Butterfly sightings for October 2014

Private residence with remnant prairie. Sixty-four degrees, sunny with passing clouds. Gusty winds carry most flushed butterflies away. Hard to get a photo! Twenty-one sightings for six species. Note Sulphur ambushed by yellow & black Wheel Bug!

67° Cloudy 12:30-2:30 PM. Went hoping to find my 1st Bronze Copper of the year. 1 PC by the end of board walk. The other along paved path past end of Harvey Road. Both male. Both on White Heather Asters.

Overcast, around 70 degrees. I wasn't expecting to see butterflies. I went to the Clinic to get my flu shot. As I was leaving, I came upon 6 cabbage whites, most flying around the prairie plants between the clinic and the road. Several were nectaring on garden flowers still in bloom. A nice surprise.

These were seen while collecting prairie seeds this morning.

This was only the second time that I have ever seen an adult Black Swallowtail from my yard.

Cold, overcast, and very windy. I was surprised to see two Monarchs braving the terrible weather, heading south.

This handsome fellow fluttered against our kitchen window on a cool 48 degree morning, apparently seeking a place to hibernate. He then basked for a while on a garden pot before heading into the woods.

A bit surprised to see this guy with temps in the 40s...

Mid-morning after a freeze, it flew from one spot in the grass to a nearby leaf in the grass and rested there for the picture. Seemed listless, but might have recovered as the day warmed.

I saw one plucky Monarch fluttering just a few feet over traffic today. Headed south, of course. Only 55 degrees at the time.

This tattered Mourning Cloak was sunning on a south-facing trellis at about 3 p.m. High temperatures in the upper 50s.

1-2pm. Conditions: mostly sunny, temp 62F, breezy. I also saw two angle-wing butterflies that I could not ID.

Sighted outside my window at work in southeast Kenosha, WI.

GREAT Monarch day, like Sept. 16th. By 10AM they were arriving off the lake, in small groups 2's, 3's & 5's. Exhausted from the flight like uncontrolled gliders, some crashed into the ground. Others landed on flowers hanging on for dear life, nectar maybe, but perhaps resting. Wings emitting small tremors, occasionally they would loose their grip on flowers, falling like rocks to the ground. What seemed like forever, was only seconds but eventually the fallen would arise again and regain a hold on another flower. 134 Monarch sightings over the six hour day, certainly many more in the area we were unable to see or count. Rejuvenated most moved on throughout the day. Admirals, Cloaks, Ladies & some Monarchs sought nutrition from rotting Crab Apples. Reaching 68 degrees, skies clearing by noon, Strong gusty winds all day.

60's, sunny, and windy. Between 11am and noon, I count 20 to 25 Monarchs feeding on flowers in my garden. By 3pm there were 40+ feeding! It was amazing.

There were also 2 skippers, I think Sachems but they would not set still so I could identify them.

Sunny, wind from the northwest, about 50 degrees. Monarchs still migrating.

Sunny, windy, and in the 60s. I just found out that I have been calling the Great Spreadwing by the wrong common name (Giant Spreadwing) most of the time since I saw my first one in 2005.

A Cherry Dagger Moth caterpillar was an interesting find.

Not sure what this insect might be atop a dead mouse.

On my Asters, I feel every butterfly lover should grow asters, They can take a frost and still feed butterflies .

Unexpected numbers of butterflies for this time of year. A dozen close-by Monarchs visible at any given time along the trails, with plenty of Clouded Sulphurs, and Cabbage Whites mixed in, along the bluffs of Lake Michigan, two miles south of Port Washington, on the numerous New England Asters, and a few daisies. A friend and I covered a very small portion of this nature preserve for about an hour.

Few nectar sources available; so far fewer butterflies than I expected here.

Sunny, nearly clear skies, gusty winds & 56 degrees.
Fifteen sightings for five Species. Does anyone know the name of this day moth? See photo -

2:30-3 pm

Sunny 55 degrees.
Sachem =FOY (male fresh)

The caterpillar photo was taken on October 3 in Elm Grove Village Park and is a 5th instar Goldenrod Hooded Owlet (Cucullia asteroides).

Temps in the low 50's and sunny. Not a lot flying today. The Pheasant added color and interest to the day.

1:50pm

One sulphur was a male, one a female. Cattail Caterpillar Moth (Simyra insularis) caterpillars also found.

Not many butterflies. Nice day for mushrooming - found a patch of blewits and some oysters.

Most of the Monarchs were on asters. Many were gliding gracefully high above .

Sachem probably same individual sighted two days ago.

This Sachem remains a daily visitor to my marigolds for three days. Observed singleton Cabbage White and Clouded Sulfur near Sullivan in Jefferson County

It was barely warm enough for butterflies, and then the sun disappeared 7 minutes after we arrived and it became way too cold.

Some of the Cabbage Whites were seen in the woods.

Sunny and bright, about 10am-noon. Many asters and other flowers still in bloom and Monarchs still migrating.

I saw one Monarch as I approached the parking lot along the northeast edge of Lake Mendota. As I got closer, I realized there were multiple Monarchs, nectaring steadily on New England Asters. Most of them were female, but I did see some males. All were in great shape.

Nice to see a butterfly again! Clear skies and temps in upper 50's with very light wind.

Sunny, 68 degrees. This spot protected from the wind.

Monarchs are still moving south along the Lake Michigan shoreline.

Temperatures in the 50s. Brief morning of sunshine between rain yesterday and later in the afternoon. strong winds out of north.

The sulphur was cold, and cooperated wonderfully for pictures.

