Butterfly sightings for April 2015
Apr 1 2015 |
Stan Rehm
Location: Falk Wells Sugar River County Wildlife Area
|
|
Apr 1 2015 |
Sylvia Edlebeck, Joan Vennie
Location: Blue Mound State Park
Eastern commas flitting around everywhere. Two of the mourning cloaks were extremely worn. |
|
Apr 1 2015 |
Kathy Kascewicz
Location: In our back porch about a mile south of Fifield.
First butterfly of the year! Found on our back porch with temperature in the 50's. |
|
Apr 1 2015 |
Kay Copsey, Freddy Copsey
Location: Richfield
Sunny afternoon in Richfield! |
|
Apr 1 2015 |
Stan Rehm
Location: Fitchburg residential backyard
This slightly ragged old fellow appeared today. Lots of tree sap in our woods, so he was ignoring the rotten banana and the spoonful of Smucker's strawberry preserves I had put out. |
|
Apr 1 2015 |
Jerry Ziegler
Location: Pickeral Lake Road, Town of Troy
|
|
Apr 2 2015 |
John Davis
Location: my backyard in Prairie du Chien
mid 60's, windy, and sunny saw my first butterfly of the year |
|
Apr 2 2015 |
Joan Braune and Tod Highsmith
Location: downtown Madison
|
|
Apr 2 2015 |
Beth Stetenfeld
Location: My backyard
Warm day, breezy. Saw this beautiful Mourning Cloak floating by my window. When he landed in the leaves, I ran outside with my camera. Tried to step around to capture an open-wing shot, but he flew away. |
|
Apr 2 2015 |
Stan Rehm
Location: Capital City Trail near Eagle School
|
|
Apr 2 2015 |
Lester Doyle
Location: Mud Lake Natural Area (near Rio)
|
|
Apr 2 2015 |
Judith Huf
Location: Lake Park
about 3pm, 65F and sunny. My first Wisconsin butterfly of the year! |
|
Apr 5 2015 |
Annie Keith
Location: backyard in Orchard Ridge neighborhood, Madison, WI
Warm, sunny day (60 degrees). Butterfly spent quite a bit of time sunny on the compost bin by the garden. The Eastern Comma was sunning on the side of a large cottonwood tree in yard, 3:55 in pm. |
|
Apr 5 2015 |
Stan Rehm
Location: Grady Tract of the UW Arboretum
Kudos to the University for the effort (and money) they have put in this past winter toward clearing out the invasive undergrowth. The habitat is improved and the line of sight is WAY better. If you've been disappointed here in the past, check it out this summer. |
|
Apr 6 2015 |
Maureen Janson Heintz
Location: Starkweather Creek, Madison
Mid afternoon sighting of a lovely Mourning Cloak sunning itself on a rock on the bank of Starkweather Creek. Sunny day at the time, moderate wind, around 60 degrees. |
|
Apr 6 2015 |
Douglas Buege
Location: Near Tenney Park in Madison
|
|
Apr 11 2015 |
John Davis
Location: my backyard in Prairie du Chien
mids 60', windy, and sunny |
|
Apr 11 2015 |
Ron Arnold, Lydia Thurber
Location: my property in the town of Seneca
Lots of Wood Frogs calling today. |
|
Apr 11 2015 |
Jay Watson
Location: Backyard, Rosecrans, WI
Was found flying around our compost bin but didn't stick around long enough for a photo. |
☆ = New county sighting record |
Apr 11 2015 |
Cheryl Morschauser
Location: private land north of Hwy 64,
First butterly of the season for me. |
|
Apr 11 2015 |
Daniel Jackson
Location: Rural Chaseburg
|
|
Apr 11 2015 |
Scott Puchalski
Location: Genoa Fish Hatchery
|
|
Apr 12 2015 |
Ryan Brady
Location: Port Wing Boreal Forest SNA
My first butterfly of year. |
|
Apr 12 2015 |
Scott Puchalski
Location: Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge
|
|
Apr 12 2015 |
Mike Reese
Location: Necedah NWR
