Butterfly sightings for November 2011

Red Admiral was seen in the back yard once again.

58 degrees and Sunny. About 2 hours. Most near the tower. That area was protected from the wind. Saw most of these multiple times.

I went out to see if the Red Admiral was there, but he was not. I saw a Comma instead.

Heavy freeze this morning followed my a sunny, mild day. I saw the Comma once again, along with a few sulphers.

My 97 year friend, Elmer Krushinske saw a Monarch yesterday desperately trying to find nectar in his prairie garden. There are a few asters that are barely flowering.

I saw the sulphur while driving through town. I was lucky to spot it among all the blowing leaves. I thought I would share some photos that I took this summer of a potter wasp and its egg chamber. This was the first time that I've seen one of their chambers. The photos of the open chamber and the wasp were taken on July 10th. That's also the date that the wasp provisioned the chamber with a caterpillar. The chamber was found closed on the 11th. I checked it every day, and I found it opened and empty on August 3rd. The chamber was 7/16 inch in diameter.

55 degrees, sunny but breezy. Saw a Clouded Sulpher flying around in the back yard. Will this be my last sighting of the year?

About 3pm I searched my neighborhood for butterfly activity. The weather was sunny and pleasant, at about 50 degrees. I found a male and a female Clouded Sulphur flitting on and about bare patches sprinkled with clipped red clover sprouts. They briefly chased each other, then separated. I have experienced Clouded Sulphurs well into November previously, and will hope for continued mild spells this season.

55 degrees and Sunny. Saw it while out walking on the road. Went to Summerton Bog SNA and my Father-in-laws farm later, and saw nothing. It was a great year.

I was cutting lawn before noon and saw a Clouded Sulphur flying around. It seemed somewhat weak, and his colors were fading, but it was sunny with light winds and temperatures nearing the 50 degree mark.

Temps were around 50F. It was mostly sunny, somewhat breezy, and there were patches of snow in the shaded areas. This was a bird watching expedition, but while taking a break for lunch we noticed a sulphur flying about in the sunshine. It was soon joined by 2 more.

Despite some snow and chilly weather the past 4-5 days, today warmed to near 50 and yielded a lone Clouded Sulfur. I had to flush it up from the grasses and clover, otherwise it would probably not have been sighted. With luck, and some warm days, Clouded Sulfurs may persist slightly more into the month.

It was struggling, but flew from ground to treetops as I watched.

Sun finally came out after morning sprinkles. Apparently just enough to warm the wings of the eastern comma.

Sunny day with temperatures in the low 50s. Saw only one Clouded Sulphur, feeding on a few blooming dandelions. I got one picture but it wasn't very good. The butterfly was quite active and was flying nicely. Its colors were still brilliant.