Butterfly Sighting Lists

These sightings are submitted by butterfly enthusiasts across Wisconsin.

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2008 sightings

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Sightings for May 2008

May1

Mike Reese
Location: Wild Rose Area
Waushara County
All fresh! I was in exactly the same area searching yesterday afternoon and none were out. I saw all of these within thirty minutes. These were my first Henry’s of the year and the most I have ever seen in one day.
henryselfin1952-c.jpghenryselfin1975-c.jpghenryselfin2012-c.jpg

May2

Joan Braune and Tod Highsmith
Location: Lake Farm County Park
Dane County

May4

Cathy Burrell
Location: Paddock Lake
Kenosha County
Two very active cabbage whites flying along the shrubline in my front yard.

May4

Mike Kirch
Location: Upper Lake Park, Port Washington, Cedarburg Bog
Ozaukee County
The Am. Ladies were at Upper Lake Park, Port Washington, the rest at Cedarburg Bog

May4

Wayne Anderson
Location: Lake Emily County Park
Portage County
Also sighted (1)gray looper moths,(2)Common oak moths and (5)Cicindela t. tranquebarica

May4

SWBA Field Trip, 30 participants
Location: Spring Green Preserve
Sauk County
Great looks at the Olympia Marbles! Many bird’s foot violets in bloom. Photo by Ann Thering.
OlympiaMarble.jpg

May4

Ann Thering and Dave Eide
Location: Walking Iron
Dane County

May4

Mike Reese
Location: Whitewater
Walworth County
30-minute trip during lunch.

May4

Ann Thering and Dave Eide
Location:
Iowa County
Also saw two duskywings.

May4

Ron Arnold
Location: Sandhill Wildlife Area
Wood County

May4

Ron Arnold
Location: spruce/tamarack bog in the town of Cranmoor
Wood County
Saw a Green Darner almost catch a Brown Elfin.
0351BrownElfin05042008.jpg0347EPineElfin05042008.jpg

May4

Ron Arnold
Location: Brown Street in Wisconsin Rapids
Wood County
I was hoping to find Henry’s Elfins, I’ve seen them here in other years.
0356SpringAzure05042008.jpg0362SpringAzure05042008.jpg

May5

Ann Thering
Location: Mirror Lake State Park
Sauk County

May5

Ron Arnold
Location: Brown Street in Wisconsin Rapids
Wood County
Stopped here for a few minutes late in the afternoon.

May6

Wayne Anderson
Location: Dewey Marsh
Portage County
Three forms of Spring Azure, ladon, marginata and lucia seen on a snowmobile trail through the area.

May6

Ann Thering
Location: Black Earth Rettenmund Prairie
Dane County

May6

Mike Reese, David Reese
Location: various sites
Waushara County
These were my first Olympia Marbles of the year. We saw the Mustard Whites at two sites.
mustardwhite2150-c.jpg

May7

Tod Highsmith
Location: My backyard on Madison’s east side
Dane County

May8

Ann Thering
Location: Observatory Hill SNA
Marquette County

May8

Tod Highsmith
Location: west side Madison
Dane County
Just driving around doing errands and saw it fly across the street.

May8

Jorgen Goderstad
Location: Lake Farm Park near Monona, WI
Dane County

May9

Ron Arnold
Location: town of Seneca
Wood County
I saw the Cabbage White during a quick walk on my property late in the day.

May10

D Starkey
Location: rural Seneca
Crawford County
I sighted this one nectaring on Dandelions across the road from my home. I believe it wintered over in chrysalis, from a caterpillar I found feeding on wild carrot in my yard last October.

May10

Ann Thering and Dave Eide
Location: Spring Green Preserve
Sauk County
Cloudy and cool.

May10

Mike Reese, David Reese
Location: North Brockway and Hunter Haven Rd. area
Jackson County
Frosted Elfins were my first. Both were very fresh.
brownelfin2195-c.jpgeasternpineelfin2196-c.jpghoaryelfin2178-c.jpgfrostedelfin2226-c.jpg

May10

Ron Arnold
Location: town of Seneca
Wood County

May10

Ron Arnold
Location: Brown Street in Wisconsin Rapids
Wood County
It was late morning here, just before the sunshine disappeared.
0382HenrysElfin05102008.jpg

May10

Ron Arnold
Location: spruce/tamarack bog in the town of Cranmoor
Wood County
Very overcast. The Elfins weren’t very interested in basking. There were about a half dozen that I wasn’t able to identify because they wouldn’t settle down.
0388PaintedTurtle05102008.jpg

May12

Adrian Konell
Location: Lake Township
Marinette County

May12

Jorgen Goderstad
Location: Lake Farm Park and Fitchburg
Dane County
The black swallowtail was spotted in a field in Fitchburg, Fish Hatchery Road.