Also my first Common Green Darner of the year! |
|
Apr 12 2015 |
Mike Reese
Location: Poygan Lake Wildlife Area, Beechnut Rd. area
There was ice on the calm water when I got there this morning and I was really surprised to see this at 8:55 AM. |
|
Apr 12 2015 |
Ron Arnold
Location: my property in the town of Seneca
|
|
Apr 12 2015 |
Dan Sonnnenberg
Location: Our woods along the marsh
76° Sunny. Saw a female Comma laying eggs on nettles that were barely out of the ground. This is the greatest number of ECs we have seen in our little woods. Saw 13 yesterday with my Father in the same area. |
|
Apr 12 2015 |
Rose Tiegs
Location: Navarino wildlife area
The butterflies were eating on birch sap. |
|
Apr 12 2015 |
J Brownlee
Location: Pershing Road backyard
Mourning cloak sunning itself on a concrete bench. |
|
Apr 12 2015 |
Eric Dreczko
Location: Hayward, WI
Found two Compton Tortoiseshells in my shoes that I left outside this morning. |
★ = New county photo record |
Apr 12 2015 |
Sylvia Edlebeck
Location: Pheasant Branch Conservancy, Middleton
Always good to see my first Cabbage White of the year. |
|
Apr 12 2015 |
Jym Mooney
Location: My yard, Milwaukee
First butterfly of the year! |
|
Apr 12 2015 |
Scott Puchalski
Location: Goose Island
|
|
Apr 13 2015 |
Ryan Chrouser
Location: Otter Creek 44.757111,-91.403568
In the shaded ephemeral pond area near the creek. Wouldn't sit long enough for a picture. |
|
Apr 13 2015 |
Joshua Cullum
Location: Home Area: 42.743144, -89.129426
Nice to see the Cabbage Whites back again! |
|
Apr 13 2015 |
Daniel Jackson
Location: Bike Trail below Sunset Vista Dr, Onalaska
|
|
Apr 14 2015 |
Chris Hillard
Location: Shorewood Nature Preserve Beach
Eastern Comma flying around the beach. |
|
Apr 14 2015 |
Ollie Skrivanie
Location: fish creek island view road
first of the season |
|
Apr 14 2015 |
Tod Highsmith
Location: Lake Farm County Park
Also saw my first two Common Green Darners of the year. |
|
Apr 15 2015 |
Alex Harmon
Location: Dodgeville Arboretum
|
|
Apr 15 2015 |
Stan Rehm
Location: Nine Springs Golf Course
|
|
Apr 16 2015 |
Jay Watson
Location: DNR station in Wautoma
flew across the parking lot |
|
Apr 16 2015 |
Armund Bartz
Location: Hogback Prairie State Natural Area
A few butterflies noted after completing a prescribed fire. I was very surprised by the swallowtails and the fritillary! |
|
Apr 16 2015 |
Mike Reese
Location: Willow Creek Fishery Area, east of County S
I saw some Rock Cress in flower and I was thinking someone would see the first Olympia Marble of the year soon, and then I did! |
|
Apr 16 2015 |
Tim Fenske
Location: City of Middleton yard
|
|
Apr 16 2015 |
John Davis
Location: my backyard in Prairie du Chien
Sunny and in the 60's, saw my first Eastern Tiger Swallowtail of the year fly thru the yard going west toward the river. |
|
Apr 16 2015 |
Ann Thering
Location: Spring Green Preserve
Loads of rock cress and early buttercup in bloom, and a few violets. |
|
Apr 16 2015 |
Sylvia Edlebeck
Location: Vilas Park, Madison
|
|
Apr 17 2015 |
Tim Fenske
Location: Indian Lake County Park
|
|
Apr 17 2015 |
Sylvia Edlebeck
Location: Spring Green Preserve
This was only the second time I've seen Olympia marbles in my life, so what a treat to see so many in one afternoon. Olympia marbles don't tend to stay in one place for very long, so I felt fortunate to get a few photos. |
|
Apr 17 2015 |
Mike Reese
Location: National Forest Rds. 2161& 2158, and Tie Mill Rd.
