September 2022 Sightings
Robert C. Koch
Lumberton Leas on Creek Rd. Lumberton, NJ
Burlington County, NJ
- Black Swallowtail 2
- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 3
- Spicebush Swallowtail 5
- Cabbage White 3
- Orange Sulphur 1
- Eastern Tailed-Blue 2
- Common Buckeye 2
- Red-spotted Purple 3
- Hackberry Emperor 2
- Monarch 3
- Silver-spotted Skipper 11
- Zabulon Skipper 1
- Peck's Skipper 8
- Sachem 68
Kathy Horn
Higbee Beach WMA
Cape May County, NJ
Photos white M, Cloudless sulfur cat.
[Another good list from Higbee Beach. Many butterflies to see there this week. jc]
- Black Swallowtail 2
- Spicebush Swallowtail 5
- Cabbage White 1
- Cloudless Sulphur 5
- Red-banded Hairstreak 8
- White M Hairstreak 1
- Gray Hairstreak 1
- 'Summer' Spring Azure 3
- American Snout 1
- Pearl Crescent 5
- Common Buckeye 1
- Red-spotted Purple 1
- Monarch 3
- Silver-spotted Skipper 1
- Zabulon Skipper 3
- Least Skipper 3
- Sachem 1
Jennifer Bulava
Laurel Run Park, Delran
Burlington County, NJ
9:20-10:15 am.
[I believe this is our high count for buckeyes in 2022. After what seemed a slow start to the year, reports have been more frequent since mid-July or so. Good to see. jc]
- Black Swallowtail 7
- Spicebush Swallowtail 1
- Cabbage White 2
- Orange Sulphur 1
- American Copper 3
- Eastern Tailed-Blue 1
- Variegated Fritillary 6
- Common Buckeye 22
- Monarch 1
- Sachem 8
Jeanine Apgar
Home yard, Galloway Township
Atlantic County, NJ
A definite upward trend here for Pearl Crescents, Zabulons and Silver-spotted Skippers.
[White Ms seem hard to find in ATL. This is our first report from there since last September. jc]
- Spicebush Swallowtail 13
- Red-banded Hairstreak 3
- White M Hairstreak 1
- Eastern Tailed-Blue 1
- Pearl Crescent 6
- Monarch 1
- Silver-spotted Skipper 4
- Zabulon Skipper 7
- Sachem 2
Jack McDonough
Higbee Beach WMA
Cape May County, NJ
Started seeing butterflies around 8am and left by 8:30, came back around 4:30 and added a few observations including the Sleepy Orange that was working its way along the tree line at the second field on the east side of Higbee. Crossline and White M were around 8am. A Red-spotted Purple survived the attack of a Great-crested Flycatcher with less forewing structure than it started with.
NW winds at 10 mph, 75-79 degrees.
[Nice list – including the first sleepy orange in CMY since last November (when Beth Polvino had one in her garden. jc]
- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 1
- Spicebush Swallowtail 4
- Cloudless Sulphur 8
- Sleepy Orange 1
- Red-banded Hairstreak 6
- White M Hairstreak 1
- 'Summer' Spring Azure 3
- Question Mark 1
- Mourning Cloak 1
- American Lady 1
- Common Buckeye 1
- Red-spotted Purple 5
- Viceroy 1
- Common Wood-Nymph 1
- Monarch 7
- Zabulon Skipper 2
- Crossline Skipper 1
- Sachem 1
- Spicebush Swallowtail 3
- 'Summer' Spring Azure 1
- Red-spotted Purple 3
- Silver-spotted Skipper 1
- Zabulon Skipper 1
- Sachem 2
David L. Amadio
Riverwinds River Trail & Community center
Gloucester County, NJ
Obs. made from 3:20 to 4:20. Very dry conditions. Only one of the Commas was fresh. Spotted Lanternflies out of control here.
- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 2
- Eastern Tailed-Blue 3
- Anglewing sp. 2
- Question Mark 1
- Eastern Comma 6
- Red Admiral 1
- Silver-spotted Skipper 1
- Peck's Skipper 1
- Sachem 6
- Broad-winged Skipper 1
Dolores Amesbury
My yard in CMCH
Cape May County, NJ
Spent the day watching birds and butterflies, and of course…watering.
