Butterfly sightings for September 2008

Sep 1 2008

Joan Braune

Location: Schurch Thompson
Iowa County

Sep 1 2008

Dan Foster

Location: My garden in Germantown
Washington County

Sep 1 2008

Judith Huf

Location: Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
Milwaukee County

The Giant Swallowtail was a big surprise. This is the first I've seen here; I just returned from Florida where there were many. Today, I also had a glimpse of a fast moving dark swallowtail, but it flew off around some trees and was lost to sight before I had a good look.

Sep 1 2008

Rose Tiegs

Location: Home in Oneida
Outagamie County

Sep 1 2008

Jorgen Goderstad

Location: 9 springs E-way near Madison, sanitation ponds
Dane County

This is my first sighting of a giant swallowtail this summer. I thought I saw one 2 weeks ago, but wasn't certain at that time. The ponds are a better place for spotting shorebirds than butterflies, but it turned out to be rewarding for both.

Sep 1 2008

Ryan Brady

Location: Chequamegon National Forest southeast of Grand View
Bayfield County

Windy and way too hot...

Sep 1 2008

Ron Arnold

Location: DNR property in the town of Saratoga along Highway 13
Wood County

I was here for about an hour and a half this morning, and these were the only 2 butterflies that I saw. I saw the Crescent when I crossed through the pine plantation to the other side of the property, and the Sulphur only flew up because I almost walked into it. I thought that maybe the numbers were down due to the heat, but there were butterflies flying around on my property after I got home in the afternoon.

Sep 1 2008

Wayne Anderson

Location: Lake Emily Areas
Portage County

Many tiger beetles out. C. tranquebarica, C. punctulata, C. formosa and C. purpurea.

☆ = New county sighting record

Sep 2 2008

Karen Medeiros

Location: Pewaukee (my backyard garden with Torch sunflowers)
Waukesha County

Torch sunflowers have relatively small but very bright, orange blossoms that attract butterflies, especially Monarchs, and bees, as the attached photos demonstrate. A week later (9/9/08), the bumble bees are still in the garden but, no butterflies other than a cabbage white or two. NOTE: The smaller of the 2 Monarch caterpillars I am raising in the house molted on 9/2/08. Photo of Monarch caterpillar just after molting attach

Sep 2 2008

Jorgen Goderstad

Location: Lake Farm Park
Dane County

There were a large number of blues "puddling" along the gravel roads in the park. The tiger swallowtail was a dark phase female with it's wings in shreds. It was still an impressive site against thet yellow sunflowers.

Sep 2 2008

Karen Medeiros

Location: Pewaukee (my kitchen, originally found at neighbor's yard)
Waukesha County

These are 2 Monarch caterpillars "rescued" from a neighbor's sparse patch of milkweed plants that were inhabited by numerous Milkweed Tussock Moth caterpillars (Note: Female Milkweed Tussock Moths lay eggs in "rafts" and caterpillars are gregarious during instars 1-3, solitary in later instars, when marked with bright tufts. May defoliate patches of milkweed.*) There was a 3rd, larger Monarch caterpillar with what appeared to be wasp eggs laid on it. I have been raising these 2 smaller caterpillars at home to try to protect them from the same fate (or running out of milkweed due to the Tussock caterpillars!)

*http://bugguide.net/node/view/433/bgimage

Sep 3 2008

Mike Reese

Location: Greenwood Refuge
Waushara County

Went out for about an hour, and even with some sun there were more tree crickets than butterflies or bees.

Sep 3 2008

Ryan Brady

Location: Chequamegon National Forest southeast of Grand View
Bayfield County

Just some documentation photos. I think this is only the second individual of this species that I've seen all year.

Painted Lady

Painted Lady

Painted Lady

Painted Lady

★ = New county photo record

Sep 5 2008

Craig Ellefson

Location: Decatur Lake Boat Launch near Brodhead
Green County

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

Sep 5 2008

Judith Huf

Location: Wehr Nature Center, Hales Corners
Milwaukee County

Giant Swallowtail

Giant Swallowtail

Great Spangled Fritillary

Great Spangled Fritillary

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

Sep 5 2008

Joan Braune

Location: Olbrich Gardens in Madison
Dane County

Sep 6 2008

SWBA field trip, 38 participants

Location: Olbrich Botanical Garden
Dane County

Our large group split into two: one group got fantastic views of the Pipevine nectaring on Verbena. Beautiful day. Photos from the trip submitted by Charles Roberts.

