Recent sightings

12:15-2:15. 88 degrees and sunny at the start but clouds were starting to form around me and there were just a few sprinkles when I eneded.

11:00-12:00, 87 degrees, sunny, and dry with little nectar sources

I visited Borah Creek one year ago today with the Monarch being the only butterfly seen both years. Lots of Red Clover and Cream False Indigo blooming beautifully, with some White Clover, too, but not an abundance of pollinators.

Sunny, hot, no wind, from 10-12 with temps between 76-84F

Incidental while removing Dames Rocket from SNA

Mid-morning, low 80s, calm day. I thought I would see more butterflies, but it was nice to see a few.

2 miles east of North Settlement Road. 4:00-4:15 p.m., about 90 degrees F.

7:10-3:50 pm, sunny to mostly sunny, about 66-93 degrees F. We began surveying Phlox Moths (and butterflies if seen) at five long-term monitoring sites NW of Millston, then switched to mostly Karner Blue monitoring but included 11 more Phlox Moth sites. We only found 8 Phlox Moths at six sites. Karner Blues were 26 males, a female, and 1 unknown (13 of the Karners were at Dike 17, especially within 200 meters of the parking lot). The Frosted Elfins were in 4 sites: South Brockway West (our unit 4), Belle Mound Unit 4 -- 2 miles south on Brockway Road from Castle Mound Road, 1 mile east, then north up a track and then off-trail through forest for a total of 0.5+ miles (ending only 150 meters north of ESE-WNW trending ATV trail; south side of Stanton Creek Road just E of Cutoff Road); and pipeline ROW south of and parallel to Stanton, 0.3 miles west of Cutoff Road.

Butterflies were scarce--it's dry there. The Juvenal's Duskywing and the Silvery Blue were seen in old field vegetation to the east of East River Road, 0.4 miles north of Co. O. This field has wonderful stands of blooming lupines--check it out. The other species were seen along Stolte Road. Seen today were my FOY Northern Cloudy Wing, Karner Blue, and Viceroy. Stolte Road is nearing its peak of lupine bloom.

Not sure what this is at all. My guess is probably wrong but it is the closest I could find.

My first Monarch of the year. Milkweed is about 8-12 inches high.

Windy, mostly cloudy, warm

Depositing eggs on my barely foot tall milkweed.

It was sunny and 85 F around 4:00.

Always happy to see first sightings of the year of butterfly friends!

Sunny and warm with temps between 80-88F from 12:30-2:30

American Coppers were in abundance. I have only ever seen one at a time in the past.

Sunny and beautiful butterfly weather with temps between 68-78F from 9:30-11:30.

11:00-5:30. Sunny and 86 degrees by noon. 7.5 miles of walking trails and roads. All Karners were males.

One Six Spotted Tiger Beetle

North of GG.

3 to 5 pm, sunny, 80°.

in dusty parking area near bridge 1.

Looking for Phlox Moths, did not find any.

Five patches in the Park and one nearby one. This is probably our highest American Copper count at these sites since 2020 or before.

This was the most White-striped Black (moth) that I have seen. All seven were seen on horse scat! Karen saw her first Monarch caterpillar of the year.

South of GG.

Monarch butterfly spent some time behind the Spring Green General Store.

3.68 miles, 1:06-2:16 PM

4 sites near Sandhill Wildlife Area. Ann found the Gray Hairstreak (we both got to look at it up close) on a Wild Lupine flower bud. Every Gray Hairstreak we have seen in spring in a barrens the past 35 years was associating with lupines. The Henry's Elfins were spiralling together at a county forest site before landing to be ID'd. The Karners were 1 female and 21 males; all but one of them were at the fastest site out of the >35 sites that we regularly monitor for them.

