Butterfly sightings for May 2008

May 1 2008

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.

May 2 2008

Joan Braune and Tod Highsmith

Location: Lake Farm County Park
Dane County

May 4 2008

Ron Arnold

Location: spruce/tamarack bog in the town of Cranmoor
Wood County

Saw a Green Darner almost catch a Brown Elfin.

★ = New county photo record

May 4 2008

Ron Arnold

Location: Sandhill Wildlife Area
Wood County

May 4 2008

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.

★ = New county photo record
☆ = New county sighting record

May 4 2008

Cathy Burrell

Location: Paddock Lake
Kenosha County

Two very active cabbage whites flying along the shrubline in my front yard.

May 4 2008

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

☆ = New county sighting record

May 4 2008

Wayne Anderson

Location: Lake Emily County Park
Portage County

Also sighted (1)gray looper moths,(2)Common oak moths and (5)Cicindela t. tranquebarica

☆ = New county sighting record

May 4 2008

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.

May 4 2008

Ann Thering and Dave Eide

Location: Walking Iron
Dane County

May 4 2008

Mike Reese

Location: Whitewater
Walworth County

30-minute trip during lunch.

☆ = New county sighting record

May 4 2008

Ann Thering and Dave Eide

Iowa County

Also saw two duskywings.

May 5 2008

Ron Arnold

Location: Brown Street in Wisconsin Rapids
Wood County

Stopped here for a few minutes late in the afternoon.

May 5 2008

Ann Thering

Location: Mirror Lake State Park
Sauk County

May 6 2008

Wayne Anderson

Location: Dewey Marsh
Portage County

Three forms of Spring Azure, ladon, marginata and lucia seen on a snowmobile trail through the area.

☆ = New county sighting record

May 6 2008

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.

May 6 2008

Ann Thering

Location: Black Earth Rettenmund Prairie
Dane County

May 7 2008

Tod Highsmith

Location: My backyard on Madison's east side
Dane County

May 8 2008

Tod Highsmith

Location: west side Madison
Dane County

Just driving around doing errands and saw it fly across the street.

May 8 2008

Ann Thering

Location: Observatory Hill SNA
Marquette County

May 8 2008

Jorgen Goderstad

Location: Lake Farm Park near Monona, WI
Dane County

May 9 2008

Ron Arnold

Location: town of Seneca
Wood County

I saw the Cabbage White during a quick walk on my property late in the day.

May 10 2008

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.

May 10 2008

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.

May 10 2008

Ron Arnold

Location: Brown Street in Wisconsin Rapids
Wood County

It was late morning here, just before the sunshine disappeared.

★ = New county photo record
☆ = New county sighting record

May 10 2008

Mike Reese, David Reese

Location: North Brockway and Hunter Haven Rd. area
Jackson County

Frosted Elfins were my first. Both were very fresh.

★ = New county photo record

May 10 2008

Ron Arnold

Location: town of Seneca
Wood County

May 10 2008

Ann Thering and Dave Eide

Location: Spring Green Preserve
Sauk County

Cloudy and cool.

May 12 2008

Adrian Konell

Location: Lake Township
Marinette County

May 12 2008

Jorgen Goderstad

Location: Lake Farm Park and Fitchburg
Dane County

The black swallowtail was spotted in a field in Fitchburg, Fish Hatchery Road.

May 12 2008

Ann Thering

Location: Avoca LWR
Iowa County

May 13 2008

Wayne Anderson

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

☆ = New county sighting record

May 14 2008

Adrian Konell

Location: Lake Township
Marinette County

May 14 2008

Joan Braune and Tod Highsmith

Location: Edna Taylor
Dane County

May 14 2008

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.

Eastern Pine Elfin

Eastern Pine Elfin

★ = New county photo record
☆ = New county sighting record

May 14 2008

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.

☆ = New county sighting record

May 15 2008

Andy Paulios

Location: Wood County Wildlife Area
Wood County

☆ = New county sighting record

May 15 2008

Andy Paulios

Location: Near Big Flats - Beaver Ave
Adams County

☆ = New county sighting record

May 15 2008

Ann Thering

Location: Mirror Lake State Park
Sauk County

May 15 2008

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.

May 15 2008

Joan Braune

Location: east side neighborhood
Dane County

May 16 2008

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

☆ = New county sighting record

May 16 2008

Wayne Anderson

Location: Gas Pipeline/Snowmobile trail/North reserve Drive
Portage County

Also a dozen or so Cicindela patruelas out all after 11:30

May 16 2008

Jeanette Klodzen

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

May 16 2008

Wayne Anderson

Location: Old fields off North Reserve Drive
Portage County

☆ = New county sighting record

May 17 2008

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

☆ = New county sighting record

May 17 2008

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.

