Recent sightings

Sunny and 70 degrees. Besides the butterflies, there were many Ctenucha Moths and a few White-spotted Sable moths and many beautiful Golden-backed Snipe Fly.

Blooming red clover was attractive to the butterflies. The Silver-spotted Skipper males seemed to be setting up territories by sitting with their dorsal wing surface exposed on grasses, and shrubs from 4' to 25'. Female skippers were actively courted by males. One female followed a male to his perch 25' up in a tree but she was not receptive to mating. Another nectaring female ignored the male, who was touching her, for about 2 minutes. When a second male appeared, the courting male took off, circling with the new male. He did not return to court the nectaring female. Another male chased a Monarch out of his territory. A SS Skipper at the woodland edge was visiting creeping charly blooms. Pearl Crescent males were also swirling around each other but no courting was observed.

No photos today - doing restoration work.

930-1130am. Finally saw a Baltimore Checkerspot!!! I tried following it, but it was so fast and gone before I knew it. I really wanted a photo.

breezy

Another very windy day!

57 degrees and cloudy.

Seen while birding BB Atlas Menomonie South block. FAR too windy for good photos, but my first Giant of the season.

breezy

Didn't realize the "rather small Monarch" was a Viceroy until I got closer (rarely seen in our yard); it was nectaring on the rue we planted for the BSTs. The Red-Spotted Purple never came down from the trees.

Two mated pairs of Monarchs

Very windy 70 degree day. Spotted this raggedy Red Admiral enjoying the nectar on my pincushion plant.

Red-spotted Purple and Red Admiral in my yard.
Common Ringlet and Northern Crescent in neighbor's yard.
3-5 PM, somewhat overcast

Many Giant Swallowtails and Eastern Tiger Swallowtails on Dame’s Rocket.

Many Canadian Tigers along roads.

Many Canadian Tigers along all roads in NW Florence and NE Forest Co's. 2 unknown elfins and 3 Black-banded Orange - Epelis truncataria - in small bog just S. of intersection.

Observed in a restored prairie area near the lake

Very sunny and windy day!

Many Canadian Tigers along roads in NW Florence Co.

Also saw two unknown skippers that were mating.

Sanderling Nature Center boardwalks by the beach

There were Juvenal's in the area but this one looked a little different

4-5 PM, overcast, 60s

There were a lot of these flying around on the north end of the pond.

Also at least 10 Black-banded Orange Moths - Epelis truncataria

Sunny, relatively calm winds, low 70s - seems Tiger Swallowtails everywhere (major emergence event; dragonflies also).

Traditional location just east of Black Earth. Only found a single individual, but still early.

Red Admiral caterpillars have tied up Stinging Nettles leaves with silk strands to make a leaf nest to protect them. Quite a few leaves are closed up but not as completely over-run as they did in the invasion year 2012! Photo shows a Red Admiral caterpillar sewing a Nettles leaf shut.

85-93 degrees F, sunny. Karner Blue long-term monitoring surveys. 21 male and 2 female Karner Blues. The first female Karner Blue we've seen this year was courted by a male and the two then mated.

The Purplish Coppers were along Archer Road in the 2nd quarter mile west of County W, and out in the grasslands south of that same 1/4 mile of frontage. But they can sometimes be found in every quarter mile both along this road and in grasslands to the north and south of the road, especially the first 1/2 mile west of County W.

A few grasslands, roadsides, and one lupine barrens. The Purplish Coppers were at the northern end of Farmers Road, in the east ditch just south of Swamp Road.

This road is also an ATV trail so during a weekend there is a lot more traffic on this gravel road.

Incidental sightings while atlasing

Many Karner's but a real slow day for other species

Clear 70's sl windy. Saw the Karner Blue in two separate groups of 4 and 5. The last group was all male. Only 1 female in the other group. Lack of butterflies in general but several six spotted Tiger Beetles.

5 PM, 80s, sunny

Lots of dragonflies (mostly baskettails) but only two (uncooperative) butterflies.

9:08-11:34, sunny, 70s, low wind speed. Bull frogs calling.

A late morning visit to Cherokee Marsh. Also saw many Green Darner dragonflies, plus Common Baskettails and Black Saddlebags.

In a lush prairie, flitting around in lupine -- has a very pale orange hue in flight.

Many Tiger Swallowtails seen while driving in this area

Calm, sunny and pleasantly warm. Just gnatty as all get-out.

Our survey route is placed in the eastern part of this bog not far west of the upland forest bordering the east side. There is a ditch arcing south and southeast from Hwy 54 further west than the northwest edge of our route , and we do not cross this. The Jutta Arctics were in the east-central and northeast part of the bog, which is unusual for us. More than half of the Juttas we've seen here are in the northwest quadrant in the bog savanna with plenty of trees, and most of the rest have ben well south in the forest 250 meters south of Hwy 54.

Two of the tiger swallowtails were dark-morph females. About 10 unidentified duskywings.

3-4 PM, 80s, sunny

And two unidentified commas.

Sunny calm evening

A lot of unknown orange butterflies flittering through the woods.

Looking for a Hobomok Skipper but did not see any.

Very little at this site

Looking for Arctic Skippers but failed to see any

2:30 pm - 3:30 pm. Sunny, high 80's. Not a lot of butterflies at this location, but lots of Big Sand and Festive Tiger Beetles in the Sandy Prairie sections, and lots of Bronzed Tiger Beetles along the River Banks. Only found one Hairy-necked Tiger Beetle, no Sandy Stream Tiger Beetles.

10:30 am till 1:30 pm. Sunny, high 80's. Habitat variable...lower prairie, steep hillside and hilltop bluff, Wooded section behind bluff.

Saw several butterflies on the prairie today but didn't have the right camera with me. I did capture this Monarch whose wings were very tattered. Wondering what happened to her....

Two mated pairs of Monarchs.

On showy goldenrod

first of year for me

Seen during a morning walk at Powell Marsh in Vilas County. Large numbers of silvery blues and sulphurs were common.

Found a lot of duskywings on one short dirt road. Also first Hobomok and a Mourning Cloak nectaring. Warmer nights have helped insect populations explode.

Woodland edge, WI River Tributary

I found these two species nectaring in an overgrown grassy area full of puccoon and lupine within the town of Avoca.

Found this one nectaring on clover within the prairie.

The Dame's rocket is blooming in the fields. The fragrance is overpowering. Attracted Red Admirals and a Monarch.

Happy to see 2 Monarchs along the side of the road at the bottom of this exit. Sometimes you find butterflies where you least expect them. This was about 2:30 and the sun was shining brightly.