July 2016 Sightings

Two flowering Common Milkweed plants had drawn in, at least, 20 Broad-winged Skippers.

Another observation was surprising and quiet pleasurable. Some of the 'Summer Form' Question Marks that emigrated into this area a month or so ago must now be generating a new generation of 'Summer Form' Question Marks!

Found a fresh, male Sachem, 2 Gray Hairstreaks and a Salt Marsh Skipper using White Clover for nectar.

Only my 2nd sighting of a Monarch this year and she was nectaring on my Tithonia and ovipositing on all 3 of my milkweed species. No pics today. I left her alone.

[This is our first rare skipper of 2016. Congratulations and welcome back to the NJ and the USA to Jack Miller. jc]

A Red Admiral zipped through the cars at Acme Market parking lot traveling toward the northeast.

Hot & humid, 8 black swallowtail cats on parsley, 4 on fennel, 3 chrysalis. One adult black swallowtail male released.

It was great to see a fresh Common Wood-Nymph along the tracks.

A fresh female, Eastern Tailed-Blue was staying in the back yard and later two Cabbage Whites visited, briefly, and got nectar from Common Cat's-ear.

Spicebush was a male.

We found Mulberry Wings and this is a new population for Cape May County. This is the southern-most place for them now – that we know about. Will check for them even further south due to this discovery! Saw a few getting nectar from the Lizard Tail plant.

[Congratulations to both observers on this significant and very cool find! jc]

13 participants. Sunny but windy, 82 degrees. Windy conditions kept numbers down. Second trip in fields added 5 new species. Some un-id worn grass skippers. Some aphids seen on American beech, but no Harvesters found. Interesting bugs in addition to butterflies seen.

[Moderator's Note: thanks to Chris Herz for leading this very successful trip, our second group field trip of 2016. Thank you, Chris! jc]

There were 9 Cabbage Whites counted on this trip - Belleplain (2), Lizard Tail (1), Downtown Cape May CH (1), 402 West Hand Avenue (3) and MTBP (2).

Counted 14 Mulberry Wings on the Pickrelweed and saw an Appalachian Brown basking on a large leaf along the river. The Spangled Skimmers were catching early sun, also.

I'm pretty sure the Cloudywing is a Northern because of the dark face.

My husband Damon and I made the trip down to the 10 acre field of milkweed to check for monarchs. 4:10-5:30pm. (No trails here). I observed at least 10 monarchs in the part I surveyed, and Damon saw at least 5 more on the other side of the field. I saw 6 monarchs mating and one being carried by its mate; in the photo it appears to have missing legs. Another monarch was perched on a milkweed for quite some time but its abdomen was held above the wings, strangely. The only flowers in this field are common milkweed and musk thistle.

Temp in mid 70's slight wind and slightly overcast.

Half-hour walk around the Rancocas Nature Center and field.

2nd brood flying with a mint-fresh individual found basking, hopefully more to come this week. Also new brood of Pearl Crescents and Cabbage Whites.

Former Indian Reservation area. Only spent @1.5 hours walking the fields. Many Com. Wood-Nymphs including two mating I was able to photograph. Many dragonflies as well. Need rain.

Mint-fresh 2nd brood of Bronze Coppers flying. Broad-winged Skippers count actual dial counted.

Late afternoon visit (after 4pm) and overcast. Anything seen was flushed up from the ground. No whites of any kind flying at the time.

So much nectar, so few butterflies.

Mint-fresh Bronze Coppers from 2nd brood flying. Curiously, found in outer extremes to property and not in perceived center of colony. Also, fresh brood of Common Buckeyes flying and, happily, fresh Common Sootywings. Broad-winged Skipper count is actual dial counted. Rare Skippers mint fresh too! Summer Azure is a curiosity….very small (like spring) and already very worn.

Little activity and no hairstreaks.

Short stop to weed and water a couple plants–11:30-12:30. 13 late instar Black Swallowtail cats on fennel. Both clearwing moths were on butterfly bush. All butterflies were in the garden.

[Chris's report gives us our third county for great spangled in 2016, all on our western side: SAL, BUR, and GLO. jc]