September 2017 Sightings

Will Kerling

Goshen, NJ
Cape May County, NJ

Found six species of skippers getting nectar from Joe Pye Weed.
Photos of a male Sachem and a worn Aaron's Skipper on a Joe Pye Weed plant and a Broad-winged Skipper on a different Joe Pye Weed plant.

  • Gray Hairstreak 1
  • Eastern Tailed-Blue 1
  • Appalachian Brown 1
  • Aaron's Skipper 2
  • Zabulon Skipper 1
  • Salt Marsh Skipper 1
  • Least Skipper 3
  • Sachem 7
  • Broad-winged Skipper 1

Will Kerling

High's Beach - CMCH, NJ
Cape May County, NJ

Found only four butterfly species during a chilly and windy morning.
Photos of a Least Skipper, a Question Mark and a Common Buckeye.

  • Question Mark 1
  • Common Buckeye 2
  • Least Skipper 1
  • Sachem 1

Will Kerling

Woodbine, NJ
Cape May County, NJ

Yes, Sachems can be found in Woodbine.

  • Spicebush Swallowtail 1
  • Cabbage White 2
  • Sachem 6

Will Kerling and Cynthia Allen

West End of West Hand Avenue - CMCH, NJ
Cape May County, NJ

Despite the switched in seasons, the area yielded some butterfly activity.

  • Spicebush Swallowtail 5
  • Red-banded Hairstreak 9
  • Gray Hairstreak 1
  • Eastern Tailed-Blue 4
  • Painted Lady 3
  • Red-spotted Purple 2
  • Monarch 1
  • Silver-spotted Skipper 1
  • Salt Marsh Skipper 4
  • Zabulon Skipper 1
  • Aaron's Skipper 3
  • Least Skipper 7
  • Sachem 6

Salt Marsh Skipper

Red-banded Hairstreak

David L. Amadio

Backyard butterfly garden, West Deptford
Gloucester County, NJ

Cool temps here reduced butterfly activity. Most of the action was provided by several migrating Hummingbirds. Observed a Red-Banded Hairstreak imbibing sugars from ripe bananas.

  • Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 1
  • Red-banded Hairstreak 1
  • Red-spotted Purple 1
  • Zabulon Skipper 1
  • Sachem 3

David L. Amadio

Riverwinds Scenic Trail, West Deptford
Gloucester County, NJ

Cloudy,70 degrees with minimal filtered sun from 3:15 to 4:25 p.m. Late flowering thoroughwort the main nectar source here now. Also observed one American Copper nectaring on Pearly everlasting. Fiery Skipper was a fresh male. All but one Spicebush were well worn.

  • Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 1
  • Spicebush Swallowtail 5
  • American Copper 10
  • Red-banded Hairstreak 3
  • Eastern Tailed-Blue 4
  • Pearl Crescent 3
  • Common Buckeye 1
  • Red-spotted Purple 3
  • Hackberry Emperor 1
  • Monarch 3
  • Least Skipper 1
  • Fiery Skipper 1
  • Sachem 15

Red-spotted Purple

American Copper

Chip Krilowicz

Haddonfield Yard
Camden County, NJ

Always brings a smile watching a Sachem chasing a Ruby-throated Hummingbird out of my yard.

  • Sachem 4

Sachem

Will Kerling

Middle Township Bike Path - CMCH, NJ
Cape May County, NJ

Saw a patch of Thistle plants, in one short stretch, that had 21 Spicebush Swallowtails gathering nectar from its flowers!!

  • Spicebush Swallowtail 21
  • Cabbage White 1
  • Eastern Tailed-Blue 1
  • Common Buckeye 1
  • Monarch 1
  • Silver-spotted Skipper 1
  • Sachem 55

sachem

Silver-spotted Skipper

Will Kerling

Butterfly Lane along MTBP - CMCH, NJ
Cape May County, NJ

Found an Eastern Tailed-Blue which flushed in the wet lawn grasses.

  • Eastern Tailed-Blue 1

Will Kerling

Green Creek, NJ
Cape May County, NJ

It rained all day and that did not slow down the Least Skippers! Found 20 Least Skippers , actively, weaving through a garden full of weeds which was getting soaked by the rain coming down. The only other butterfly , at this spot , was a rag Sachem clinging to the top blossoms of a Butterfly Bush.