May13

Wayne Anderson
Location: Gas Pipeline/Snowmobile Trail off North Reserve Street
Portage County

May14

Mike Reese, David Reese
Location: Wild Rose Area
Waushara County
The Henry’s were much more active today than the first time I saw them.
easternpineelfin2295-c.jpg

May14

Adrian Konell
Location: Lake Township
Marinette County

May14

Wayne Anderson
Location: North Reserve Drive
Portage County
A quick walk before work in a old field full of indian paintbrush, willow, blueberry and clover.

May14

Joan Braune and Tod Highsmith
Location: Edna Taylor
Dane County

May15

Joan Braune
Location: east side neighborhood
Dane County

May15

Wayne Anderson
Location: North Reserve Drive/ Gas Pipeline Tract and snowmobile trail
Portage County
Also sighted Blueish Spring Moths,Cicindela patruela/huberi integrades(4 Green and 2 purple/brown forms)2 Six Spotted Tiger Beetles. The Henry’s Elfins were nectaring on blueberry.

May15

Andy Paulios
Location: Wood County Wildlife Area
Wood County

May15

Andy Paulios
Location: Near Big Flats - Beaver Ave
Adams County

May16

Wayne Anderson
Location: Old fields off North Reserve Drive
Portage County

May16

Wayne Anderson
Location: Dewey Marsh Shooting Range
Portage County
This is my second sighting of Olympia Marble here the other sighting was 3 years ago

May16

Wayne Anderson
Location: Gas Pipeline/Snowmobile trail/North reserve Drive
Portage County
Also a dozen or so Cicindela patruelas out all after 11:30

May16

Jeanette Klodzen
Location: Bauer-Brockway Barrens - West of Wazee Park
Jackson County

May17

Wayne Anderson
Location: 4 site around Stevens Point
Portage County
Spent the mourning looking for Tiger Beetles in four different habitats,Barren(Oak/pine),wet meadow, fields and dry woods.Cicindela formosa generosa,C.scutellaris lecontei,C.sexguttata and C. patruela(green form)Allhad been observed. Also many Bluish Spring Moths, Common Oak Moths,and Sharp Line Powder Moths

May17

SWBA field trip - 12 participants
Location: Riley Lake Bog
Price County
Some sun early, but very windy. Rain showers by 1:00, but mostly cloudy and cool.

May17

Tom Bentley and Kelly McIntyre
Location: Karner Blue Meadow State Natural Area
Waushara County

May17

Tom Bentley and Kelly McIntyre
Location: Near Wild Rose - Willow Creek Fishery Area
Waushara County
Rains were approaching and we only managed to flush the two blues.

May18

Tom Bentley and Kelly McIntyre
Location: Bauer Brockway Barrens State Natural Area
Jackson County
Weather started out with sun but quickly clouded over. The cold overnight did not help.

May20

Dory Owen
Location: Schoeneberg Marsh, Harvey Rd.
Columbia County

May21

David Reese
Location: Wild Rose Area
Waushara County

May21

Karl and Dorothy Legler
Location: Bauer Brockway Barrens
Jackson County
This was a field trip of the Southern Wis Butterfly Assn(SWBA). 8 people attended and this is also a NABA spring butterfly count. We found 21 species.

May22

Ann Thering
Location: Spring Green Preserve
Sauk County
It was so nice to finally see a Monarch…it was laying eggs.

May22

Ann Thering
Location: Tower Hill State Park
Iowa County

May22

Wayne Anderson
Location: North Reserve Drive/2 sites
Portage County
A 45 minute hike at two areas before work about 11:30AM

May23

Mike Reese
Location: Greenwood Refuge
Waushara County
silveryblue2735-b.jpgsilveryblue2656-c.jpgsilveryblue2674-c.jpgsilveryblue2664-c.jpg

May23

marcie o’connor
Location: our farm in central Buffalo County
Buffalo County

May23

Dory Owen
Location: Observatory Hill SWA
Marquette County
Probably more Silvery Blues flying over lupine but only this SB female (upper side only visible) stopped long enough to get a good look.
Silvery Blue 5-23-08 Observatory Hill.jpgSpring Azure 5-23-08 Observatory Hill.jpgBlack Swallowtail 5-23-08 Observatory Hill.jpg

May23

Dory Owen
Location: Hugh Iltis prairie (bog area), N of Westfield
Marquette County
Also: day-flying Grapevine Moth which looks like a black/white/red butterfly. Dragonflies: many Chalk-fronted Corporals, Dusky Clubtail.
Gorgone 5-23-08 Westfield.jpg

May24

Craig Ellefson
Location: Sugar River Bike Trail near Brodhead.
Green County

May24

Rose Tiegs
Location: Buzz Besadny Fishery
Kewaunee County
Besadny kewaunee

May24

Ron Arnold
Location: Mead Conifer Bogs SNA and Mead Wildlife Area
Wood County
The conifer bog wasn’t as open as I had hoped. The Elfins were the only species spotted in the bog, all others were in the Mead WA.
0434CheckerspotCt05242008.jpg0465Harvester05242008.jpg0467Harvester05242008.jpg