- Black Swallowtail 2
- Spicebush Swallowtail 3
- Cabbage White 2
- Cloudless Sulphur 1
- Gray Hairstreak 2
- Eastern Tailed-Blue 1
- Common Buckeye 1
- Red-spotted Purple 1
- Monarch 4
- Silver-spotted Skipper 1
- Hayhurst's Scallopwing 1
- Zabulon Skipper 1
- Salt Marsh Skipper 3
- Aaron's Skipper 3
- Swarthy Skipper 1
- Fiery Skipper 1
- Sachem 6
- Dun Skipper 1
Jack McDonough
Higbee Beach WMA and CMP/Garden Circle
Cape May County, NJ
7:30am was out on the dunes at Higbee and left by 8:20am. Northbound movement of White M’s were moving through the dunes - photo is one at first light in the dune grasses, gearing up to move out. I came back at 9am and I couldn’t find a single White M. They had all migrated, presumably off the island, even the two I had seen in the interior east fields. Lots of Gray Hairstreaks around the Point throughout the day. Fiery seem to be finally moving in down here for the fall.
NE at 15-17mph, 75 degrees. Full sun.
[A very interesting report of how quickly butterflies can come and go (perhaps most especially at the Point) – and cool photos as well. jc]
- Black Swallowtail 4
- Spicebush Swallowtail 2
- Cabbage White 1
- Cloudless Sulphur 13
- Red-banded Hairstreak 1
- White M Hairstreak 6
- Gray Hairstreak 12
- Eastern Tailed-Blue 1
- 'Summer' Spring Azure 7
- Lady sp. 1
- Pearl Crescent 2
- American Lady 2
- Common Buckeye 3
- Red-spotted Purple 3
- Viceroy 3
- Common Wood-Nymph 1
- Monarch 11
- Silver-spotted Skipper 1
- Zabulon Skipper 1
- Least Skipper 2
- Fiery Skipper 4
- Sachem 100
- Broad-winged Skipper 2
Tom Bailey
Palmyra Cove Nature Park & adjoining private property
Burlington County, NJ
10 am to 2:15 pm. Sunny, light breeze, high of 81 degrees.
- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 5
- Cabbage White 22
- Orange Sulphur 3
- Red-banded Hairstreak 1
- Eastern Tailed-Blue 3
- 'Summer' Spring Azure 7
- American Snout 1
- Variegated Fritillary 1
- Anglewing sp. 1
- Pearl Crescent 4
- Eastern Comma 1
- American Lady 1
- Red Admiral 1
- Common Buckeye 4
- Red-spotted Purple 7
- Viceroy 4
- Hackberry Emperor 1
- Monarch 1
- Silver-spotted Skipper 11
- Wild Indigo Duskywing 3
- Zabulon Skipper 3
- Least Skipper 1
- Peck's Skipper 4
- Sachem 30
- Broad-winged Skipper 1
- Dun Skipper 1
Wijbren Huisman
Tall Pines State Preserve, Sewell
Gloucester County, NJ
Obs. 12.45 - 12.10
Nice numbers of Least Skippers and Sachem.
A Clouded Sulphur was visiting the new Pollinator Habitat.
- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 1
- Spicebush Swallowtail 2
- Cabbage White 1
- Clouded Sulphur 1
- Eastern Tailed-Blue 11
- 'Summer' Spring Azure 2
- Pearl Crescent 4
- Red-spotted Purple 3
- Viceroy 1
- Common Wood-Nymph 1
- Monarch 1
- Silver-spotted Skipper 10
- Least Skipper 40
- Sachem 55
Vicky McErlean
Cedar Bonnet Island NWR, Stafford Township
Ocean County, NJ
Sunny. 11:45-1:52. Surprisingly few butterflies.
- Cabbage White 4
- Gray Hairstreak 1
- Common Buckeye 3
- Monarch 3
Robert C. Koch
Lumberton Leas on Creek Rd. Lumberton, NJ
Burlington County, NJ
Mating Peck's. The HE laid out spread-winged for over 10 minutes.
[With hackberry emperor, painted lady, and lots else flying, Burlington County looks like a happening spot for butterflies this first week of September. See below for Robert's 9/1 list and Tom Bailey's above from Palmyra Cove on 9/2. jc]
- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 2
- Spicebush Swallowtail 5
- Cabbage White 4
- Eastern Tailed-Blue 1
- Variegated Fritillary 2
- Painted Lady 1
- Common Buckeye 2
- Red-spotted Purple 4
- Hackberry Emperor 1
- Monarch 3
- Silver-spotted Skipper 11
- Least Skipper 2
- Peck's Skipper 11
- Sachem 62
- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 3
- Spicebush Swallowtail 5
- Eastern Tailed-Blue 1
- Red-spotted Purple 4
Jack Miller
my yard Petersburg
Cape May County, NJ
Lots of time outside today, but the pickings were still slim.
- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 1
- Spicebush Swallowtail 4
- Cabbage White 2
- Cloudless Sulphur 1
- American Lady 1
- Painted Lady 1
- Common Buckeye 2
- Monarch 4
- Silver-spotted Skipper 6
- Sachem 20
- Dun Skipper 1
Tom Bailey
Beechwoods Preserve, Rancocas Conservancy, Pemberton
Burlington County, NJ
10:50 am to 3:10 pm. Partly sunny, 81 degrees when finished.