My first comma slam since 2011 and the first Satyr Comma reported in WI since 2012. |
|
Apr 17 2015 |
Kelly Doyle
Location: Greendale Backyard
|
|
Apr 17 2015 |
Alex Harmon
Location: UW Madison Campus
|
|
Apr 17 2015 |
Stan Rehm
Location: Nine Springs golf course
One stopped to rest on my golf ball (a safe place to rest, actually, where he's not likely to get hit). |
|
Apr 17 2015 |
Kristin Wegner
Location: Nicolet National Forest, near Scott Lake
This beauty circled and landed obligingly right at my feet so I could snap this shot. A splash of warmth against the backdrop of the gray/green landscape. |
|
Apr 17 2015 |
Karl and Dorothy Legler
Location: Wrightman Road
Nice day for my birthday! |
|
Apr 18 2015 |
Lester Doyle
Location: Spring Green Preserve
8am-12pm, Sunny and very Windy. Low 60-Low 70's temp. Great to see some many of a Lifer Butterfly with the Olympia Marbles. Lots of Festive and Obliqued-lined Tiger Beetles. One small "Blue" Butterfly, but could not get an ID. Also had a large Ground Beetle called a Fiery Hunter (Callisthenes calidus). |
|
Apr 18 2015 |
Mike Reese
Location: Various locations along Brockway Rd.
Well, the butterflies didn't cooperate for photos so I ended up taking some more photos of my favorite early spring flowers. The Trailing Arbutus looks the best I have ever seen it. I think that this is the first Pasque Flower that I have ever seen at Brockway Barrens. |
|
Apr 18 2015 |
Joan Vennie
Location: Back yard
Mid afternoon. 76 degrees. Cabbage whites attracted to the early violets. |
|
Apr 18 2015 |
Aaron Carlson
Location: Quincy Bluff & Wetlands SNA
Mostly sunny, 70F. Spring Azure seen near the wetlands W of 14th Ave, the cabbage whites seen near Rattlesnake Mound, which had abundant numbers of Festive and Oblique-Lined Tiger Beetles (ID not 100% sure). |
|
Apr 18 2015 |
Randy Powers
Location: Mecan Springs, just east of Coloma
FOR ME: after three attempts this month, First sighting in Wisconsin this year of an active butterfly! Eastern Comma - |
|
Apr 18 2015 |
Jon Rigden
Location: Bluffs near La Crosse
Seen while hiking half way up Miller Bluff |
|
Apr 19 2015 |
Randy Powers
Location: Spring Green Preserve
2Hr visit: Arrive mid morning, with clear & sunny skies, lots of butterfly activity, walk 500 paces, down path and count 110+ Olympia Marbles: in about 45 Minutes, as I now start to take photos, hazy clouds begin to mask the sun, and eventually most of the activity stops. Other than photo's in books - first time I have ever seen this species in the wild. |
|
Apr 19 2015 |
Alex Harmon
Location: Spring Green SNA
Saw many Oblique-Lined Tiger Beetles, including a mating pair and an ovipositing female. I also saw 3 Festive Tiger Beetles. The sulphur was very small, and I thought it was a little yellow at first. I also saw Randy Powers there, photographing the Olympia Marbles. |
|
Apr 19 2015 |
Ellen Smith
Location: Oconomowoc Side yard to the East of 420 E Jefferson St
My first of the year! |
|
Apr 19 2015 |
Stan Rehm
Location: Grady Tract of the UW Arboretum
|
|
Apr 19 2015 |
Randy Powers
Location: Governor Dodge State Park
Afternoon: 2:30 - 4:30: Mostly Sunny & Breezy, clouding over by late afternoon. Eight different sightings for four species. A rare opportunity for me to photograph a Grapevine Day Moth - a real gem. The Marble was not willing to pose! |
☆ = New county sighting record |
Apr 19 2015 |
Ryan Brady
Location: My house west of Washburn
Also saw Festive, Oblique-lined, and Cow Path Tiger Beetles. Site hosts Boreal Long-lipped, N. Barrens, Six-spotted, and Big Sand as well but none appear to be out yet. |
|
Apr 23 2015 |
Mike Reese
Location: White River Fishery Area, Waushara, off 17th Dr.
