Recent sightings

I was surprised to see this many butterflies on such a gray and overcast morning.

15 mins spent waiting for Garden Store to open. One terrible shot of a very "tired" Azure. Actually they all look tired. Can't even venture a guess. No Cobweb or Frosted.

This butterfly was injured and unable to fly.

I was surprised to find a dusted skipper while doing volunteer work on the UU grounds. I ran back to my truck, refound the bug, and managed to get a low quality phone photo. The Unitarian Universalist grounds were required to have a drainage basin dug when the building was constructed in 2008, and Jesse Connor choose native plants and grasses for the basin plantings. There was not an area of pinelands habitat like this for miles. This example of "build it and they will come" is exciting and brings up questions as to how species populate a new and isolated area. Up until this UU dusted sk, they had only been reported in two ATL areas. The first was an EHT powerline (Jack and Jesse Connor 5/18/14) and the second was the AC airport (Clay Sutton and Jimmy Dowdell on 5/27/14 and 5/18/16).

I was glad to see the Little Wood-Satyrs since the colony that was thriving in the vacant lot next door was destroyed to make way for contruction.

Checked to see if Bronze Coppers are flying yet. The area's dogbane is growing nicely, but hasn't burst forth yet. Found only one pristine fresh copper today, but I suspect the larger colony will be flying come weekend. Same probably will hold for the larger emergence of Aaron's Skippers as well.

Concerning though is the overwhelming growth of crown vetch now, as it's really spreading everywhere and may spell trouble if it crowds out the host plant or the dogbane going forward.

The other small colony of Bronze Coppers found on private land appears to be lost. I spoke with the landowner and he's already cleared most of the land and where the colony is/was is being leveled this week.

[Congrats to Steve for this year's first bronze copper and first Aaron's skipper. The news about the possibility of losing a bronze copper colony is disturbing. - jm]

Visited the scenic trail between 2:25 & 3:45 with more clouds than sun and low 70's. Female Zabs outnumbered males 5 to 4 this day here. Note: Parking area was severely restricted due to some drilling work. Also protesters were staged at the corner of Grove & Riverwinds. An adequate police presence kept things peaceful.

Incidental sightings in the yard.

I have a rule of the Garden that I didn't follow today…always take the camera!
I went out to level my bird bath and the Cannas "forest" next to it had a butterfly spin out and land on the Fence. It was a tattered Brazilian Skipper. I ran in to get the camera but by the time I got back it was gone. I wasn't going to post this but…Peer pressure prevailed.

[It is June 1st and already Harvey has recorded our second Brazilian sk of 2020. Well done! - jm]

Spent the last 1 1/2 hours walking the preserve. The Blackberry blooms had the most Butterflies. I didn't chase all of the little dark Skippers that I saw.

[One wonders what Brian might have reported had he chased down all those little dark sk's. Congrats to Brian for a great great day and a great list of skippers including three FOY's: dun, little glassywing and tawny-edged. Nice way to start June! - jm]

Spotted lantern fly nymphs found on our hops vine –about a half dozen. Spritzed with insecticidal soap which took care of them. Not sure if they dropped from a nearby tree or where they hatched from.

9:45-11:30am; mostly clear skies, 59->62ºF, winds NW 10mph. Walked length of road from Sunset southwest to Route 347. Floored to find so many Red-banded Hairstreaks here today; many quite fresh. Groups of them were gathered on the ground, reminiscent of strong elfin days in April. Two worn elfins (Brown/Henry's) didn't offer good/long enough views but seemed notable given the date.

[Wow, that's a lot of RBHS's! Your elfins, whether brown or Henry's, would set new LOY' for either species in our log's history. Interestingly, the record for our log's history for Henry's was just broken on May 30 last weekend. Any volunteers to get some elfin photos? - jm]

8:45 to 10:45 am. Temp in the low 60s, sunny, breezy. After finishing a bird census, I biked 6.4 miles north on Carranza Rd to the state forest boundary.

Out working in the yard and a Brazilian skipper came in and checked out my cannas in the back yard. I did not have my camera outside. Will we be invaded again?

[Congrats to Beth for our FOY Brazilian skipper. This is the third year in a row that we have recorded a Brazilian sk in May. Are we witnessing a change in this species for our area? As Beth asks, "will they invade again?" - jm]

2:30-4 pm. Mostly sunny but cloudy at times with winds picking up towards the end of the afternoon. Various salvias in bloom as well as verbena bonariensis starting to bloom. Most activity though on the trails. Lots of stinging nettle on the trails.

Spent the whole day at home. Butterfly activity still light. Of other interest were Virginia Creeper Sphinx & Eight-spotted Forester moths. Both species cats feed on Virginia Creeper which is in abundance on this property.

8:45 to 9:15 am.

8 to 8:30 am.

9:30 to 11:00. Sunny & windy. Flowering blackberry attracting many b'flies.

The Cloudless was checking out the Senna patch and the Swallowtail was laying eggs on the Black cherry.
Looks like something almost got the Cloudless. Probably our nesting Crested Flycatchers.

[This is our third report of cloudless sulphur this May. Might May reports of this species become the future norm? -jm]

Sightings along wildlife drive.