I returned to this location (previous visit Aug. 19) to check on the Harvesters and to see if I could find any caterpillars. I inspected 50 Woolly Aphid colonies on branches that were 7 feet or less from the ground and found 6 Harvester caterpillars. Another caterpillar was @15 high in an aphid colony (seen through bins). The adult Harvesters got very active towards the end of my visit when the sun emerged from the clouds. Several dogfights were observed and two females were laying eggs.
[Thank you, Tom, for the superb report. Burlington County seems the heart of Harvester Country in South Jersey. Good to see our only carnivorous species seems to be doing so well at this site. jc]
- Spicebush Swallowtail 4
- Harvester 15
- Appalachian Brown 1
Robert C. Koch
Lumberton Leas on Creek Rd. Lumberton, NJ
Burlington County, NJ
All sightings are from our woodland trails and wetlands that border the South Branch of the Rancocas Creek.
- Cabbage White 2
- Pearl Crescent 1
- Red-spotted Purple 2
- Appalachian Brown 3
- Least Skipper 1
- Sachem 9
Wijbren Huisman
SJ Tech Park, Glassboro
Gloucester County, NJ
Observations: Several times this week around noon, by checking out the thistles. No ladies found in the field.
My second goal was to capture a Sulphur in flight and get a dorsal view of this BF. I can tell you, that’s quite a challenge (Two "keepers" from about 700 shots taken was the result.)
[And after meeting the challenge – lovely shots! jc]
- Black Swallowtail 1
- Cabbage White 2
- Clouded Sulphur 2
- Orange Sulphur 19
- Eastern Tailed-Blue 75
- Variegated Fritillary 7
- Pearl Crescent 5
- Common Buckeye 14
- Red-spotted Purple 1
- Monarch 2
- Silver-spotted Skipper 2
- Common Sootywing 4
- Least Skipper 3
- Peck's Skipper 2
- Sachem 6
David L. Amadio
Salem River WMA
Salem County, NJ
Obs. made from 12-12:45, sunny & low 80's. Sleepy Orange at one point was nectaring on jewelweed.
- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 1
- Cabbage White 1
- Orange Sulphur 2
- Sleepy Orange 1
- Question Mark 1
- Common Buckeye 3
- Viceroy 1
- Common Checkered-Skipper 1
- Peck's Skipper 1
- Broad-winged Skipper 1
David L. Amadio
Mannington area
Salem County, NJ
Obs. made from 1-2:50, part sun and low 80's.
Ample amounts of roadside nectar but not the number of butterflies one would expect here.
- Cabbage White 3
- Orange Sulphur 3
- Eastern Tailed-Blue 3
- Variegated Fritillary 2
- Common Buckeye 7
- Viceroy 2
- Monarch 2
- Common Checkered-Skipper 2
- Least Skipper 2
- Fiery Skipper 2
- Peck's Skipper 2
- Sachem 8
- Broad-winged Skipper 7
David L. Amadio
CR620 Pointers-Swedesboro Rd. & Featherbed Rd
Salem County, NJ
Obs. made from 3-4:35. mostly cloudy and mid 80's. Roadside observations. Always a challenge along this fairly busy road. Butterflies repeatedly flushed by passing cars. Previously mowed stands of dogbane now blooming again. Likely would have found more here without the cloud cover during my visit. Found at least 4 Meadow Frits plus one captured by an unidentified predator. One of the others also fell victim to a predator while I was there. Farm fields extremely dry along Featherbed. Normally these fields would be loaded with sulphurs.
[Good to have this report of one of our most troubled species. Thank you, Dave. jc]
- Cabbage White 4
- Clouded Sulphur 1
- Orange Sulphur 1
- Meadow Fritillary 4
- Pearl Crescent 5
- Common Buckeye 1
- Monarch 1
- Silver-spotted Skipper 3
- Common Checkered-Skipper 1
- Least Skipper 5
- Peck's Skipper 12
- Sachem 3
Jackie Parker
Higbee Beach WMA
Cape May County, NJ
- Spicebush Swallowtail 6
- Cabbage White 1
- 'Summer' Spring Azure 2
- Common Buckeye 1
- Red-spotted Purple 1
Tom Bailey
Salem River WMA, Elsinboro Township
Salem County, NJ
2:15 to 3:15 pm. Sunny, hot & humid. 86 degrees. Very dry at this site.
