Butterfly sightings for May 2019

May 3 2019

Alex Harman

Location: UW-Platteville
Grant County

May 3 2019

Terry Mortier

Location: Prospect park, Hudson
St. Croix County

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Eastern Comma

Eastern Comma

Mourning Cloak

Mourning Cloak

May 3 2019

Rory Williams

Location: Czech and County N
Waushara County

May 3 2019

Mike Reese

Location: various locations along Brockway Rd.
Jackson County

My first Wisconsin butterflies of the year!! The azure was the only one of this form.

American Lady

American Lady

'Spring' Spring Azure

'Spring' Spring Azure

Hoary Elfin

Hoary Elfin

May 3 2019

Marci Lanois

Location: Lupine Loop trail at Necedah NWR
Juneau County

Olympia Marble

Olympia Marble

Brown Elfin

Brown Elfin

May 4 2019

Rory Williams

Location: Wiouwash Trail
Winnebago County

May 4 2019

Mike Reese

Location: Tie Mill Rd.
Florence County

Despite there still be some snow at four places along this gravel road, there were plenty of butterflies. My previous record for Green Commas in a day was 15 but today I had 36! I also saw two moths, The Infant (10)(Archiearis infans) and Scarce Infant (2)(Leucobrephos brephoides).

Scarce Infant (moth)

Scarce Infant (moth)

Satyr Comma

Satyr Comma

Gray Comma

Gray Comma

The Infant (moth)

The Infant (moth)

Green Comma

Green Comma

May 4 2019

Ann Thering

Location: near Tower HIll park
Iowa County

May 4 2019

Joan Rickert

Location: My yard, rural Medford
Taylor County

May 4 2019

Darleen Horman

Location: Yard in Allenton
Washington County

May 4 2019

Rich Kahl & Laurie Yahr

Location: Ledges County Park
Dodge County

May 4 2019

Marci Lanois

Location: Off N Brockway Rd in Bauer-Barrens SNA near Black River Falls
Jackson County

Hoary Elfin

Hoary Elfin

May 4 2019

Scott and Ann Swengel

Location: Barrens between Black River Falls and Millston
Jackson County

Brockway Road, Stanton Road, Hunter Haven Road, and near Hwy 54. 9.5 miles of transects in our long-term elfin monitoring sites that have produced the most sightings of each kind of elfin when they are early in their flights. 65-75 degrees F, sunny. We saw 1 unidentified elfin and 5 unidentified ladies. The Olympia Marble count is more than 90% below the average for these sites at this stage of the flight. Our seeing no Hoary Elfins when visiting all our best sites for seeing them in central Wisconsin suggests a low year for them in that area.

May 4 2019

Scott and Ann Swengel

Location: Barrens in and near Sandhill Wildlife Area
Wood County

75 degrees, sunny. 2 miles of transects in elfin long-term monitoring sites. One site inside Sandhill and 3 sites just outside Sandhill. We skipped the remaining monitoring site after finding only one butterfly during our walks--wait a week on that. The Red Admiral was along the road inside Sandhill.

May 4 2019

Tod Highsmith

Location: Cherokee Marsh North Unit
Dane County

May 4 2019

Kate Redmond

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

Sunny, about 60 degrees, light breeze. Marsh marigolds and fiddleheads. Beautiful!

Spring Azure

Spring Azure

Eastern Comma

Eastern Comma

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Mourning Cloak

Mourning Cloak

May 4 2019

Matthew Drollinger

Location: Riveredge Nature Center
Ozaukee County

Also saw a Woolly Bear caterpillar (Isabella Tiger Moth) caterpillar that I rescued from some attacking ants.

Isabella Tiger Moth caterpillar

Isabella Tiger Moth caterpillar

American Lady

American Lady

'Spring' Spring Azure

'Spring' Spring Azure

May 4 2019

Pamela Skaar

Location: Token Creek Conservancy, Big Hill and Culver Springs
Dane County

7:18-10:43 at Big Hill and 15:44-16:56 at Culver Springs while birding De Forest CE block. Swallowtail looked very fresh. One of the anglewings flew past me but didn't give me time to ID it.

May 5 2019

Jeremy Meyer

Location: Warnimont Park
Milwaukee County

May 5 2019

Fred Dike

Location: Blue Mounds St Park
Dane County

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

May 5 2019

Pam Campbell

Location: Dunnville Barrens
Dunn County

58 degrees with scattered showers. Pasque flowers are blooming.