11:45 - 1:00. Over the years at Mac, I have been able to observe N. cloudywings along with S. cloudywings and was mostly confident identifying them. This year has been tough for me. I am reporting these cloudywings as southern, but they do not have the larger white markings of southerns of the past. Comments on cloudywings are most welcome. The Henry's was a surprise (as was how good a shape it was in) as was the azure two feet from it. The azure looks like a worn marginata and has colored differently than the remaining few aging holly azures at Mac. The late Juvenal's was also surprising. The Zab was a female.

[Interesting that our latest-ever Henry's should be such a fresh-looking one. Previous latest = 5/26/16. Good find, Jack. jc]

10:30-12:00

Obs. made between 3:05 & 4:50, Sun and low 80's. No sign of Harvesters here today.

[Good find of our FOY least sk, Dave. jc]

Incidental sightings from 2 to 3 in the afternoon while working in the yard.

Still waiting on 4 Spicebush Swallowtail to eclose and 1 Black Swallowtail to eclose. Had a Spicebush Swallowtail laying eggs on the spicebush and a Question Mark laying eggs on the hackberry tree while working in the garden.

Incidental sightings in the yard today.

Summer Azures were on Silky Dogwood (not yet blooming). Latish Pine Elfin on Pyracantha blooms.

First time seeing Hoary Elfin, a bit late in the flight season from what I understand.

[Yes, our previous latest-ever date is May 25 (2014). Cool find! jc]

I saw the sootywing mid-afternoon and decided to get the camera and chase this very active bug around the yard. It turned out to be worth it when I got the chance to see it ovipositing on lamb's quarters with its one leaf one egg style.

m & f zabby.

Incidental sightings while out in the yard today.

A quick walk around the new property at the end of the day to see how the Meadows are responding to the work that I have been doing. They are going to need a lot more work. The property is at the end of Franklin Avenue. Beware of the biting insects if you check it out.Today was the first bad day of the year for Strawberry flies. I chased the Checkered Skipper around with my phone for a few minutes trying for a picture with no luck.

[Congrats on our FOY checkered skipper for 2020, Brian. Good find! jc]

[Cool! We have a tie for the FOY red-spotted purple for 2020. You and Jen B must now submit photo documentation of your wrist watches at the time of discovery to determine who truly merits First Place. ;-) jc]

12:50 to 3:25. Sunny with a light breeze. 82 degrees. Dusted Skippers very active.

[An excellent list – including our FOY crossline skipper and a tie for our FOY cloudless, plus a which-is-it cloudywing, photo'd close up for analysis by anyone who wants to make the call. Good going, Tom! jc]

This may be a first for me - a Cloudless in May. Nice looks at the bigger greenish tinged butterfly as it up the cove river area. Mostly sunny, 82 degrees, 3 to 8 mph south winds.

[Congrats, Sandra, on the good find of our FOY cloudless for 2020. The Lep Log (south of us) has been reporting good numbers of the species, so it might be a good year for them. We have few May reports over the years – in only four of our thirteen years logging. Oddly, in three of those four – 2012, 2019, and 2020 – the first report came on May 26. Our earliest ever report came on May 13, 2014. jc]

11:30am-12:30pm
Question mark was completely ragged and worn. Red-spotted purple was circling black cherry but not landing.

[Nice find of our FOY red-spotted purple of 2020, JB! jc]

Smith's Woods butterfly garden only.

Counted one of the good Dusted Skipper locations after work. The colony is doing good. It was suprising to see so many Little Wood-satyrs in that habitat. Bluestem and BlackBerry thickets in full sun.

[Excellent to have both LWS and DUSK in such good numbers. jc]

Midday walk around the preserve. The North-east meadow has lots of Milkweed and Dogbane this year.

Brief late day observation.

Incidental sightings while doing chores late in the afternoon.

Birding in the park during the morning but noted butterflies as well.

The sun finally appeared so I took a walk at Wheelabrator. No surprises here, but a strong showing for Peck's & ETB. Obs. made between 2:25 & 4:45.

In the garden most of the afternoon. My wife Pat spotted the Monarch. Zabulons were 2 males & 1 female. Also saw one early juvenile Spotted Lanternfly.

Late afternoon, sun to start but clouds moved in.

RSP cat on beach plum. Our yard's FOY sachem, a male.

Mostly cloudy with several showers and even a few short sunny periods. Obs. made while working in the garden.

A summer form question mark came to the yard and quickly began ovipositing on a hackberry.

Spent most of my time walking to the east of Rt 555 instead of the usual west side. Some interesting bogs around Buckshutem creek.

In between rain storms. My FOY skipper in the yard, and my first grass skipper of the year.

Light rain in am until 1:45. Overwintered black ST released—a male

Incidental sightings today. First skippers in the yard this year. Also got a quick but distant look at a hairstreak which promptly took off. Probably a RB Hairstreak.

65 degrees and sun. Also a dark ST flew through the yard.

A lovely sunny stroll.

While working outside we saw the yard's FOY monarch arrive. It immediately started laying eggs on the milkweed.

Spicebush ST continues to be uncommon this windy and chilly month.

Late morning, sunny.

70 and sunny the best bug day of the year. Dusted photos are of two different bugs.

[Congrats Chip! This is only the second report of dusted sk from CAM in our log's history. The other report goes back to May 18 2017 and was logged by Sandra Keller from Winslow WMA. That report mentioned that BUR was the only county that had not reported dusted sk; that challenge still holds true and remains open to us all. - jm]

[Congrats to Steve for our log's first viceroy of the 2020. -jm]