Sep 6 2008

Mike Reese

Location: Boerner Botanical Gardens, Hales Corner
Milwaukee County

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

Sep 6 2008

Mike Reese

Location: Rotary Gardens, Janesville
Rock County

Sep 7 2008

Ryan Brady

Location: Chequamegon National Forest southeast of Grand View
Bayfield County

Cool, mostly cloudy, and sometimes rainy = not much flying.

Sep 7 2008

Craig Ellefson

Location: Decatur Lake Boat Launch
Green County

Sep 7 2008

Tod Highsmith

Location: Scuppernong Valley, Kettle Moraine SNA
Waukesha County

Lots of very fresh-looking Eastern-tailed Blues. Also many pretty bottle gentians and dragonflies.

Sep 9 2008

Ann Thering

Location: Black Earth Rettenmund Prairie
Dane County

Cool and partly cloudy.

☆ = New county sighting record

Sep 9 2008

Karen Medeiros

Location: Pewaukee (my dining room table)
Waukesha County

2 photos of the 2 Monarch caterpillars I have been raising: One changed to a chrysalis JUST LAST NIGHT! Photo #1 - the larger Monarch caterpillar as it looked exactly 1 week ago before transforming into a chrysalis. Photo #2 - the chrysalis as it looks today, 1 week old. As each butterfly emerges, I will release it to "fuel up" on the Torch sunflowers in my garden and then they can start their amazing migration down south to Mexico for the winter!

Sep 10 2008

Tammy Smith

Location: Reedsburg
Sauk County

Sep 11 2008

Judith Huf

Location: Courtyard of the Milwaukee Public Museum
Milwaukee County

I saw a single Red Admiral while taking a lunch break about noon. Interestingly this is only the 2nd Red Admiral I've seen all summer. Last year I saw hundreds.

Sep 14 2008

Sharon Morgan

Location: Town of Menasha yard...
Winnebago County

It was pretty windy again and he stayed all day. Longer than I have ever noticed in my yard. He even rested on the Blue spruce for a while and then right back to the butterfly bush...

Sep 14 2008

Ron Arnold

Location: my property in the town of Seneca
Wood County

Sep 15 2008

Andy Paulios

Location: Lake Mills Wildlife Area - Zeloski Marsh Unit
Jefferson County

Large numbers of monarchs the last few days.

☆ = New county sighting record

Sep 16 2008

Ryan Brady

Location: Chequamegon National Forest southeast of Grand View
Bayfield County

Sunny and warm with temps in 70s and SW winds. Nice activity for this late in the year here in the northwoods.

★ = New county photo record

Sep 16 2008

Tod Highsmith and Joan Braune

Location: East side of Madison in our front yard
Dane County

It was a good day in our front yard. The Gray Hairstreak and Buckeye were nectaring on White Snakeroot. Also saw a possible Black Swallowtail.

Sep 17 2008

Ann Thering

Location: Olbrich
Dane County

The Tiger had but three wings, but was flying around quite well.

Sep 17 2008

Mike Reese

Location: Greenwood Refuge
Waushara County

Sep 18 2008

Ann Thering

Location: Pheasant Branch
Dane County

One of the Common Buckeyes was the fall form.

Sep 18 2008

Mike Reese

Columbia County

☆ = New county sighting record

Sep 19 2008

Jorgen Goderstad

Location: Odana Road, Madison
Dane County

I'm working at an assignment on busy Odana Road on Madison's west side. But next door is a large undevoloped area with goldenrods, asters and a few butterflies.

Sep 19 2008

Adrian Konell

Location: Lake Township
Marinette County

☆ = New county sighting record

Sep 20 2008

Terry Leasa

Location: East Side of Lake Winnebago boat dock
Calumet County

I stopped by a boat dock to photograph the sunset. There was a storm coming from the north and there were 100s of monarchs flying ahead of the storm.

Monarch

Monarch

★ = New county photo record

Sep 20 2008

Craig Ellefson

Location: Decatur Lake boat launch and service road
Green County

Bronze Copper

Bronze Copper

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

Sep 20 2008

Mike Reese

Location: Riverside Park, downtown La Crosse
La Crosse County

Sep 20 2008

Ron Arnold

Location: my property in the town of Seneca
Wood County

Sep 20 2008

Mike Reese

Location: several boat landings off Hwy 35
Vernon County

☆ = New county sighting record

Sep 20 2008

Mike Reese

Location: Hogback Prairie SNA
Crawford County

This Black Swallowtail was a little worn but one male was very fresh. Lots of Fringed Gentians on the north side of the hill.

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

Sep 20 2008

Karen Medeiros

Location: Pewaukee (my kitchen, then my backyard)
Waukesha County

Wed 9/17, details of Monarch wing very visible through chrysalis. Thur 9/18, Monarch butterfly emerged from chrysalis. After wings were relatively dry and butterfly was able to fly, released it to the backyard. Spotted a Monarch (was it the same one?) this morning, partaking in nectar from Torch sunflowers in my garden. Great day to be a Monarch butterfly!

