Butterfly sightings for March 2010

It was sunny and in the 40's today. I considered going out in the woods, but had too much else to do. I was working outside on my van and saw a butterfly shadow on the garage door. A few moments later I saw the Tortoiseshell. It disappeared over the roof of the garage and that was the last I saw of it.

mid afternoon along a woodland trail near the Montreal river

Sunny, and temp. in low sixties, butterfly was taking off and landing on edge of gravel drive. Tall dead grasses near by.

Sunny and 60 degrees.

Beautiful day - I saw about a dozen Infant Moths (Archiearis infans) as well as the butterflies.

It was along a gravel road. I saw one yesterday at Crex Meadows but could not positively confirm it.

Another warm day with even more butterflies.

60* & sunny sitting on the driveway

We see Mourning Cloaks at the edge of our woods every spring, but this is the earliest we can remember encountering one.

I was sitting watching for new birds and the mourning cloak flew right past my nose! Pretty exciting. Seems early but I guess that is typical of this one.

My wife and I were driving at ~noon today (60 degrees, sunny), when we both saw a Cabbage White fluttering across Yuma Road (just west of the Arboretum). If this had been midsummer, we would not have been surprised, but to see it in mid-March was truly startling.

Flying around under the bridge by the creek and then on the snowbanks and damp gravel.

near County Rd M

I saw both species while driving from the east side of Madison to the west side.

I added these to David's sighting because I didn't see any butterflies, but I did see the earliest Pasque Flowers that I have documented. These were seen off County C, east of Wautoma. -- Mike

I saw one Mourning Cloak Butterfly in a calm, sunny area on oak leaf litter along the walking path. By the time I went to get my camera, it was gone. Other walkers said they had seen one farther along on the path.

Windy today. I stopped here after work.

Very fresh! Just a baby.

Looks like this one barely made it through the winter!