  • Least Skipper 20
  • Sachem 1

Least Skipper

Will Kerling

West End of West Hand Avenue - CMCH, NJ
Cape May County, NJ

Once again, I discovered active Least Skippers in the rain. Had 3 butterfly species and a total of 28 individual butterflies for the day.

  • Eastern Tailed-Blue 1
  • Least Skipper 4

Least Skipper

Will Kerling

High's Beach Area - CMCH, NJ
Cape May County, NJ

Found the Tawny Emperors and they are fewer now and more worn. Briefly, I saw two snouts in the hackberries, also.
Photos of Tawny Emperor (each side), a Cloudless Sulphur blending and a Red-banded Hairstreak.

  • Cabbage White 4
  • Cloudless Sulphur 3
  • Red-banded Hairstreak 5
  • Eastern Tailed-Blue 1
  • American Snout 2
  • Pearl Crescent 1
  • Painted Lady 2
  • Common Buckeye 7
  • Tawny Emperor 7
  • Monarch 3
  • Horace's Duskywing 1
  • Common Sootywing 1
  • Aaron's Skipper 1
  • Zabulon Skipper 1
  • Salt Marsh Skipper 2
  • Least Skipper 3
  • Fiery Skipper 1
  • Sachem 22

Tom Bailey

Palmyra Cove Nature Park
Burlington County, NJ

11:30 to 2:15.

  • Cabbage White 11
  • Orange Sulphur 3
  • Variegated Fritillary 1
  • Pearl Crescent 1
  • Eastern Comma 4
  • American Lady 1
  • Painted Lady 2
  • Red Admiral 7
  • Common Buckeye 1
  • Red-spotted Purple 3
  • Viceroy 2
  • Monarch 3
  • Silver-spotted Skipper 7
  • Zabulon Skipper 1
  • Least Skipper 4
  • Sachem 22
  • Dun Skipper 2

Will Kerling, Chris Tonkinson and Cynthia Allen

West End of West Hand Avenue - CMCH, NJ
Cape May County, NJ

Discovered 16 butterfly species and finally the Spicebush Swallowtails are becoming less evident.

  • Spicebush Swallowtail 5
  • Red-banded Hairstreak 8
  • Gray Hairstreak 2
  • Eastern Tailed-Blue 4
  • Question Mark 2
  • American Lady 2
  • Painted Lady 5
  • Common Buckeye 1
  • Red-spotted Purple 3
  • Monarch 3
  • Silver-spotted Skipper 1
  • Salt Marsh Skipper 9
  • Aaron's Skipper 5
  • Zabulon Skipper 2
  • Least Skipper 12
  • Sachem 13

Red-spotted Purple

Gray Hairstreak

Sachem

David L. Amadio

Backyard butterfly garden, West Deptford
Gloucester County, NJ

Mostly cloudy but some action including a fresh female Black Swallowtail.

  • Black Swallowtail 1
  • Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 1
  • Spicebush Swallowtail 1
  • Cabbage White 1
  • Monarch 1
  • Wild Indigo Duskywing 1
  • Zabulon Skipper 1
  • Sachem 8

David L. Amadio

Chestnut Branch Park, Mantua
Gloucester County, NJ

Did not venture into the woods today. Late afternoon 4-4:50 p.m. Cloudy and 71 degrees. Mostly A Sachem show, but found one faded male Fiery.

  • Spicebush Swallowtail 1
  • American Copper 1
  • Red-banded Hairstreak 1
  • Eastern Tailed-Blue 1
  • Pearl Crescent 5
  • Common Buckeye 3
  • Red-spotted Purple 2
  • Common Wood-Nymph 1
  • Monarch 1
  • Silver-spotted Skipper 1
  • Zabulon Skipper 1
  • Least Skipper 5
  • Fiery Skipper 1
  • Peck's Skipper 1
  • Sachem 51

Fiery Skipper

David L. Amadio

Marilyn Patterson's garden, Alloway
Salem County, NJ

Stopped here for about 15 min. As usual a wonderful garden.

  • Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 1
  • Spicebush Swallowtail 1
  • Cabbage White 2
  • Sulphur sp. 1
  • Gray Hairstreak 1
  • Eastern Tailed-Blue 1
  • Pearl Crescent 3
  • American Lady 1
  • Painted Lady 3
  • Red Admiral 1
  • Common Buckeye 2
  • Red-spotted Purple 1
  • Monarch 6
  • Silver-spotted Skipper 4
  • Peck's Skipper 1
  • Sachem 38
  • Broad-winged Skipper 2

Will Kerling and Cynthia Allen

West End of West Hand Avenue - CMCH, NJ
Cape May County, NJ

Plenty of butterflies and birds moving in and out this day. We tallied 20 butterfly species with all the major families represented.

  • Spicebush Swallowtail 7
  • Cabbage White 3
  • Red-banded Hairstreak 16
  • Gray Hairstreak 3
  • Eastern Tailed-Blue 6
  • 'Summer' Spring Azure 2
  • Pearl Crescent 3
  • American Lady 2
  • Painted Lady 6
  • Common Buckeye 1
  • Red-spotted Purple 2
  • Common Wood-Nymph 1
  • Monarch 5
  • Silver-spotted Skipper 2
  • Horace's Duskywing 1
  • Aaron's Skipper 7
  • Salt Marsh Skipper 11
  • Zabulon Skipper 2
  • Least Skipper 6
  • Sachem 18

Painted Lady

Common Wood-Nymph

Salt Marsh Skipper

Red-spotted Purple

David L. Amadio

Salem City area, Mannington
Salem County, NJ

Still fairly wet here. Winds picked up while I explored the fields for about 40 min.

  • Cabbage White 2
  • Clouded Sulphur 2
  • Gray Hairstreak 1
  • Eastern Tailed-Blue 3
  • Variegated Fritillary 1
  • American Lady 2
  • Painted Lady 1
  • Red Admiral 2
  • Common Buckeye 17
  • Monarch 3
  • Common Checkered-Skipper 4
  • Common Sootywing 2
  • Least Skipper 1
  • Peck's Skipper 1
  • Sachem 27
  • Broad-winged Skipper 23

David L. Amadio

Thundergut WMA
Salem County, NJ

NY Ironweed & Late Flowering thoroughwort the main nectar source here. Got to observe repeatedly the brilliant blue dorsal side of a very active White M Hairstreak. Peck's Skippers included a mated pair.

  • Spicebush Swallowtail 1
  • Cabbage White 1
  • Red-banded Hairstreak 1
  • White M Hairstreak 1
  • Gray Hairstreak 2
  • Eastern Tailed-Blue 1
  • Pearl Crescent 8
  • Painted Lady 1
  • Common Buckeye 1
  • Common Wood-Nymph 4
  • Silver-spotted Skipper 2
  • Zabulon Skipper 1
  • Least Skipper 3
  • Peck's Skipper 4
  • Sachem 47

White M Hairstreak

David L. Amadio

Backyard butterfly garden, West Deptford
Gloucester County, NJ

Gone most of the day but found a few early. Found a fresh Monarch waiting for the day's sun. This was from the chrysalis found 8/24 attached to Basil.

  • Black Swallowtail 1
  • Spicebush Swallowtail 1
  • Monarch 1
  • Silver-spotted Skipper 1
  • Wild Indigo Duskywing 1
  • Sachem 6

David L. Amadio

Mannington Mills
Salem County, NJ

I was running out of avaialable time to explore today. The Late Flowering thoroughwort was incredible along the RR tracks. My hurried observations did not do this area justice today.

  • Cabbage White 1
  • Orange Sulphur 2
  • Gray Hairstreak 1
  • Variegated Fritillary 1
  • American Lady 1
  • Painted Lady 3
  • Red Admiral 1
  • Common Buckeye 5
  • Viceroy 1
  • Monarch 3
  • Silver-spotted Skipper 5
  • Sachem 98
  • Delaware Skipper 1
  • Broad-winged Skipper 2

Meredith Koenig

My garden East Vineland
Cumberland County, NJ

Three, maybe four monarchs active today along with riot of sachems and what I can't ID without binos. Saw Monarchs mating one day last week. Here Monarch Caterpillar on Milkweed.