We surveyed 6 of the 9 bogs we went to on May 21, including all 4 Dwarf Birch sites that are reliable for Frigga Fritillaries. We found a combined 40 Friggas in 0.35 miles of the birch unit (we have 5 other non-Birch units there where we saw no Friggas) on the bog south of Forest Road 136 not far west of FR 505--in Riley Lake State Natural Area. Scott found 13 Friggas in a solo survey of 0.25 miles length in the bog southwest of Forest Road 137 2.3+ miles south of Hwy 70. We also saw one unidentified white sp.

Observed along Alder Drive.

Also saw some blues, whites, and a duskywing that didn't slow down enough for a positive id. This Harris' checkerspot caterpillar moved at a speed more within reach of my photographic abilities! (Note: the Harris' recorded is this caterpillar; I didn't see an adult.)

Late afternoon, sunny, warm, light wind

Late morning/early afternoon, sunny, low seventies light wind. I checked a lot of the lupine patches and puddling spots. It is very dry again. I saw several sleepy/dreamy duskywings puddling.

Morning, sunny, 63 degrees, light wind. Prairie smoke and lupines were in full bloom.

Sunny, 74 degree morning.

Between Brooks and Y.

The frit was a surprise.

4 survey transects in 3 general areas where we have seen Chryxus Arctics before. We also saw 2 elfin sp., 1 blue sp., and 2 unidentified duskywings.

11:30 a.m. to 2:30 pm. 72°, sunny, to see what is flying mid-day. Tried spitwads and urine without success in attracting anything. The Gorgone Checkerspots were swarming around a patch of white sand near a stream. Curious to see ants near several of them (see photo). The Common ringlets were also common, but didn't perch where I could get close.

"Butterfly Lek"--see May 20 posting. A few flighty Erynnis went undetermined, but did ID a single Mottled Duskywing.

Only saw two Brown Elfins walking the bog. Sand/gravel of road was generally dry, rare damp spots only attracting a few flighty Erynnis and a couple Brown Elfins. No Jutta Arctics yet.

Olympia Marbles still in flight, but area was dry and there were no spots of damp sand/gravel on the roads to attract mineralizing butterflies. Roadside lupine coming into good bloom; Arabis still in bloom. Saw no butterflies nectaring of hoary puccoon, lupine, or violets. Presumed Canadian Swallowtail was just seen in flight. FOY Dusted Skipper (on Crex Ridge Road) was a treat. A dozen flighty Erynnis went undetermined.

Sunny, light wind, 80 degrees

77 deg, sunshine, damp sand beach.

Very few butterflies, but did enjoy seeing a young buck crossing the trail. Blue phlox was in full bloom all along the trail and into the woods. Sunny 74 degree late morning.

10:00-12:30. Sunny, high 60s to low 70s. Also 13 Monarch eggs

72 F, sunny, calm. Butterflies were observed throughout conservation land flying, resting, and nectaring. The checkerspots and crescents were also observed in dances and mating.

Same 8 bogs as on May 20, plus we added the Frigga Fritillary specialty bog we call "Bear SW", where we found our only Frigga today. Because we found a lot more Freija Fritillaries today than on May 20, it was disappointing that we found no Red-disked Alpines today (3 found May 20). The Milbert's Tortoiseshell was way out on the bog that fronts Foxboro-Chaffee Road.

Same spots as on May 20.

Same 4 patches as on May 20.

Sunny, low 70s. Little butterfly activity

short stop of 45 minutes. In a field with lots of Sheep Sorrel I saw no American Coppers.

Also saw a Snowberry Clearwing.

Sunny, afternoon, mid-seventies, clouds of gnats, Large numbers of Brown elfins. Freija fritillaries were very active, rarely landing for more than a couple seconds, making it very difficult to get photos. Adding insult to injury one of them landed on me as I was walking out. (: I also saw one unidentified Duskywing.

9:00 to 10:30 a.m. 70°, sunny.

The lupine fields that were very poor last year were full of lupines, probably 100 acres of lupines all in bloom. The fields are drying up fast. One Festive Tiger Beetle. Four Duskywings in the lupines that were very dark, I got pictures of three of them. One may be a Persius, the others look like a Juvenal's. Mike your thoughts?

