Butterfly sightings for October 2015

High temp 63 degrees. Sunny and windy.

Mid-afternoon, 55, sunny and very windy.

Sunny, windy, temperature 62F. This was a brief mid-day visit. Not much flying today.

partly sunny and windy, 58 degrees

partly sunny and windy, 62 degrees

Seventy, sunny with a light breeze.

All nectaring on red clover or dandelions.

6 fly-by Buck Moths in an hour.

I was surprised to see a monarch again, around 2PM, 59F, and sunny.

Beautiful, sunny warm afternoon. Walked in the prairie westof Hwy C.

Sunny and calm, temp in the 60's. Saw several cabbage whites and clouded sulphurs on the asters, as well as one very worn and faded painted lady and 1 very fresh male monarch.

All Sulphurs and the Peck's Skipper were in the grass north of the back parking lot. Also saw two Great Spreadwings (damselfly)

2:15-2:45. Mid 60's and sunny. There were a fair number of nectar sources available, however I didn't spot even one butterfly nectaring. The orange sulphur was on the gravel in the driveway, and the clouded sulphurs and cabbage whites were all in flight.

I'll use this opportunity to share a photo of our new pipevines (Aristolochia duria). We purchased two vines in pots in June; by September they had covered a 7-foot trellis. No blossoms or swallowtail visitors this year, but this is a perennial, and we're looking forward to future summers.

65 and sunny. I startled the tortoiseshell on a wooden bridge and eventually found it again flying under the bridge, moving every time someone crossed. Impossible to get a good picture, but happy to see it.

Seen in our yard.

Sunny and windy.

Windy

The Compton Tortoiseshell I reported on Sept. 7 as looking for a spot to spend the coming you-know-what somewhere in the eaves of our cabin was out and about today, and it was joined by two others. Maybe they'll all be out again on a sunny, warm day in March.

It was in the upper 70's and very windy. There were numerous Clouded Sulphurs flitting about the farm fields adjacent to the trail. Others were feeding on asters. One Mourning Cloak was spotted in the forest.

The Monarch was flying north!

Sunny with temperature in the upper 70s. I got my lifer Smoky Rubyspot, and Ken got his first ever photo of the female Elusive Clubtail. The Monarch was flying north!

High temperature of 82 degrees this afternoon.

First Monarch I've seen in quite a while.

Mid-October already--hard to believe. Only 6 butterflies today. No photo opportunities.

Didn't expect to see a butterfly while washing windows so no camera with me. What a nice surprise! Mostly sunny, mid 50's and breezy.

I think the frost killed a lot of them off. I've been seeing at least 15 clouded sulphurs every sunny day for the past couple weeks, only one today.

Maybe one New England Aster was still out, but goldenrod and all the other asters are done. "Never say never," the single sulphur seemed to be saying, but we're pushing our luck with any more butterfly sightings for 2015.

Also seven woolly bears on the march.

The 3-inch-long caterpillar is (I think) a white-lined Sphinx (note the horn on the tail), found wandering in jeopardy on a large asphalt parking lot. Now housed in one of our terraria.

Mostly sunny, temperature 51F, windy. I hiked the paved trail north of Priem Road at mid-day. Only saw the one white form Clouded Sulfur, plus several woolybear caterpillars.

Barely 50 degrees and windy, so they were flying low and slow today.

The Monarch was kind of meandering - almost seemed to be searching for a thermal to gain altitude.

Ha! Found the Compton Tortoiseshell is hibernating under some loose siding on the south side of our cabin. One, at least, came out and enjoyed the Oct. sunshine. "It ain't over 'til it's over," it said about the 2015 season.
Several Clouded Sulphurs were seeking the very occasional aster blooms in a grazed pasture.

Wisely flying south!

Bronze copper on exposed frames in beehive, feeding next to some worker bees. 4:00 pm, sunny, ~62 degrees.

56 degrees, 3:15-3:35

a pair of sulphurs appeared to be mating

mid 50s, 1:00-2:50

Sunny, light breeze, in the 50's after two nights below 30.

72 and mostly Sunny!!

It was 67 degrees and sunny. I also saw an Eastern Garter Snake basking in the sun.

5:30pm. 1 fresh monarch fluttered into the aspen tree. It appeared to be looking for a place to spend the night. What a beautiful sight among the golden leaves!

Quick stop around 2:30pm on the way home from an appointment.

Sunny in the 60's, windy. Spectacular fall morning.

Low 60's just before noon. The Monarch flew by and circled upward until I couldn't see it.

These were seen while collecting prairie seeds between 0900 and 1130.

2:00 pm

Mostly sunny, south wind, 70F degrees. This was a mid-day visit. Very few flowers remain in bloom.

It was 74 degrees, sunny and windy.

Warm and sunny but very windy.

Sunny and 57 degrees. I saw the butterfly on the bluff above Lake Michigan.

Nicest October day imaginable--low 60s, calm winds, blue skies.

Warm (61 degrees) and sunny. A few flowers still in bloom. (No photos today because someone made off with my camera. Guess I have to buy another.)

While birding this area in the morning I saw that it looked like good butterfly habitat so when it was nearly 60 degrees and sunny I stopped back here. I was quite surprised do see this many butterflies. This is the latest I have ever counted double-digit Monarchs! Also saw 5 white-form female sulphurs.
2:50-3:20.

With the sunny warm (60F) weather and no wind there were a couple of good butterflies this morning. Unfortunately, until I get a new camera, I can only take rather blurry cell phone pics.

All of the Commas were feeding on fermenting fruit. One larger, dark butterfly seen. I am guessing it was a Mourning Cloak, but I am not certain so I won't count it.

50 degrees and sunny. 12:30-12:50. All nectaring on dandelions in the outfield

60 and sunny. Eastern Comma was quite worn and damaged but still flying.

While watching the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, I spotted a couple of butterflies. Just a rather fuzzy cell phone photo.

In an open field, hope he makes it to Mexico in time!

Some brief sunshine and a few dandelions were enough for a quick visit by the sulphur this afternoon.

Sunny, windy and 60 degrees.

Sunny and beautiful. Also saw a butterfly flying by quickly, so couldn't get a good look. Am thinking Eastern comma, but not sure.

Sunny, windy and 60 degrees.

Warm sunny afternoon. Good day to share a beautiful area with friends.