We walked 3 miles in the grassland. 48-53 degrees F, 97% sunshine. It was 48 degrees when we saw the only butterfly,

I'm not sure who was more surprised, us or the bobcat. It was the first that Lydia or I have ever seen in the wild.

Sunny, but cool, strong wind from west.

11 AM. Sunny.

We were happy to see something other than the Cabbage Whites for a change.

10Am - Noon: 52 degrees: Cloudy with periods of sun, short lived, gusty winds! Nine Clouded Sulphurs including two albino ones. Looking forward to a better afternoon for butterfly sightings, I was disappointed that the sky clouded over again by the time I had finished lunch. However on a new site, we had an unusual opportunity to observe a Bald Eagle, that landed in clear view of where we were standing, perhaps only a hundred feet away! What a Kodak moment for S. E. Wisconsin.

At 10Am it was 52 degrees, 100% cloud cover, cool damp air with gusty winds off the lake. After lunch about 2 Pm the sky finally cleared, within ten minutes the temperature rose to 58 degrees. That is when I saw my first butterfly of the day a Cabbage White, while trying to get a photo a Monarch flew in from off the lake. Sunny, still with gusty winds, there were seven sightings observed for five species of butterfly. The Red Admirals & Eastern Comma were observed visiting the rotten Crab Apple fruits. By 3:30 Pm there were no more butterflies to be seen.

Another late butterfly in my yard!

12:30 - 2:30 Pm, 55 degrees, sunny with a few clouds, gusty winds! Three sightings for two species.

54 Degrees, sunny skies with scattered clouds, gusty winds. At 11:30 Am a Monarch came over the tree line from the lake into the yard where we were working and landed in the Hawthorn. We watched it check out several of the rotting fruits, then it dropped to the ground, where I got my photo. Resting for a few minutes, it then took to the air once again, gaining altitude to the treetops and disappeared out of sight flying South.

Mostly in the cemetery nectaring on dandelions.

Leola Oct 25 62-64 degrees F, sunny. We walked 2.5 miles in three widely separated areas of the site.

Only a single butterfly at Avon Bottoms. Hardly any nectar sources. Also saw one Shadow Darner (dragonfly).

Also two Sulphur sp.

10am-11am, Sunny, 61 degrees

11:30Am - 2:30Pm: By noon 68 degrees, clear sunny skies, gusty winds. Lots of bird hunters out today, so I decided to stay on the upland horse riding trails near Pasque Prairie. I see the pheasants were also seeking refuge on the horse trails from hunters. Six sightings in all for two species. One of the Clouded Sulphurs is an albino. Hanging on a nearly invisible 25-30 foot thread from an Oak Tree a caterpillar at eye level swings back and fourth in the wind, about six feet off the ground. It took about thirty photos to finally catch a focused image of this larva!

With the temperatures in the high 50s and sunny I decided to see if I could find a Purplish Copper on the baseball field where I saw them on October 16, 2005. There were not many dandelions there but there were two butterflies!

On a west facing hill a few Asters and Clovers were still flowering with the Sulphurs nectaring on them.

Many young fishing spiders were ballooning everywhere, spanning the boardwalk with Halloween-like spiderwebs!

Single Compton Tortoiseshell still flying about the eves of the cabin. Maybe the nice Indian summer day brought it out of its torpor, or maybe it was just seeking a somewhat better hiding-hole to spend the next 5-6 months. Lovely day!

2:30pm, sunny, low 60s. I was happy to see these three butterflies today. At the end of October, all butterfly sightings are most welcome.

65 degrees this afternoon. The Cabbage White flew into my garage and tried nectaring on some purple shag carpeting, it must have looked like a giant Aster.

10Am-1Pm: 65-72 degrees, sunny clear skies, windy: Working in the front garden, next to the house, 11:30 Am we flushed a Clouded Sulphur, about five minutes later another. I decided now was the time to do a walk through the native wildflower meadow, flushing three more Sulphurs. On my way back to the garden I saw an Eastern Comma on the Crab Apple tree, approached, it settled on the ground. My thought was that if I found a Comma in the front yard, maybe there could be one in the back. My assumption payed off, I photographed two Commas in the back yard. All happened over a forty-five minute period. We never saw any other butterflies for the rest of the day! 10Am - 5: 30 Pm.

10Am, 55 degrees, clear skies, gusty winds from Southwest. My first butterfly at 10:15 Am on Crab Apple tree. 10:30 Am a Monarch comes off the lake landing by us on a Frost Aster, as I approach it it flies away, I find it a few minutes later on the property to the South on Goldenrod. By 11:30 Am three Admirals are observed on the Crab Apple, nectaring from rotten fruits, a second Monarch off the lake comes right to the Crab landing on fruit at the tree top. Warblers feeding on insects off the rotting fruits chase it away before I can get a photo. As I leave for lunch 12:45 driving off the property to the North another Monarch lands in front of the car on the firelane to the main road, my third Monarch of the day is photographed on Goldenrod. By 2:30 Pm 100% clouds had covered the sky. The last butterfly of the day was seen about 2:20 Pm.

Didn't see my first butterfly of the day until after lunch 1:15 Pm when for about a twenty minute period the sun peeked through the clouds,
"Clouded Sulphur" It was still cold enough that the Sulphur did not move from the flower even after touching it several times. It only moved over on the flower. At 3 Pm once again the sun came out, our warmest moment of the day at 58 degrees. First I saw an Orange Sulphur on Stiff Gentian, fifteen minutes later a Clouded Sulphur on Frost Aster. No more butterflies were seen for the rest of the day!