No photo opportunities as butterflies were all flying. First Clouded Sulphur sighting of the season. Also checked out prairie area at Schefelker Park in Stoughton, but only saw about 20 dragonflies there with several pairs mating. Breezy, sunny 74 degree early afternoon.

Sunny, breezy, 70 degree late morning.

Sunny, lower 70s, between 2:30 and 4:00 pm. The Black Swallowtails were in the same spot they love, on top of the hill. The Clouded Sulphurs stayed busy nectaring.

The best finding was the Common Nighthawk nest. Jay flushed the nighthawk, it it did a broken wing display, and settled down in the grass away from the nest. Jay spotted the two eggs in the nest. We later flushed a different pair. Jay found the first Karner of the year.

Many of the Gorgones looked rather old which is surprising for this time of year.

9:00 to 10:30 a.m., 72°, sunny. Northern Cloudywings were nectaring on Hoary puccoon and sunning on bushes.

Incidental while removing parsnips from SNA.

Pretty reliable annual visitor to our gardens; perhaps a little earlier than usual this year

Sunny, but windy and cooler with the highs in the upper 60s. 2:30-4:45

I keep hoping I will see a Dusted Skipper that was seen there in 2016. Missed twice now. There is a lot of Puccoon in flower, both Hoary and Fringed.

Windy, Hazy sun, 73degrees, Late afternoon. Surprised by how few butterflies I saw. I did see one unidentified tiger swallowtail at the Willow River State Park. I assume it was an Eastern but I did not get a good look at it.

70's, breezy, mostly sunny

83 F, sunny, light breeze. Butterfly was observed resting along gravel path in forested area.

4 survey transects in 3 general areas where we have seen Chryxus Arctics before. We saw a white that was probably a Mustard White.

Almost all of the migrant Red Admirals have perished by now. But they left many presents! Almost all Common Nettle had several caterpillars on it.

Saw one unidentified hairstreak

9:00 am - 10:30 am. 68-74 degrees, SSW winds at 5 mph.

The Dusted Skipper was seen in the grassland area near the parking lot closest to the SNA nectaring on Hoary Puccoon. My first Hobomok Skipper of the year.

The deer and I met while I was rounding a red cedar.

The road is also County Hwy I. An attempt to find Chryxus Arctics at 2 usually good patches, but we only found one at a 3rd patch we don't usually survey. The location of some historically good Chryxus Arctic sites at Parkway (County Hwy I) Barrens and Dunbar Barrens State Natural Area are listed on page 5 of “Butterflies to Log in and near Northern Wisconsin’s Bogs” by Ann Swengel at the Southern Wisconsin Butterfly Association website http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabawba/watching.html

An attempt to find Chryxus Arctics. Includes 5 patches owned by the state and one county forest site.

A bog north of Wolf Lake along Forest Road 2182, and one other bog (where we saw one Freija Fritillary and 24 Brown Elfins). Wolf Lake Bog is also called Bailey Lake Bog (e.eg. Kyle Johnson's May 17 posting). Our Freija Fritillary count of 5 at Wolf Lake was disappointingly low, but it was our best Red-disked Alpine bog this year.

All were seen between 6:30 and 8:00 pm. Sunny and in the upper 60s/lower 70s. They were all extremely friendly and curious and kept landing on both me and my dogs whenever we'd pause to hang out!

I have never stopped here but this place was really surprising with a good sand blow, a nice wetland (beaver lodge in the photo) and so much red cedar that there just has to be some Juniper Hairstreaks here. This is just west of the Sleepy Orange area.

This was my first Dusted Skipper in Grant County.

I walked the western trail well back into the woods and then back. On the way I saw five Monarchs but on the way back I saw eight! Lots of Six-spotted Tiger Beetles here.

