September 2015 Sightings

Flew in, landed, flew away… Severely cropped photo.

Late in the day observations–garden mainly, monarch seen flying just outside garden

Monthly check on Bronze Copper colonies. Both older, well worn individuals and fresher, newer individuals flying. Mated pairs found on each colony area. Numbers are for combined count of both areas. Some higher counts are from dial counter used.

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Ocola Skippers having a banner year here! Fiery Skippers now well represented also.

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60-minute bike ride out South Dike to First Tower hoping for monarchs. Sulphurs mostly distant and in-flight; not comfortable ID'ing to species, though none was an obvious orange. Only close individual was a white-form female.

My last stop for the day. Observations made between 4:45 p.m.& 5.45 p.m. All of the Hairstreaks were found on Groundsel Bush. A summary of today's Southern Strays:Cloudless Sulphur (28), Little Yellow (8),Ocola Skipper (27), Fiery Skipper (18)

Very nice "Dallas Red" Lantana in back. Observations made 9:15 a.m to 9:45 a.m.

Little Yellows were discovered last Sunday here near the plover ponds and dune system. This was the hotspot several years ago for this species.

Moderator Note: we had only a single report of little yellow earlier this year – from the Cumberland County NABA count in late June. This is the first report since. Congrats to Dave on the excellent find!

Mercer Master Gardeners Annual Trip

The Ocola show continued here.

Maybe the most productive sedum at the point.

No significant sun until 11 a.m. The Dun Skipper was well worn.

Very dry with very little nectar.

White flowering Eupatorium sp.the main nectar source. Goldenrod not being used by any butterflies here today.
The Fiery Skipper was a male.

First documented sighting of Ocola Skipper at Wheelabrator! The 53rd species recorded here. The Ocola Skipper was nectaring on Lespedeza cuneata. The Fiery Skipper was a female nectaring on Buddleia in the Butterfly garden.Also a possible White M.Hairstreak. Briefly flushed a large Hairstreak which seemed to flash its blue top.

In addition to Dave Amadio's sightings–from the garden only while working.

Only a brief survey of the fields surrounding the butterfly garden. Lespedeza sp. the primary nectar source here. The Spicebush Swallowtail was a female that flew into the fenced in butterfly garden.

Complete cloud cover except for 30 minutes or so. Little to be seen during clouds except for ubiquitous monarchs.

Solid cloud cover kept things very quiet.