Butterfly sightings for March 2017

Mar 5 2017

Dan Sonnenberg

Location: Our yard
Marquette County

47 degrees and cloudy.

Mar 20 2017

Pam Heilman

Location: My yard, west of Paoli in Dane County
Dane County

Mar 21 2017

M Kenosian

Location: Black River State Forest, Wildcat trail
Jackson County

Seen flying on top of hill in the sun. Temperature was about 40 Fahrenheit, wind gusting to about 20 mph. Butterfly stayed in lee of wind on sunny hillside.
Mourning Cloak in beautiful shape, vivid colors, no observed wear and tear.

Mar 24 2017

Christine Stanke

Location: Brown Deer Library
Milwaukee County

The butterfly was spotted flying in the parking lot. The temp. was in the low 50's.

Mar 27 2017

K. Java

Location: Fish Lake SWA - Dueholm Flowage boat landing.
Burnett County

46 degrees so I wasn't expecting to see a butterfly but saw it flying out of the corner of my eye so I followed it until it briefly landed.

Mar 28 2017

Dean Hansen

Location: Roosevelt Twp, Sec. 6
Burnett County

At least five of these moths were resting on a gravel road. Also saw three Mourning Cloaks and an Eastern Comma on the same stretch of gravel road. Spring! About 60 degrees.

Scarce Infant

Scarce Infant

Scarce Infant

Scarce Infant

Mar 28 2017

Dan Sonnenberg

Location: Our Woods along the marsh
Marquette County

59° and Sunny. Cleaning up trails. Saw all 4 with 10 minutes.

Eastern Comma

Eastern Comma

Mar 28 2017

Marcie O'Connor

Location: Prairie Haven Farm
Buffalo County

These are my first butterfly sightings of the year. I saw several more the same day, I think all Commas, but I didn't get good enough looks to tell which species.

Eastern Comma

Eastern Comma

Compton Tortoiseshell

Compton Tortoiseshell

Mar 28 2017

Muffy Barrett

Location: Baraboo Twp. private land
Sauk County

I saw 3 anglewings, but only one stopped so I could ID it. I was expecting a comma. Warm and sunny day, not much wind.

Compton Tortoiseshell

Compton Tortoiseshell

Mar 28 2017

Deyna Miller

Location: Manitowish Waters
Vilas County

Was walking my dog Bronte down Point O Pines road, between Stone Lake and Spider Lake, and had a Compton Tortoiseshell float right by my face. I stood there in awe, watching for awhile as it flew away. It's 55° today and there is still snow on the ground, so I wasn't expecting to see that! Such a nice surprise after such a long winter! Happy Spring everyone!

☆ = New county sighting record

Mar 28 2017

Joan Rickert

Location: My yard, rural Medford
Taylor County

FOY Compton Tortoiseshell

Mar 28 2017

Phil Peterson

Location: Pope Lake SNA
Waupaca County

Mar 28 2017

Pam Campbell

Location: Hoffman Hills SRA
Dunn County

My FIRST butterflies of the year, plus a few of these moths.

The Infant

The Infant

Mar 29 2017

Stan Rehm

Location: Grady Tract of the UW Arboretum
Dane County

The University continues to improve the Grady Tract. In recent years the focus was on underbrush; now they are removing trees to create openings and prairie spaces. The habitat will be much better for butterflies and for being able to spot them.

Mar 31 2017

Al Scherwinski

Location: Vilas Township
Langlade County

FOY Compton's Tortoiseshell 1 of 5 seen today in north western Langlade County today about 15 miles northwest of Antigo . . .

Compton Tortoiseshell

Compton Tortoiseshell