I didn't see many butterflies but I did get my first Giant Swallowtail of the year. If you go straight past the gate you eventually get the the bluff in the photo. I think it should have some good insects here and it does have a large group of prickly pear at its base.

8:30 am to 10:45 am, 62 to 72 degrees, light S winds. Also 1 unidentified duskywing, likely Juvenal's.

5:45, sunny, 78

Fantastic spot--still wet while dry elsewhere! No comma slam but feels like hitting six homers.

9 bogs 12 to 16 miles east or ESE of Fifield whose locations are described on page 3 of the butterfly site guide “Butterflies to Log in and near Northern Wisconsin’s Bogs” by Ann Swengel at the Southern Wisconsin Butterfly Association website http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabawba/watching.html Neither today nor on a repeat attempt here May 28 did we get any traction on Freija Fritillaries; we think they and red-disked Alpines are having a low fluctuation year. Both of these species are usually less abundant after very snowy winters, as was 2022-23 here.

77 degrees. Sunny. In our yard.

10:27 - 11:53, 1.5 miles

7:36 - 9:58, 0.9 miles

FOY Monarch, Black Swallowtail and Silver Spotted Skippers. The Monarch was flying due south at a high rate of speed ???

Forgot to add these.

Shoutout for Creeping Charlie also known as ground ivy! I saw a Monarch visiting it for nectar! I have also seen a Red Admiral doing the same. With limited nectar sources it seems to be one that butterflies use!

Both The American Lady and the Wild Indigo Duskywing appeared to be laying eggs. There was limited Cream False Indigo blooming but tons of Golden Alexander and Columbine that no pollinators seemed to be visiting.

Sunny with a light wind with temps around 80.

Sunny, near 80 degrees. Mostly along bike path from the beltline north to Glenway. 2:00-3:15

Also saw 20 Red Admiral cats.

Sightings while doing yard work from 8:00am-2:30pm.

My wife and I took our dog for a walk in the woods next to our home and saw a female flying in a large patch of Dame's Rocket.

8 bogs: two north of Moose Junction, 1 on Foxboro-Chaffee Road, two on Milchesky Road, two "Bear Lake" bogs on County Hwy A, and Lyman Lake Bog.

2 areas with two patches each

4 barrens patches. 40 minutes.

All were seen in and around a large field of lupines next to the Turtleville Trail.

An unnamed two-track "road" leads east from Dry Landing Road just north of where the latter crosses Clemens Creek. We checked extensive stands of bearberry to the north of this road and saw no butterflies. We then stopped by some large red pines on the south of the road, and here we were able to find elfins courting. I think that the large pines somehow make this spot a "butterfly lek" of sorts--over several years I have consistently found butterflies courting here when they were not seen on larval host plants or nectar sources elsewhere nearby. Site is at 46° 08' 06" N, 92° 04' 58" W. Check it out. We also saw two undetermined moths and a single "Lady" who refused to land and be IDd.

A group of 12 butterfliers hit Crex Meadows Saturday morning.
Olympia Mables were fairly common at all five stops. A dirt road leads south from Reed Lake Road to a landing on Reed Lake. Some animal--beaver, muskrat, whatever--leaves deposits of dung or castor (?) near the shore, and this consistently attracts butterflies, as with these Duskywings. Several Sleepy/Dreamy Duskywings went undetermined. The Persius was a positive ID.
No Commas, Question Marks, and Tortoiseshells were seen.

Brown elfins and a two species of moths were present on the bog or on the sand of Namekagon Trail. Photos by Brian Shapiro.

a bit windy out!

Warm, sunny, Light wind becoming windy. I quit counting and identifying duskywings and blues early as they were slowing me down. I was looking for frosted elfins. I think I did manage to find three using the black dot near the tail as an identifier. I saw a lot of elfins that went unidentified.

The Pearl Crescent's found a dead raccoon.

8 Six-spotted Tiger Beetles

Some toothwort in area.

9:21 - 11:17, 2.2 miles, sunny and windy