Butterfly sightings for April 2019

Apr 3 2019

Daniel Jackson

Location: Bike trail north of Midway
La Crosse County

Apr 6 2019

Daniel Jackson

Location: Jackson Property South of Chaseburg
Vernon County

Mourning Cloak

Mourning Cloak

Compton Tortoiseshell

Compton Tortoiseshell

Apr 8 2019

Daniel Jackson

Location: Halfway Creek Marsh, Upper Mississippi NWR
La Crosse County

Apr 8 2019

Pam Campbell

Location: Hoffman Hills State Rec Area
Dunn County

Yay! Excited to see my first butterfly of the season. Mid 60s, becoming cloudy and windy. With Pamela Hoyland.

Mourning Cloak

Mourning Cloak

Apr 8 2019

Skye Harnsberger

Location: 57211 Rush Creek Rd, Ferryville, WI 54628
Crawford County

Sunning on the side of the barn

Eastern Comma

Eastern Comma

Apr 8 2019

Alex Harman

Location: UW-Platteville
Grant County

Apr 8 2019

Kelly Sauvage Angel

Location: 1020 Williamson St., Madison
Dane County

Sighted around 12 p.m.

Apr 8 2019

Brooke Gilley

Location: Falk Park
Milwaukee County

I found a maple tree with tons of sapsucker holes. The tree was gushing sap. This tree drew in a lot of insect activity including one Mourning Cloak and one Eastern Comma. It was a great day! Butterfly Season has begun!

Eastern Comma

Eastern Comma

Eastern Comma

Eastern Comma

Mourning Cloak

Mourning Cloak

Apr 8 2019

Eileen Scharenbroch

Location: Backyard
Washington County

Mourning Cloak was seen in a protected porch area off our kitchen.

Apr 9 2019

Rich Kahl & Laurie Yahr

Location: Gallistel Woods, UW Arb.
Dane County

Apr 9 2019

Dean Hansen

Location: St. Joseph's Twp, 5 acres of old field vegetation
St. Croix County

Briefly caught sight of it flying away. Hard to mistake a Mourning Cloak, though. Possibly it had overwintered in our firewood pile? First butterfly seen this season for me.

Apr 9 2019

Joan Braune

Location: Madison - in my east side neighborhood
Dane County

Nectaring on scilla plants.

Apr 9 2019

Kelly Sauvage Angel

Location: 1712 Jenifer St., Madison
Dane County

Sighted at 10:50 a.m. 55 degrees.

American Lady

American Lady

Apr 9 2019

Pam Campbell

Location: Red Cedar Trail
Dunn County

South of Downsville. Mid 60s, sunny and breezy.

Eastern Comma

Eastern Comma

Mourning Cloak

Mourning Cloak

Apr 9 2019

Zachery Milbrandt

Location: Angel Bluff
Buffalo County

Seen within 25 feet at the top of the bluff along with my first Common Green Darners of the season.

Apr 10 2019

Marci Lanois

Location: 6th Ave. in Necedah NWR
Juneau County

Mourning Cloak

Mourning Cloak

Apr 15 2019

Stan Rehm

Location: Woods behind our home
Dane County

Most years my season starts with a Mourning Cloak. This year it is a Red Admiral.

Apr 15 2019

Ann Thering

Location: My Garden
Dane County

Apr 16 2019

Douglas Buege

Location: Tenney Park in Madison
Dane County

Apr 16 2019

K. Java

Location: Crex Meadows SWA
Burnett County

Temps that rose to the low 60s really brought out the Mourning Cloaks but no other species seen.

Mourning Cloak

Mourning Cloak

Apr 16 2019

Ann Schranz

Location: Near Cherry Hills golf course, town of Sevastopol
Door County

On muddy ground, looking beat up but alive.

Mourning Cloak

Mourning Cloak

Apr 16 2019

Dean Hansen

Location: Roosevelt Twp., Section 6
Burnett County

Singles of each species seen on damp sand/gravel of gravel road. Another Mourning Cloak also seen in flight. Lovely day--upper 60s, calm, sunny. Quite a welcome change from the last six days! Area is mixed aspen/oak/maple/pine woods.

Eastern Comma

Eastern Comma

Mourning Cloak

Mourning Cloak

Mourning Cloak

Mourning Cloak

Apr 16 2019

Heather Cudworth

Location: Williams Bay
Walworth County

We saw a Red Admiral today -- our first butterfly of the season!