- Spicebush Swallowtail 1
- Red-banded Hairstreak 3
- White M Hairstreak 1
- Gray Hairstreak 2
- Variegated Fritillary 2
- Pearl Crescent 1
- Common Buckeye 6
- Monarch 3
- Duskywing sp. 1
- Silver-spotted Skipper 5
- Peck's Skipper 9
- Sachem 35
- Broad-winged Skipper 1
Tom Bailey
PSE&G Estuary Enhancement area - Lower Alloways Creek Township
Salem County, NJ
12:15 to 2 pm. Sunny, hot & humid.
- Cabbage White 2
- Eastern Tailed-Blue 1
- American Lady 1
- Common Buckeye 9
- Red-spotted Purple 1
- Monarch 2
- Silver-spotted Skipper 1
- Aaron's Skipper 8
- Least Skipper 13
- Fiery Skipper 2
- Sachem 3
- Broad-winged Skipper 80
Karen Thompson
Home, Cape May
Cape May County, NJ
- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 1
- Cabbage White 1
- Cloudless Sulphur 1
- Eastern Tailed-Blue 1
- Common Buckeye 1
- Common Wood-Nymph 2
- Monarch 2
- Zabulon Skipper 3
- Fiery Skipper 1
- Sachem 2
Brian Johnson
Wharton State forest
Burlington County, NJ
Decided to take one last walk in Wharton for the season. Very dry, like most of South Jersey.
[Good to see at least one GA satyr flying still, despite this year's tough drought. jc]
- Common Buckeye 2
- Georgia Satyr 1
- Swarthy Skipper 4
Jack McDonough
Point Airy Rd, Pilesgrove and railroad
Salem County, NJ
Partly sunny at 82 degrees. The side of the road along Swedesboro Rd had been all mowed down and sprayed when it was originally all beautiful milkweed, dogbane, and thistle fields. Still some confused butterflies around hugging to the corners of vegetation that weren’t mowed.
- Black Swallowtail 2
- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 2
- Spicebush Swallowtail 5
- Cabbage White 8
- Clouded Sulphur 1
- Orange Sulphur 2
- Cloudless Sulphur 6
- Sleepy Orange 1
- Red-banded Hairstreak 1
- Gray Hairstreak 1
- Eastern Tailed-Blue 1
- 'Summer' Spring Azure 2
- Variegated Fritillary 22
- Pearl Crescent 1
- Common Buckeye 3
- Red-spotted Purple 7
- Monarch 2
- Silver-spotted Skipper 4
- Common Checkered-Skipper 1
- Least Skipper 2
- Peck's Skipper 7
- Sachem 18
Tom Bailey
Mad Horse Creek WMA, Lower Alloways Creek Township
Salem County, NJ
8:30 to 11:40 am. Sunny, humid, 85 degrees.
- Orange Sulphur 4
- Cloudless Sulphur 4
- Sleepy Orange 2
- Gray Hairstreak 2
- Eastern Tailed-Blue 21
- 'Summer' Spring Azure 2
- Variegated Fritillary 1
- Pearl Crescent 6
- Painted Lady 1
- Common Buckeye 11
- Red-spotted Purple 3
- Viceroy 2
- Monarch 5
- Duskywing sp. 1
- Silver-spotted Skipper 3
- Aaron's Skipper 3
- Least Skipper 6
- Sachem 8
- Broad-winged Skipper 1
David L. Amadio
Chestnut Branch Park, Mantua
Gloucester County, NJ
Obs. made from 3:45 to 5:25 p.m. Abundant woolly aphids. Just days after the one-year anniversary of a powerful tornado here Harvester activity is at least as active if not more than it was previous. I am submitting a blurry image of two females ovipositing at the same location. By observing both size and behavior I believe I saw an even number of male & females today.
- Spicebush Swallowtail 1
- Cabbage White 2
- Harvester 10
- Eastern Tailed-Blue 6
- Eastern Comma 1
- Red-spotted Purple 1
- Appalachian Brown 1
- Zabulon Skipper 1
- Peck's Skipper 2
- Sachem 7
Wijbren Huisman
Chestnut Branch Park, Mantua Township
Gloucester County, NJ
Obs: 2.00-3.10. Sunny, 90 degrees. I went out there again to check on the Harvester eggs. Still no caterpillars. Today I saw 5 pairs of Harvesters at 5 different spots around Beech trees with aphids.
I was wondering if Harvesters do have territorial behavior. Appalachian Brown was my FOY.
[Cech & Tudor note in their Butterflies Of The East Coast, "Adults often perch quite high (to 20 feet) flying out to engage rivals like hairstreaks do, though they are less rapid in flight." jc]
- Cabbage White 2
- Harvester 10
- Eastern Tailed-Blue 9
- Pearl Crescent 2
- Common Buckeye 1
- Red-spotted Purple 3
- Appalachian Brown 1
- Sachem 15
First Hackberry Emperor sightings at LL for me. Malfunctioning SD card did not allow for downloading photos.