Sep 21 2008

Tod Highsmith

Location: Cherokee Marsh, north end of Sherman Ave., Madison
Dane County

The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail was the black form. Also lots of Lance-tipped Darners and Autumn Meadowhawks.

Sep 21 2008

Mike Reese

Location: Rocky Run Oak Savanna SNA
Columbia County

The alfalfa field to the north of the area was teeming with sulphurs and in the 1st field every patch of asters had many sulphurs nectaring.

Sep 21 2008

Ryan Brady

Location: Chequamegon National Forest southeast of Grand View
Bayfield County

Another warm day with decent activity. Still had a Hummingbird Clearwing Moth and plenty of darners, including this Shadow Darner.

★ = New county photo record

Sep 21 2008

Craig Ellefson

Location: Decatur Lake boat launch and service road
Green County

★ = New county photo record

Sep 21 2008

Wayne Anderson

Location: Dewey Marsh
Portage County

Many Hemileuca maia (Buck Moth)flying among the willows.

Sep 21 2008

Mike Reese

Location: Avoca Wildlife Area
Iowa County

One of the Eastern Tailed-Blues was the smallest male I have ever seen.

Sep 22 2008

Ann Thering

Location: Back Yard
Dane County

The male Sachem could be the offspring of the female Sachem that I saw in the same spot in August. Crabgrass is said to be one of their caterpillar host plants; plenty of that in my yard!

Sep 22 2008

Ann Thering

Location: UW Arboretum
Dane County

One of the Common Buckeyes chased the Mourning Cloak around for at least a minute.

Sep 22 2008

Sharon Morgan

Location: Town of Menasha yard
Winnebago County

One sat on the viburnum bush, I think just resting and then one went to the butterfly bush and then to the cosmos.

Sep 22 2008

Jorgen Goderstad

Location: Odana Road, Madison
Dane County

Sep 23 2008

Andy Paulios

Location: Turtle Valley Wildlife Area
Walworth County

Also saw an unidentified swallowtail and one of the ladies did a flyby.

☆ = New county sighting record

Sep 23 2008

Joan Braune

Location: Black Earth R. Prairie
Dane County

I just had time to go to a pretty small area of the prairie. I've never seen so many Clouded Sulphurs!

Sep 24 2008

Sharon Morgan

Location: In my Town of Menasha yard
Winnebago County

The Orange Sulphur that I spotted was the first one that I have ever noticed. I always see the white and yellow almost daily here. He was too fast for me to photograph.
The Viceroy was soaking up some sun on the Blue spruce.

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

Sep 24 2008

Ann Thering

Location: Back Yard
Dane County

The Painted Lady in the photo was absolutely fearless. It REALLY liked Verbena...the other Lady fancied Liatris, Garlic Chives, and Cosmos; it ignored the Verbena completely.

Sep 26 2008

Mike Reese

Location: Allen Centennial Gardens, Madison
Dane County

Sep 26 2008

Tod Highsmith

Location: Cherokee Marsh, north end of Sherman Ave., Madison
Dane County

Not a great deal of butterfly activity, but a nice smattering of species.

Sep 26 2008

Ann Thering

Location: Pheasant Branch
Dane County

Sep 27 2008

Mike Reese

Location: Rocky Run Oak Savanna SNA
Columbia County

Still lots of sulphurs, but not much else.

Sep 27 2008

Ron Arnold

Location: my property in the town of Seneca
Wood County

This was only the second Buckeye I've seen all year.

Sep 28 2008

Sharon Morgan

Location: My Town of Menasha yard
Winnebago County

We went for a walk and seen a couple of them flying around in an open field close to home and then the other three were in the yard..one is in such terrible shape.

★ = New county photo record

Sep 28 2008

Mike Reese

Location: Rotary Gardens, Janesville
Rock County

12:30-3:30. No sun and cool. Most butterflies were moving slowly, except for the Sachem which I didn't sit still. The Sachem and the Gray Hairstreak were the first ones I have seen this year.

Gray Hairstreak

Gray Hairstreak

Gray Hairstreak

Gray Hairstreak

Gray Hairstreak

Gray Hairstreak

Monarch

Monarch

Sep 28 2008

Ron Arnold

Location: my property in the town of Seneca
Wood County

Sep 29 2008

Molly Fifield Murray

Location: UW-Madison Arboretum
Dane County

The Buckeyes were getting chased from the goldenrod by bees, but they were persistent and stayed in the garden area all afternoon.

★ = New county photo record