Apr 16 2019

Kelly Sauvage Angel

Location: Willy St. Park, Madison
Dane County

12:50 p.m. under sunny skies

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Apr 19 2019

Tod Highsmith

Location: Our East Side Madison backyard
Dane County

Apr 19 2019

Skye Harnsberger

Location: University of Wisconsin-Madison, outside DC Smith greenhouse
Dane County

Nectarine on hyacinth

American Lady

American Lady

Apr 19 2019

Ryan Brady

Location: White River State Wildlife Area
Ashland County

First butterflies of year for me.

Gray Comma

Gray Comma

Apr 19 2019

Stan Rehm

Location: Fitchburg residential butterfly garden
Dane County

The Red Admiral was nectaring on early blossoms of hellebore ("Lenten rose")

Apr 19 2019

Melanie Stake

Location: Greenwood Segment, IAT
Waushara County

Apr 19 2019

Tim Fenske

Location: City of Middleton
Dane County

Apr 19 2019

Judith Huf

Location: County Grounds, Wauwatosa
Milwaukee County

45 degrees and sunny

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Apr 19 2019

Teanna Larson

Location: Hammersley Park
Dane County

Apr 19 2019

K. Java

Location: Fish Lake SWA
Burnett County

I did a count on about 4 miles of County Rd O on the south border of Fish Lake. I had to slalom down the road to avoid the Mourning Cloaks. This is probably one of the best butterfly spots in the area but I still haven't seen any other species yet.

Apr 19 2019

Alex Harman

Location: Spring Green SNA
Sauk County

Individuals noted are from both the east and west side of the SNA. Lots of tiger beetles too!

Splendid Tiger Beetle

Splendid Tiger Beetle

Apr 19 2019

Peter and Charlotte Silvers

Location: Back yard
Jefferson County

Sunny, windy, 55 deg.

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Apr 19 2019

Paul Sparks

Location: Lion’s Den Gorge
Ozaukee County

Apr 19 2019

Ginny Nelson

Location: Madison parking lot
Dane County

Apr 19 2019

Peter Fissel

Location: My yard - SE Madison
Dane County

My first butterfly of the year.

Apr 19 2019

Mary Jo Sundling

Location: My backyard in Stoughton
Dane County

First sighting this year. Red Admiral didn't sit still long enough for a photo. Windy, sunny 59 degree afternoon.

Apr 19 2019

Ann Thering

Location: My Garden
Dane County

One admiral nectaring on willow; Lady laying eggs.

Apr 19 2019

Kathi Dwelle

Location: Shorewood Hills -iin ourr yard
Dane County

First buttefly sighting this season! Two Red Admirals sunning and dancing in our yard on a beautiful day.

Apr 19 2019

Jeremy Meyer

Location: Pennsylvania Ave across from dance studio, Oak Creek
Milwaukee County

Apr 19 2019

Beth Stetenfeld

Location: Lake Farm County Park
Dane County

Windy day, but bright and sunny. The Red Admirals were out in big numbers today--at the park and in the backyard.

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Apr 19 2019

Kelly Sauvage Angel

Location: Olbrich Botanical Gardens
Dane County

Late afternoon. 57 degrees.

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

American Lady

American Lady

Apr 20 2019

vDaniel Jackson

Location: Jackson Property south of Chaseburg
Vernon County

Apr 20 2019

Alex Harman

Location: Governor Dodge State Park
Iowa County

Apr 20 2019

Bob Ring

Location: High Cliff State Parky
Calumet County

First butterfly of the season

Apr 20 2019

Tod Highsmith

Location: Brooklyn SWA, near Belleville
Dane County

Also many Common Green Darner dragonflies.

Apr 20 2019

Alex Harman

Location: My yard, near Dodgeville
Iowa County

Common Buckeye was a nice surprise!

Apr 20 2019

Beth Stetenfeld

Location: McFarland backyard
Dane County

Warm, sunny day. The Pachysandra is blooming and there were butterflies everywhere I looked. My estimates are conservative.

Painted Lady

Painted Lady

American Lady

American Lady

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

American Lady

American Lady

Apr 20 2019

Elizabeth Oseid

Location: Sun Prairie backyard near N Bristol and Eats Klubertanz Dr
Dane County

This one has been flitting around my grape hyacinth and daffodils.