My first Cabbage White of the year! Low 50s and sunny. |
|
Apr 23 2015 |
Stan Rehm
Location: Fitchburg residential butterfly garden
The milkweed was first seen yesterday (4/22), which is by two weeks the earliest we have seen it sprout in our garden. I would like to think that the milkweed knows about an early (or large?) influx of Monarchs on their way north. Note one Monarch was seen at the Minnesota zoo on April 17, a month ahead of schedule. |
|
Apr 24 2015 |
Dan Sonnenberg
Location: Our yard
63° Partly Sunny "Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!"
|
|
Apr 25 2015 |
Randy Powers
Location: Chequamegon - Riley Lake Area
One mile East of Popple Creek rd. - Fr 506 on Gates Lake rd. - Fr 136. 1Pm, 54 degrees, sunny with a few wispy clouds, winds are picking up from early morning, as we warm up. First butterfly photographed on wing by me, North of Hwy 29 this year in Northern Wisconsin woodlands! |
|
Apr 25 2015 |
Scott and Ann Swengel
Location: Moquah Barrens
1:00-1:40 pm, mostly sunny, 63-72 degrees F. The Spring Azure was of the marginata form. |
|
Apr 25 2015 |
Rick Anderson
Location: Town of Richfield
|
|
Apr 26 2015 |
Fern Springs
Location: Bauer & Brockway
1-2PM, sunny
|
|
Apr 26 2015 |
Ron Arnold
Location: my property in the town of Seneca
The American Lady was very tattered, there was just enough left of the hindwing spots for an ID. |
|
Apr 26 2015 |
Sylvia Edlebeck
Location: Madison - UW Arboretum, areas near Duck Pond
Nice to see a bunch of Cabbage Whites flitting about acting like Cabbage Whites do. |
|
Apr 26 2015 |
D Nussbaum
Location: Corner of Harvard and Oakridge
Broke the ice. |
|
Apr 26 2015 |
Jim Ebner
Location: lake drive & co. hwy P. Oconomowoc
in flight near dandilions |
|
Apr 26 2015 |
Stan Rehm
Location: Falk Wells Sugar River Recreation Area
More turtles than BFs today. |
|
Apr 26 2015 |
Ron Arnold
Location: spruce/tamarack bog in the town of Cranmoor
|
|
Apr 26 2015 |
Aaron Carlson
Location: Bauer-Brockway Barrens SNA
sunny, 65F. Lots of uncooperative marbles. |
|
Apr 26 2015 |
Scott and Ann Swengel
Location: Barrens near Brockway and Stanton Roads, Dike 17, and Hwy 54.
