sundragons (dragonfly) as a highlight.

Cloudy with times of mist.

Karen wanted to see some Orangetips after birding this morning. Maskells mill did not disappoint. The Am lady was very worn.

67 degrees to start and 77 degrees by 1:30. Orangetips primarily males. One flying in the garden.

The sun was in and out all afternoon. 73 degrees. This was the eastern end of the area. Carpenter Rd. I was here for Elfins. No success with them.

I apologize for the photo, but my daughter shot the photo today and has a high powered camera that could reach the height of the tree and my iPhone couldn’t. So I took a picture of her picture.

While doing some fence painting I saw a Spring Azure flying over and around an American Cranberry bush. Never landed. Spring Azures have been quite rare in this garden over the years. "Summer" Spring Azures are quite common during their long flight period.

Quite sure of ID Eastern Comma. Got a good look at black edging of wings and marking. Flew up from leaves at base of old wooden fencing, short flight into laurel gave me time to look. The usual Azure always here this time of year. 11:30am quiet, sheltered from gusty day.

A new monitoring project has me covering a lot of ground. I walked 4
different properties on the preserve today. Saw my FOY Dragonfly also. Blue Corporal.

[Our FOY Am copper. Good find! jc]