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Apr 20 2019

Peter Thornquist

Location: Good Hope Island, Milwaukee River
Milwaukee County

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Apr 20 2019

April Stanke

Location: Mequon Nature Preserve
Ozaukee County

Apr 20 2019

April Stanke

Location: Home In Brown Deer
Milwaukee County

Apr 20 2019

Amy Chamberlin

Location: Moely Prairie, Prairie du Sac, WI
Sauk County

I wasn't able to get a photo because it flew by so fast and wouldn't sit still, but it was flitting about an area of the prairie that contained a large brush pile. This Red Admiral had been on the original inventory for Moely Prairie several years ago, but wasn't seen in 2018. We're happy to have found one on the property again.

We saw a couple of other butterflies, mainly smaller and orange in color flying on the prairie as well, but we didn't get close enough to see them clearly for ID purposes.

Apr 20 2019

Bob Anderson

Location: 3188 Taylor Rd., Hartford, 53027
Washington County

American Lady. About 2:00 P.M. in blooming scilla along the edge of a yard and an unplowed field.

American Lady

American Lady

American Lady

American Lady

American Lady

American Lady

Apr 20 2019

Tim Fenske

Location: Indian Lake Park
Dane County

'Spring' Spring Azure

'Spring' Spring Azure

Apr 20 2019

Jeremy Meyer

Location: Lake Park, locust ravine
Milwaukee County

Apr 20 2019

Kate Redmond

Location: Public trails at the north end of the Cedarburg Bog, off Hwy 33.
Ozaukee County

A half-dozen Red Admirals nectaring on pussy willows, and more along the trail. A Ruby-crowned Kinglet hunting for insects in the pussy willow. The Red Admirals in the pussy willow seemed very small to me. Two Common Green Darners.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Apr 20 2019

Peter and Charlotte Silvers

Location: West side of Dorothy Carnes Park
Jefferson County

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Apr 20 2019

Pamela Skaar

Location: Big Hill of Token Creek Conservancy, Windsor, WI
Dane County

The Red Admiral looked fresh - not worn. Sunny, low wind, upper 50's

Apr 20 2019

Rory Williams

Location: Just south of Z and Country Club Road
Winnebago County

Apr 20 2019

Darleen Horman

Location: Yard in Allenton
Washington County

Nectaring on squill

Apr 20 2019

Rory Williams

Location: At our house in Neenah
Winnebago County

Apr 20 2019

Joan Braune

Location: my backyard in the east side of Madison
Dane County

Apr 21 2019

Randy Powers

Location: Lisbon Township
Waukesha County

About 2:00 pm today a walk through the yard, I flushed a Red Admiral near some blooming Blood Root, don't think it was on the flowers and in the back yard off of the trunk of a Red Oak tree an Eastern Comma!
My first butterfly sightings for the season.

Apr 21 2019

Stan Rehm

Location: Fitchburg residential butterfly garden
Dane County

The Mourning Cloak ignoring the peanut butter I smeared on tree bark. The Lady puddling in the dirt where I had raked leaves. The two Red Admirals spiraling in a courtship dance.

Apr 21 2019

John Maher

Location: Janesville, near intersection of US-51 & 14, just off the Rock River.
Rock County

American Lady

American Lady

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Apr 21 2019

Mary Jo Sundling

Location: My front yard in Stoughton
Dane County

Around 7 p.m. I observed an American Lady butterfly resting on a large branch on my maple tree. A few minutes later, two more were flying in and around the branches. Sunny and 75 degrees.

Apr 21 2019

Pamela Skaar

Location: Tenny Park neighborhood, Madison
Dane County

14:00 - 15:44, walking my dog 4.0 miles. About 70 with light winds.

One butterfly nectaring on wood anemone was not positively identified but ir appeared to be a various shades of orange, probably a comma.

Apr 21 2019

Jeremy Meyer

Location: My yard
Milwaukee County

Apr 21 2019

Fred Dike

Location: backyard
Dane County

Apr 21 2019

Ed Buchs

Location: Bloomfield Township
Walworth County

Seen on native Dutchmans Breeches in my yard. Large population of Red Admiral - and several American Lady also.

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

American Lady

American Lady

Apr 21 2019

Pamela Skaar, Bill and Ginny Nelson

Location: Spring Green Preserve - Nature Conservancy
Sauk County

Near 70 F with low winds. 2 observers walked 0.7 miles into the preserve along main path from 10:45 - 11:31. One stationary observer.