  • Monarch 3
  • Sachem 6

Monarch caterpillar

Will Kerling and Chris Tonkinson

High's Beach, NJ
Cape May County, NJ

The Tawny Emperors are still around in big numbers amongst the many Hackberry trees that are to be found at this location. In the dune, beyond the Hackberry groves, were Cloudless Sulphurs in rapid movement from the south heading north.
Saw buckeyes, Painted Ladies and Monarchs heading out over the bay toward Delaware. There was a Monarch we followed feeding on the beach before its flight across the bay.
Photos of a Monarch feeding and flying from spot to spot before a bay crossing and a male Tawny Emperor on perch defending its territory.

  • Spicebush Swallowtail 3
  • Cabbage White 12
  • Cloudless Sulphur 12
  • Red-banded Hairstreak 2
  • Eastern Tailed-Blue 2
  • American Snout 2
  • Lady sp. 1
  • Pearl Crescent 3
  • Painted Lady 6
  • Common Buckeye 7
  • Tawny Emperor 19
  • Monarch 11
  • Salt Marsh Skipper 1
  • Least Skipper 5
  • Sachem 16

Tawny Emperor

Monarch

David L. Amadio

Mannington marsh area, Sunset
Salem County, NJ

Arrived here at around 10:20 a.m. I think this is my first encounter with White M at this location.

  • Black Swallowtail 1
  • Cabbage White 1
  • Sulphur sp. 1
  • Orange Sulphur 3
  • White M Hairstreak 1
  • Eastern Tailed-Blue 1
  • Variegated Fritillary 1
  • Painted Lady 5
  • Common Buckeye 9
  • Monarch 2
  • Least Skipper 11
  • Sachem 23
  • Delaware Skipper 8
  • Broad-winged Skipper 2

White M Hairstreak

David L. Amadio

Seabrook roadsides,Mannington
Salem County, NJ

The only Cloudless Sulphur that I observed in Salem County came here.

  • Spicebush Swallowtail 1
  • Cloudless Sulphur 1
  • Painted Lady 1
  • Common Buckeye 3
  • Silver-spotted Skipper 5
  • Least Skipper 1
  • Sachem 6
  • Broad-winged Skipper 3

Will Kerling

Downtown Cape May CH, NJ
Cape May County, NJ

The Sedums were just starting to bloom today and six Sachems were getting nectar from a cluster around the base of a tree.

  • Cabbage White 3
  • Cloudless Sulphur 1
  • Monarch 1
  • Sachem 6

David L. Amadio

Alloway Municipal Garden
Salem County, NJ

Observations at 11:30 and again around 1 p.m. My second go around here turned up a fresh Pipevine Swallowtail, my first adult Pipevine this year. Always an increase in heart rate when this beauty catches some sun! Fiery Skippers showing strong preference for mistflower over the zinnias.

  • Pipevine Swallowtail 1
  • Black Swallowtail 1
  • Cabbage White 3
  • Gray Hairstreak 1
  • Pearl Crescent 1
  • Painted Lady 3
  • Red Admiral 1
  • Common Buckeye 2
  • Monarch 2
  • Horace's Duskywing 1
  • Fiery Skipper 2
  • Peck's Skipper 2
  • Sachem 52

Pipevine Swallowtail

Fiery Skipper

Horace's Duskywing

Mary Belko

yard: Blackwood, NJ
Camden County, NJ

  • Variegated Fritillary 1

Variegated Fritillary

David L. Amadio

Supawna Meadows NWR
Salem County, NJ

Made one last stop to check the Meadow Fritillary habitat. at 2:35 p.m. Good vegetation, but no sign of activity. Brood timing maybe off slightly. Only my second visit here this year. Last time I found the habitat severely mowed.

  • Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 1
  • Eastern Tailed-Blue 1
  • Red Admiral 1
  • Monarch 1
  • Least Skipper 3
  • Peck's Skipper 2
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