August 2023 Sightings

Smith's Woods butterfly garden during children's program; 10-11:30am. 2 black swallowtail caterpillars in first instar on fennel.

1:20-2:30pm

Woodlands: Least Skipper, Appalachian Brown, Red Admiral (1 of 2), Horace's Duskywing (1 of 2), Zabulon (5 of 6) and Silver-spotted Skipper (3 of 9). All other sightings from meadow and flower gardens. FOY Painted Lady at Lumberton Leas.

[Impressive diversity and a painted lady, in this down year for the species, a cherry on top. jc]

Female Monarch was laying eggs on Common Milkweed. Mostly focused on bees, flies, & wasps while in the garden.

Obs. from a walk around the yard at 8:30 AM and another at 2 PM. Red-banded hairstreak was on Hoary mountain mint.

Around 1:30pm. Partly sunny, mid 70s.

[Good to see such a high count of southern cloudywing. jc]

Brief time in the garden. Today's Monarch was a male.

Obs. from 3:15-4:00 PM. There was evidence of caterpillars having ‘nested’ in the sweet everlasting so possibly this American lady who looked fairly fresh was the result.

A Viceroy without the telltale stripes bisecting its hindwings!!!!

[What a find! A mind bender! jc]

During guided children's program from 9:30-11:00. Wild bergamot was the favorite nectar plant.

[An impressive mix of species. jc]

Smith's Woods butterfly garden only; 1:30-2:30pm. 2 black swallowtail cats and 1 monarch cat.

Clethra blooming with azalea and a few stray buttonbush. Beautiful day!

It started out lightly raining this morning, and many of the Red-banded Hairstreaks were flushed as we walked the road. An Eastern Wood-pewee was taking advantage and diving around us. The field at the entrance was disappointing, no flowers had been planted this year. The main nectar source was Sweet Pepper-bush.

[Highest count of red-banded since May. A late summer surge coming? jc]

Obs. off and on throughout the afternoon.

Both Monarchs were females.

Incidental while weeding in the gardens. Two weeks ago there were no Zabulon and few Silver-spotted.

Cloudless Sulphur oviposting on partridge peas. We also had a Comma/Question Mark flying around.

High count for ETS at Lumberton Leas.

Obs. throughout the day when out in the yard. Frequent sightings of swallowtails. One was so tattered and faded I was not able to identify it. Two of the Eastern Tigers were the dark morph female (one is pictured). Eastern Tigers may be under reported but only by seeing 2 at the same time was I certain I was not recounting any. The big draw is still Phlox paniculata ‘Jeana’.

1:09-3:19, 88 degrees, sunny & humid. 10 species in the pollinator garden. Red Admiral laying eggs on nettle. Silver-spotted Skippers on purple loosestrife by the ponds.

Am. Lady landed near antennaria–new this season. 6 Monarch cats and one chrysalis. (Red-banded Hairstreak and E. Tiger ST seen yesterday).

Obs. made from 2-5.

Woodland trails: Spicebush Swallowtails, Black Swallowtail, Appalachian Browns, Least Skippers. Zabulon Skippers (2 of 5) and Variegated Fritillaries (2 of 5). High count at LL for Appalachian Browns. First sulphur species I've seen in a few weeks.

2 pm, 79 degrees about an hour of bright sun, no wind.

6:30 pm, all on Sweet Pepperbush.