Apr 21 2019

Chris Brill

Location: Catalano Square Park Third Ward Milwauker
Milwaukee County

Red Admiral - saw at least 3

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Apr 21 2019

D Nussbaum

Location: CB Park
Winnebago County

Mourning Cloak

Mourning Cloak

Apr 21 2019

Darleen Horman

Location: Yard in Allenton
Washington County

The Red admiral was depositing eggs on stinging nettle

Apr 21 2019

Joan Braune

Location: Olbrich gardens -- Madison
Dane County

Apr 21 2019

Kathy Kascewicz

Location: South of Fifield
Price County

Spotted the Green Comma April 20 shortly after noon at the front of our house. It was darting around close to the ground on a warm and sunny day. First butterfly sighting this year.

Green Comma

Green Comma

★ = New county photo record

Apr 21 2019

Tina Carpenter

Location: Delafield, Lapham Peak Unit, Kettle Moraine
Waukesha County

Sighted on Asthma Hill at Lapham Peak Unit. Temperature was 79 degrees.

'Spring' Spring Azure

'Spring' Spring Azure

Gray Comma

Gray Comma

Apr 21 2019

Rory Williams

Location: Czech and County N
Waushara County

Apr 22 2019

Joan Braune and Tod Highsmith

Location: Cherokee Marsh
Dane County

Apr 22 2019

Fred Dike

Location: Madison backyard
Dane County

Apr 22 2019

Raymie Miller

Location: Winchester
Winnebago County

Apr 22 2019

Michelle Woods

Location: Monroe
Green County

There were about 20 Red Admirals flying around.

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Apr 22 2019

Stan Rehm

Location: Fitchburg residential butterfly garden
Dane County

The two Red Admirals were still dancing; I'll stop reporting them now, because they will likely be here all summer. Surprise of the day was the rather early appearance of a Cabbage White.

Apr 22 2019

Rory Williams

Location: Water Retention Pond on Castle Oak - Neenah
Winnebago County

While doing a small area bumble bee survey

Apr 22 2019

Kate Redmond

Location: Cedarburg Bog - public trails atthe north end, off Hwy 33.
Ozaukee County

American Lady

American Lady

Apr 23 2019

Halley Minser

Location: Kratzsch Conservancy in Newburg
Washington County

Nectaring on plum blossoms

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Apr 23 2019

Raymie Miller

Location: Appleton
Outagamie County

Apr 23 2019

Ruth Lindberg

Location: Brookfield
Waukesha County

Mourning Cloak

Mourning Cloak

Apr 23 2019

Jan Nelson

Location: Little Elkhart Lake
Sheboygan County

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Apr 23 2019

Daniel Jackson

Location: Bike Trail below Sunset Vista Dr, Onalaska
La Crosse County

Apr 23 2019

Beth Stetenfeld

Location: McFarland backyard
Dane County

Cool morning, light breeze. Saw two mourning cloaks and many red admirals.

Mourning Cloak

Mourning Cloak

Apr 23 2019

Chris Seufzer

Location: Lowell
Dodge County

Fluttering by our salon window!

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Apr 23 2019

Guido LaMoto

Location: rural Lyndon Station
Sauk County

Apr 23 2019

Stan Rehm

Location: Grady Tract of the UW Arboretum
Dane County

The Arboretum continues to improve its grounds. More of the invasive non-native vegetation has been removed, and now they are thinning out the trees. Should result in increased numbers of spring ephemerals blooming next month - and more BFs?

Apr 23 2019

Ruth Lindberg

Location: Brookfield
Waukesha County

Apr 23 2019

Daniel Jackson

Location: Jackson property near Chaseburg
Vernon County

Apr 23 2019

Mary Drephal

Location: Oshkosh, city, back yard
Winnebago County

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Apr 23 2019

Mary Jo Sundling

Location: Backyard garden in Stoughton
Dane County

Resting on the ground in the sun. 55 degrees.

Apr 23 2019

Bob Ring

Location: Sherwood near High Cliff State Park
Calumet County

Apr 24 2019

Marci Lanois

Location: Visitor Center Trail at Necedah NWR
Juneau County

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

American Lady

American Lady

Apr 24 2019

Daniel Jackson

Location: Stoddard Sand Prairie on refuge
Vernon County

Apr 24 2019

Ilona Loser

Location: Cross Plains
Dane County

Five Red Admirals present in the back yard this morning with three of them sunning themselves on the rocks.