May 17 2008

Tom Bentley and Kelly McIntyre

Location: Karner Blue Meadow State Natural Area
Waushara County

May 17 2008

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.

May 18 2008

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.

May 20 2008

Dory Owen

Location: Schoeneberg Marsh, Harvey Rd.
Columbia County

May 21 2008

David Reese

Location: Wild Rose Area
Waushara County

May 21 2008

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.

May 22 2008

Ann Thering

Location: Tower Hill State Park
Iowa County

May 22 2008

Wayne Anderson

Location: North Reserve Drive/2 sites
Portage County

A 45 minute hike at two areas before work about 11:30AM

☆ = New county sighting record

May 22 2008

Ann Thering

Location: Spring Green Preserve
Sauk County

It was so nice to finally see a Monarch...it was laying eggs.

May 23 2008

Mike Reese

Location: Greenwood Refuge
Waushara County

May 23 2008

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.

★ = New county photo record
☆ = New county sighting record

May 23 2008

marcie o'connor

Location: our farm in central Buffalo County
Buffalo County

May 23 2008

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.

☆ = New county sighting record

May 24 2008

Ron Arnold

Location: Brown Street in Wisconsin Rapids
Wood County

May 24 2008

Craig Ellefson

Location: Sugar River Bike Trail near Brodhead.
Green County

May 24 2008

Rose Tiegs

Location: Buzz Besadny Fishery
Kewaunee County

★ = New county photo record
☆ = New county sighting record

May 24 2008

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.

★ = New county photo record
☆ = New county sighting record

May 24 2008

Ron Arnold

Location: spruce/tamarack bog in the town of Cranmoor
Wood County

May 24 2008

Sam Jurkovic & Joan Myrom

Location: Namekagon Barrens Wildlife Area
Burnett County

Partly sunny; 69 degrees; gusty east wind; Hoary Elfins on Bearberry

☆ = New county sighting record

May 25 2008

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.

Freija Fritillary

Freija Fritillary

Freija Fritillary

Freija Fritillary

Jutta Arctic

Jutta Arctic

Red-disked Alpine

Red-disked Alpine

Boreal Long-lipped Tiger Beetle

Boreal Long-lipped Tiger Beetle

★ = New county photo record
☆ = New county sighting record

May 25 2008

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.

★ = New county photo record

May 25 2008

Mike Reese, David Reese

Location: Wazee area
Jackson County

Little sun but warm temperatures.

May 25 2008

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?

★ = New county photo record

May 25 2008

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.

Chryxus Arctic

Chryxus Arctic

Chryxus Arctic

Chryxus Arctic

Hoary Elfin

Hoary Elfin

★ = New county photo record
☆ = New county sighting record

May 26 2008

marcie o'connor

Location: our farm in central Buffalo County
Buffalo County

These were the first Monarchs I've seen this year.

May 26 2008

Joan Braune and Tod Highsmith

Location: Table Bluff segment of the Ice Age Trail
Dane County

May 26 2008

Craig Ellefson

Location: Magnolia Bluff County Park
Rock County

May 26 2008

Mike Reese

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

May 26 2008

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.

May 26 2008

Ron Arnold, Lydia Thurber

Location: Brown Street in Wisconsin Rapids
Wood County

Lots of Six-spotted Tiger Beetles here today.

May 26 2008

Jorgen Goderstad

Location: Vermont Township, western Dane County
Dane County

My first tiger swallowtail this year.

May 26 2008

Andy Paulios

Location: McFarland
Dane County

First Monarch of the year!

May 28 2008

Sam Jurkovic & Joan Myrom

Location: Crex Meadow and Namekagon Barrens WA
Burnett County

73 degrees, sunny and SW wind 5-15 mph

☆ = New county sighting record

May 28 2008

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.

★ = New county photo record
☆ = New county sighting record

May 28 2008

Jorgen Goderstad

Location: 9 springs E-way near Madison
Dane County

May 28 2008

Mike Reese, David Reese

Location: North of Mount Morris
Waushara County

First Monarch and Hobomok Skipper of the year for me.

May 29 2008

Adrian Konell

Location: crivitz, wi
Marinette County

May 30 2008

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.

May 30 2008

Craig Ellefson

Location: Muralt Bluff Prairie
Green County

☆ = New county sighting record

May 31 2008

Joan Braune and Tod Highsmith

Location: Muscoda unit of the LWR
Grant County

May 31 2008

Joan Braune and Tod Highsmith

Location: Avoca unit of LWR
Iowa County

Tod also heard a Kentucky Warbler here.

May 31 2008

Mike Reese, David Reese

Location: Rocky Run Oak Savanna SNA
Columbia County

Rock Sandwort

Rock Sandwort

Fringed Puccoon

Fringed Puccoon

☆ = New county sighting record