May 2022 Sightings

My FOY silver spotted, seen along the field edge in the NW corner of the park.

[Only the 3rd silver spotted reported on the log so far in 2022. Should be more soon! jc]

Quick visit–sun and warm

A fresh male

[Our log's first zab of 2022 – and the first since last year's last one, found by Dave also in his garden on 10-21-21. A cool parallel. jc]

Observations seen while birding this brand new park that just opened last week.

humid and sunny; male spicebush patrolling

This was a brief stop at 4:00 on my return from Cherry Hill. The two duskywing photos are of the same bfly. I have lightened the ventral shot to show off the hw leading edge dots. However, the dorsal shot looks more like a wild indigo to me than a Juv. Duskywings are flat out confusing.

[Our log's first dusted skipper of 2022. Good to see. jc]

Incidental sightings during the afternoon while birding in the park today.

Incidental sightings while birding in the park. Cloudy, warm, intermittent periods of drizzle.

The Silver-spotted skipper was only about 2 yards from where I had seen the caterpillars on black locust saplings last fall. The picture is from a 2nd sighting later the same day when it was nectaring on Amsonia not too far from the first sighting. I also saw a Snowberry Clearwing moth on woodland phlox- first sighting for me this year.

[The first photo of silver-spotted on our log in 2022. jc]

In the 70's, sunny. Orange sulphur flew by

The first skippers of any species we have had in our yard this year – in this slow spring.

My first Gray hairstreak and Spicebush.

Seen during a 61/2 hr stint of yardwork. Could not refind the sachem after going in for the camera.

[Our log's first sachem of 2022. jc]

Quick stop by our village butterfly garden. These were my first skipper of the year.

[And one of two reports of sachem we have today to add the species to our log's list for 2022. jc]

Henry’s was very worn and tattered. Zabulon was found on this same date last year in the same spot in our woods.

Morning, from 8:30 until 10, sunny, breezy.

Summer Azure was ovipositing on Mock Orange bud. First time I've seen them use this as foodplant. Also, it was somewhat ragged, so it has been out for a while.

[Intriguing report of this multi-host-plant species. Also, our first log report of summer azure in 2022. jc]

6 sp = our yard high count for year so far.

Monarch ovipositing on common milkweed, most likely Generation 1 – daughter of Mexican over-winterers. Sachem was a female.

During guided walk from 9-11am. Monarch was right at the butterfly garden at 9:00am where we started. Landed twice with wings closed, just resting, not nectaring.

9 am to 12:30 pm. Sunny, breezy, 71 degrees when finished. Photo of female duskywing which I believe is a Horace's. A Northern Pine Snake was a bonus.

[A superb list. including double-digit dusted skippers and our first photo'd Horace's of 2022. (In fact, our last photo'd Horace's was back on 9-11-21 by Karen Thompson at Higbee's.) jc]

Late morning until early afternoon, sunny with temps in the 70's.

Rt. 70 powerline cut northeast of Spring Lake Blvd / Rattler Rd. 1:15 to 4 pm. Sunny, breezy, 72 degrees when finished. One of the azure sp. was likely a Holly Azure.

[Our log's first sootywing of 2022. Nice to see! jc]

2:00-3:25pm
Monarch was a fly-by, did not land. There is a decent amount of common milkweed at this new location.