Apr 24 2019

Ginny Nelson

Location: Stricker’s Pond—Madison/Middleton
Dane County

The Painted Lady was quite worn.

Apr 24 2019

Joan Vennie

Location: my yard
Dane County

I found 2 American Ladies among the violets in the yard. One spent over 2 hours flying from flower to flower. Unfortunately, I couldn't get a clear picture with my phone. First ever sighting in my yard. Also a number of Red Admirals.

Apr 24 2019

Darleen Horman

Location: Yard in Allenton
Washington County

Apr 24 2019

Joan Vennie

Location: Parking lot along Hwy 78
Dane County

Stopped at my favorite gravel parking lot mid morning. The Red Admirals were sunning along the drive and the spring peepers were in full chorus.

Apr 24 2019

Rory Williams

Location: Public Hunting Ground on Cty E East Parking Area
Green Lake County

Olympia Marble

Olympia Marble

Spring Azure

Spring Azure

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Eastern Comma

Eastern Comma

American Lady

American Lady

★ = New county photo record
☆ = New county sighting record

Apr 24 2019

Alex Harman

Location: Platteville
Grant County

Red Admiral estimate likely low

Apr 24 2019

Randy Powers

Location: Township of Lisbon - Sussex
Waukesha County

Observed today at our Sussex residence in the afternoon three different butterfly species. Between 3-5 Pm.

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

American Lady

American Lady

Apr 24 2019

Randy Powers

Location: Township of Trenton - Newburg
Washington County

About 11:30 Am a walk through one of our wildflower production areas i observed American Lady's and Red Admirals, busy visiting Willow flowers in bloom!

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

American Lady

American Lady

Apr 24 2019

April Stanke

Location: Brown Deer Elementary School
Milwaukee County

Apr 25 2019

David Czoschke

Location: Page Creek Marsh SNA
Marquette County

American Lady

American Lady

Apr 25 2019

Randy Powers

Location: Township of Ottawa - Piper Rd
Waukesha County

About 1:30 in the afternoon 75 degrees, sunny and windy My first discovery is a American Lady on a blooming Pasque Flower, but she escapes the camera and moves to a patch of Pussy Toes "Antennaria" to lay eggs. Red Admirals & Eastern Commas don't appreciate Kodak Moments. Lots of Lucerne moths in the greening grass areas today!

Lucerne Moth

Lucerne Moth

American Lady

American Lady

Pasque Flower

Pasque Flower

Apr 25 2019

Amy Chamberlin

Location: Moely Prairie, Prairie du Sac
Sauk County

Saw many American Ladies and a few Red Admirals flying around the prairie today.

American Lady

American Lady

American Lady

American Lady

Apr 25 2019

Kelly Sauvage Angel

Location: Dawley Conservancy Park
Dane County

66 degrees. Sunny. Noon.

Cabbage White

Cabbage White

Spring Azure

Spring Azure

Apr 25 2019

April Stanke

Location: Brown Deer Elementary School
Milwaukee County

Apr 25 2019

April Stanke

Location: My House In Brown Deer
Milwaukee County

Apr 25 2019

Raymie Miller

Location: Appleton
Outagamie County

Apr 26 2019

Fred Dike

Location: Mill Dam Rd
Iowa County

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Spring Azure

Spring Azure

Apr 26 2019

Fern Springs

Location: North end of my property in Garden Valley
Jackson County

5pm, sunny, 50s

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Apr 26 2019

Fern Springs

Location: My property in Garden Valley
Jackson County

3PM, sunny, 55 degrees, slightly breezy.

American Lady

American Lady

Apr 26 2019

Terry Mortier

Location: Prospect park, Hudson
St. Croix County

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Apr 26 2019

Douglas Buege

Location: Along Logan Road
Oconto County

Apr 26 2019

Skye Harnsberger

Location: 3501 Hargrove St. Madison, WI
Dane County

Painted lady collecting minerals from soil at community garden.

Painted Lady

Painted Lady

Apr 28 2019

Fred Dike

Location: Lake Farm County Park-Madison
Dane County

American Lady

American Lady

Apr 28 2019

Peter Sveiks

Location: Bubolz Nature Preserve
Outagamie County

Spring Azure

Spring Azure

Apr 28 2019

D Nussbaum

Location: Buboltz Nature Preserve
Outagamie County

One nectaring on flowers high in a tree.

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Red Admiral