June 2019 Sightings

Cloudless Sulphur laying eggs on Maryland Senna.

Question Marks all on fruit dish. Snout was enjoying boxwoods again today.

4:45-6:20pm

Saw a lovely RED ADMIRAL enjoying the sun.

[Welcome to the South Jersey Butterfly Project, JLC! jc]

As much as I wanted to turn my Banded into a Hickory hairstreak, after re-reading JC’s excellent post from 7/8/14, which included three spot-on ID tips from Jim Springer, I had to leave my Hickory sighting for another day.

[Thank you, D.A. If we ever get a hickory down here, your star-studded garden could very well be the place. jc]

[Another FOY for 2019 by S.G. – Appalachian brown. Nice to see! jc]

8:15 am to 12:45 pm. Red Admirals very common & count is accurate. Cabbage White count is estimate as I stopped counting at 50. Surprisingly not one swallowtail seen.

[The best evidence so far that we are experiencing a red admiral northbound migration. Several other reports suggest this as well. Keep an eye out, everyone! jc]

Numerous Spicebush butterflies as well as skippers that I have not yet identified.

[Welcome to the South Jersey Butterfly Project, EPH! jc]

Historic side of Smithville only (not Smith's Woods side)

during guided bird walk, 9-11am
1 American lady was worn, as seen in picture.

Pat observed at least two Red Admirals this afternoon here. One really torn up.

Sleepy Orange laying eggs on Maryland Senna.

[Cool! More evidence that this previously rare vagrant is colonizing CMY Co. jc]

Approximately 12-1:30pm
An extremely worn out see-through silver-spotted skipper, see photo!

Observed while eating lunch in my vehicle. Viburnum dentatum ( arrowwood viburnum) was the nectar source.

1:30-2:30pm

I usually do not see so many butterflies so early in the season but the Phlox “triple play“ and all the clover in the lawn Are really drawing them in!

I’m not sure what this butterfly was doing, but it seemed to be, possibly,••• drinking water from the wet dog toy?

[An interesting photo! jc]

Too muggy to spend much time in the yard today.

[Another FOY for 2019 found by Dolores in her garden: salt marsh skipper. Nice! jc]

First Spicebush Swallowtail cat of the year. I thought I saw a Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly laying eggs last week but never could get a good look at it. The leaf in photo is from the larger of my two spicebush plants.

[Intriguing shot! I don't remember anyone documenting this first (?) instar of spicebush cat on our log. Anyone else out there with a similar shot? Looks very different from the better known, later instars. jc]

During guided bird walk, 9:00-11am

My favorite patch is alive again with plenty of blooming milkweed and renewed colonies flying.

[Steve's good list includes only our second reports of painted lady and European skipper – although both species are being regularly found in North Jersey. jc]

I walked the powerline cut from Rt 83 down to where you can see the golf course. Good variety of blooming plants but the Blackberry was by far the most popular plant.

Flying around at the edge of the South Branch of the Rancocas Creek.

Overcast warm

[This is our first report of hackberry emperor in 2019. Nice find! jc]

Was going to check here for Satyrium Hairstreaks yesterday, but opted for a trip up to North Jersey instead. Coral Hairstreaks made a strong initial showing here today. Oddly only one nectared on Common Milkweed. The only patch of Asclepias tuberosa looks a little pale, possibly too much water this spring. The spring moisture has caused an abundance of nectar otherwise. Sand Blackberry, Orange dwarf dandelion, Toadflax, & Common Milkweed all adding color & nectar to the landscape here. Lastly I finally found American Copper here this season. Always a common bug here in season, but scarce so far this year. Obs. made from 1:20 till 3:20 p.m. Mostly Cloudy 78-81 but with strong filtered sun. A pair of Hackberry Emperors engaged in a dog fight were upstaged by a very active squadron of Snouts. quite entertaining.

[Very impressive list – including our first coral hairstreaks of 2019 and our third report of hackberry emperors. jc]

The Milkweed is responding well to the cutting. The A. Browns are having a really good first brood. That is the second highest count ever for me. The bug of the day was definitely the Tulip-tree Silkmoth.

[Brian cut this property by himself last winter. Looks like it has become a first-class butterfly spot. His great spangled frit is our FOY for 2019, one day later than our earliest ever: 6-7-16. jc]

Incidental sightings while doing work in the park - 7:45 to 11:15 am. Hackberry Emperor on a rotting carcass.

[We had two reports of hackberry emperor today (in GLO and BUR) following our FOY in CUM yesterday. Nice! jc]