Noon-5 pm, 59-69 degrees F, 100% sun, wind N 5-10 mph. We saw no butterflies after 3 PM. |
|
Apr 26 2015 |
Jim Otto
Location: Spring Green Preserve north of Pearl Road
This was a brief mid-day visit. I was surprised to see the Swallowtail fly by. I was unable to get a photo because it quickly flew onto the neighboring crop land and just kept going. |
|
Apr 26 2015 |
Mike Reese
Location: Brockway Rd. several stops
Looking for my first elfin of the year. Found one, but there must of been two because she was laying eggs! |
|
Apr 26 2015 |
Bob Ring
Location: My back yard
|
|
Apr 26 2015 |
Randy Powers
Location: County Forest & Hunting Grounds
Approximately a nine mile ride down New Wood Road. 2:00-4:00 Pm, Clear Skies, Gusty Winds, 58 degrees. If the strong gusty winds didn't carry flushed butterflies away, they did not accomodate for taking pictures! A great day for a walk, the Grouse are drumming, a Pileated woodpecker calls in the distance! Seven sightings for two species. |
|
Apr 27 2015 |
Bob Ring
Location: My yard
|
|
Apr 27 2015 |
Jim Otto
Location: Black River State Forest, Battle Point Road & Dike 17 area
There were not a lot of butterflies flying, but it was a nice day to be out. I also saw two Porcupines, a Blandings Turtle and what I suspect was a courting pair of American Bitterns. |
|
Apr 27 2015 |
Joan Rickert
Location: back yard, rural Medford
Also had a white butterfly in yard. |
|
Apr 27 2015 |
Pam Campbell
Location: A few miles West of Colfax
I was pretty excited to find these today. I could see at least nine in flight. A lifer for me. |
★ = New county photo record |
Apr 27 2015 |
Joan Vennie
Location: Festge Park
Late afternoon. 71 degrees. |
|
Apr 27 2015 |
Dan Sonnenberg
Location: S. Shore Drive and Hwy 113
67 degrees and sunny. No Comptons today. 20 minutes early afternoon. |
|
Apr 27 2015 |
Dan Sonnenberg
Location: Doreens home farm on County T
69 degrees and sunny. Saw a blue that was most likely Silvery (location). Will see him again later this week. |
|
Apr 28 2015 |
Ryan Gerlich
Location: Yellowstone State Park
Sunset, ~62 degrees. Looks like it has recently emerged by the look of the upper right wing. |
|
Apr 28 2015 |
Lester Doyle
Location: Harmony Grove - Lodi (my neighborhood)
Sunny, around 70, around 5 pm. I've seen a Bullsnake several times this week too, hiding most of the time, but was out doing a late afternoon sunning session a couple of days ago. |
|
Apr 28 2015 |
Alex Harmon
Location: Mineral Point
|
|
Apr 28 2015 |
Bob Ring
Location: My yard
|
|
Apr 28 2015 |
Matthew Drollinger
Location: Spring Green Preserve
Took the day off work to visit Spring Green (was there for almost six hours). Mostly sunny to partially sunny skies; 60-70 degrees; light wind (4-7mph). In addition to items posted, I saw what appeared to be a Harvester in the wooded portion of the preserve, however I didn't get a photo (took off just as I hit the shutter), there was no water around (that I was aware of), and I am not confident in that assessment. The swallowtail photo is a small portion of a screen shot of a video on my phone - It wouldn't land for a photo. |
|
Apr 28 2015 |
Scott Swengel
Location: Barrens in and near Mirror Lake State Park
12:58-2:38 PM, 95% sun, 67-74 degrees F, wind variable 2-8 mph. |
|
Apr 29 2015 |
Aaron Carlson
Location: South Fork Barrens SNA
Sunny, 63F. |
|
Apr 29 2015 |
Randy Powers
Location: Paris Township
On County trunk N just west of Cty Tk MB. 2PM, Sunny, windy & 64 degrees. In a agri production field, full of annual mustards & dandelions. Six cabbage whites of which I was able to get photo images of at least four of them! |
|
Apr 29 2015 |
Nick Anich
Location: near Halfway Road
First butterflies I've noticed this year |
|
Apr 29 2015 |
Ginny Nelson
Location: My yard in Middleton
It was just flitting through our back yard. |
|
Apr 30 2015 |
Stan Rehm
Location: Spring Green Preserve
Also one Lady whose spots I could not see. |
|
Apr 30 2015 |
Kyle Johnson
Location: Coon Fork Barrens
Late afternoon visit- another promising barrens site. More species of moths flying during the day than butterflies, including 1 Infant (Archiearis infans) and the graceful Adela purpurea which dances over willow catkins, looking more like a bee than a moth. |
|
Apr 30 2015 |
Kyle Johnson
Location: Oxbow Pond & Barrens
Scoping out new barrens sites- this one looks promising. |
First visit ever to this recently-established, newly-open-to-the-public wildlife and recreation area south of Verona. Hundreds of acres (riverbank, fields, woods), but brush clearing and trail making have only just begun. Good potential for butterfly hikes later after the site matures.