May24

Ron Arnold
Location: Brown Street in Wisconsin Rapids
Wood County
0470Robber05242008.jpg0472CraneFly05242008.jpg

May24

Ron Arnold
Location: spruce/tamarack bog in the town of Cranmoor
Wood County
0476Robbers05242008.jpg0479Whiteface05242008.jpg

May24

Sam Jurkovic & Joan Myrom
Location: Namekagon Barrens Wildlife Area
Burnett County
Partly sunny; 69 degrees; gusty east wind; Hoary Elfins on Bearberry

May25

Ron Arnold
Location: spruce/tamarack bog in the town of Cranmoor
Wood County
The sun came out just before I left, and so did the butterflies. The Harvester sighting today makes 2 days in a row, which is a first for me.
(The dragonfly is an Ebony Boghaunter. MR)
Mike: The dragonfly sure looks like an Ebony Boghaunter to me. Am I right?

0495Harvester05252008.jpg0498Dragonfly05252008.jpg

May25

Ron Arnold
Location: my property in the town of Seneca
Wood County
The sun didn’t last long, but I took advantage of it and so did the butterflies. The Brown Elfin was the only one I’ve ever seen on my property. I also saw a Duskywing, but I never got close to it.
0500AmCopper05252008.jpg0504MeadowFrit05252008.jpg

May25

Mike Reese, David Reese, Dave Hanson, David Bratley
Location: Riley Lake Area
Price County
It was a lot of work to find the Freija and the Red-disked Alpine, and the Jutta was a nice surprise. The tiger beetle is the Boreal Long-lipped Tiger Beetle (C. longilabris) and is only the second site I have seen this species. I found it on Riley Lake Rd.
freijafritillary2826-c.jpgfreijafritillary2832-c.jpgjuttaarctic2887-c.jpgreddiskedalpine2744-c.jpglongilabris2908-c.jpg

May25

Mike Reese, David Reese
Location: Off Highway 27, north of County A
Douglas County
We got lucky and got some sun for about thirty minutes and the butterflies were flying. Unfortunately it started raining soon after we headed to a different site and we decided to head south. These were my first Chryxus Arctics ever.
chryxusarctic2958-c.jpgchryxusarctic2985-c.jpghoaryelfin2923-c.jpg

May25

Mike Reese, David Reese
Location: Wazee area
Jackson County
Little sun but warm temperatures.

May26

marcie o’connor
Location: our farm in central Buffalo County
Buffalo County
These were the first Monarchs I’ve seen this year.
first monarch.jpg

May26

Joan Braune and Tod Highsmith
Location: Table Bluff segment of the Ice Age Trail
Dane County

May26

Craig Ellefson
Location: Magnolia Bluff County Park
Rock County

May26

Mike Reese
Location: South of Coloma, Chafee Creek and Greenwood Refuge
Waushara County

May26

Ron Arnold
Location: town of Seneca
Wood County
The Henry’s Elfin was the first I’ve seen on my property. There were a few other Duskywings that I wasn’t able to identify.
0500HenrysElfin05262008.jpg0503Juvenals05262008.jpg

May26

Ron Arnold, Lydia Thurber
Location: Brown Street in Wisconsin Rapids
Wood County
Lots of Six-spotted Tiger Beetles here today.

May26

Jorgen Goderstad
Location: Vermont Township, western Dane County
Dane County
My first tiger swallowtail this year.

May26

Andy Paulios
Location: McFarland
Dane County
First Monarch of the year!

May28

Mike Reese, David Reese
Location: North of Mount Morris
Waushara County
First Monarch and Hobomok Skipper of the year for me.

May28

Jorgen Goderstad
Location: 9 springs E-way near Madison
Dane County

May28

Ron Arnold
Location: Sandhill Wildlife Area
Wood County
The Olympia Marble was a challenge to photograph. It never nectared for very long, and it was inside the buffalo pen, so I had to shoot through the fence.
0516PersiusDw05282008.jpg0524JuvenalsDw05282008.jpg0534SilveryBlue05282008.jpg0535SilveryBlue05282008.jpg0537OlympiaMarble05282008.jpg

May28

Sam Jurkovic & Joan Myrom
Location: Crex Meadow and Namekagon Barrens WA
Burnett County
73 degrees, sunny and SW wind 5–15 mph

May29

Adrian Konell
Location: crivitz, wi
Marinette County

May30

Craig Ellefson
Location: Muralt Bluff Prairie
Green County

May30

Mike Reese
Location: North of Mount Morris
Waushara County
Got distracted by lots of dragonflies, including many clubtails in the barrens, and the first of the year Chalk-fronted Corporals and Common Whitetails. Still no Karners.
clubtail3277-c.jpg

May31

Mike Reese, David Reese
Location: Rocky Run Oak Savanna SNA
Columbia County

May31

Joan Braune and Tod Highsmith
Location: Avoca unit of LWR
Iowa County
Tod also heard a Kentucky Warbler here.

May31

Joan Braune and Tod Highsmith
Location: Muscoda unit of the LWR
Grant County