Butterfly sightings for April 2009

First butterfly of the season for me - exciting!

There is still a few bits of snow in shaded areas along the south side of some roads.

Today I observed two Mourning Cloak Butterflies! What a great sign of spring! Paired with that were the sounds of "peepers" in the wetlands nearby.

Also saw my first Festive Tiger Beetle of the year.

Lovely warm and sunny day. My first Wisconsin butterflies of the year. The Cabbage White was a big surprise.

Among the grasses on the wooded shore of the lake.

My first butterfly sighting of the year!

Toothwort and Hepatica just starting to bloom, Pasque flower in bloom, Dutchman's breeches in bud.

Not a lot of butterflies, but I did get distracted by the trailing arbutus. I also picked up my first deer tick of the year!

Not sure but I think this is an Eastern Comma.

My first butterfly of the year.

My first butterflies of the season, amidst patchy snow cover. Not a bad start!

Also saw a half dozen Cicindela purpurea here and about a dozen at the Custer site.

This was one of several which we saw in Trempeauleau Nat'l Wildlife and Perrot State Park

Second butterfly this year

Found just off rock outcrop at top of steep bluff prairie. Windy day, slightly cool.

This is the first time I have seen this butterfly in the wild. One of my favs.

When it rains it pours...beautiful day and butterflies galore.

Two gartersnakes as well.

Probably the same individuals I saw *4 weeks ago* now. Ready to see something new...

My lifer Satyr Commas! Lots of woodland butterflies on the forest roads again today.

My first ever for my yard.

Checking on the Fox Snake Hibernacle, most snakes dispersed but noticed the Spring Azure just brought a smile and the start of the season.

Still quite a bit of snow here, with the lake mostly iced over yet. Not much seen during quick visit over lunch hour.

Lots of Festive and Oblique-lined tiger beetles, other cool beetles, and grasshoppers. Very little rock cress right now.

I stopped here late today after work. Two of the Mourning Cloaks kept perching on my hat.

No Olympia Marbles here yet. The pasque flowers are nearly at their peak.

64 degrees lots of bumble flower beetles (Euphoria inda) one day flying moth.

I am always hopeful heading out that I will see something new for the year, but the snow still present along the south side of roads here, shows that it is still plenty early.

I didn't know what Euphoria inda was until Wayne's post yesterday, but we saw one today at Necedah.

Spotted this weather-worn Mourning Cloak on one of my apple trees. A very brief encounter before it flew off.

After a few cold days I couldn't help but look for the first Henry's Elfin of the year.

Saw a single Monarch on my street about 1:30 pm today (my first one of the year).

Also saw my first Common Green Darner of the year.

81 degrees out today and a few hours of sunshine at just the right time. Brown Street is my best spot for Spring Azures and Henry's Elfins.

In a mixed forest next to the lake.

I also saw a Green Darner dragonfly, and a duskywing, either a Wild Indigo or Columbine.

My first sighting of a Spring Azure for the year.

Mourning Cloak sighted on a wooded hill in Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park (North Marsh)