Pasque Flower

Pasque Flower

Olympia Marble

Olympia Marble

May 5 2019

Mary Jo Sundling

Location: Along a trail by our cabin in Winter
Sawyer County

May 5 2019

Mike Reese

Location: Point Beach State Forest
Manitowoc County

I went looking for Hoary Elfins along the lake. Although they have never been found there the host plant is abundant and they are found elsewhere in this habitat. No luck today.

May 5 2019

Mike Reese

Location: Manitowoc impoundment
Manitowoc County

May 5 2019

Bob Jacobson

Location: Bloomer, at Duncan Creek just downstream of the dam
Chippewa County

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

May 5 2019

Rich Kahl & Laurie Yahr

Location: Kewaskum Maple-Oak Woods SNA
Washington County

May 5 2019

Dory Owen

Location: Hugh Iltis Prairie (Hamel's)
Marquette County

Rock cress blooming. Many marbles seen. One marble seen newly emerged still getting 'pumped up' while clinging to a pasqueflower.

Olympia Marble

Olympia Marble

Pasque Flower

Pasque Flower

May 5 2019

Mike Reese

Location: Woodland Dunes Nature Center and Preserve, end of Goodwin Rd.
Manitowoc County

May 5 2019

Fern Springs

Location: My property in Garden Valley
Jackson County

Sunny after a light rain, 4:30, 65 degrees

May 5 2019

Jeremy Meyer

Location: Lake Park
Milwaukee County

This year has been incredible for Red Admirals and American Lady's. They are everywhere, at least in Milwaukee county!

May 6 2019

Amy Chamberlin

Location: Moely Prairie
Sauk County

Never before seen on Moely Prairie. It flew up into an old cedar tree on the edge of the property.

May 6 2019

Jay Watson

Location: Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary
Brown County

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

May 6 2019

Mary Jo Sundling

Location: Along Tuscobia State Trail near Winter
Sawyer County

Red Admirals were flying over trail and sunning themselves on side of trail.

May 7 2019

Mary Jo Sundling

Location: Near our cabin in Winter
Sawyer County

Red Admiral was sunning itself in a spruce tree along our driveway. Mustard White was flying along road then landed near Bloodroot wildflower on side of road. Late afternoon, sunny and 50 degrees.

Mustard White

Mustard White

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

May 7 2019

Mike Reese

Location: Suicide Hill area, north of Wautoma
Waushara County

May 7 2019

Mike Reese

Location: Bowers Creek Fishery Area
Waushara County

May 7 2019

Fred Dike

Location: Hay Rd
Iowa County

around 5 PM

Clouded Sulphur

Clouded Sulphur

May 10 2019

Rich Kahl & Laurie Yahr

Location: McGilvra Woods SNA
Sauk County

Windy, cold, mostly cloudy - all butterflies were flushed from forest floor. Beautiful spring ephemerals display.

May 10 2019

Terry Mortier

Location: Apple river canyon state natural area T31N-R19W, Sections 21, 28.
St. Croix County

In a large open area (reclaimed gravel pit)

Eastern Tailed-Blue

Eastern Tailed-Blue

Eastern Tailed-Blue

Eastern Tailed-Blue

May 10 2019

Fred Dike

Location: Devil's Lake St Pk
Sauk County

Spring Azure

Spring Azure

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

May 10 2019

John Beaton

Location: Backyard 2356 N 55TH ST
Milwaukee County

2:45 p.m. sunny, 57 degrees F
Sighting of two Red Admirals making contact while flying about

May 10 2019

Glen Larson

Location: Simmons Island Beach House
Kenosha County

Saw a Red Admiral on the south side of the beach house building.

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

May 11 2019

Mike Reese

Location: Bay Beach Nature Preserve, Green Bay
Brown County

Seen while birding

May 11 2019

Pam Campbell

Location: Red Cedar State Trail, near Downsville
Dunn County

Mustard White

Mustard White

Mustard White

Mustard White

May 11 2019

Scott and Ann Swengel

Location: Bauer-Brockway Barrens
Jackson County

3 sites along Brockway Road and two stops along Bauer Road. 61-73 degrees F, half sun. 2.5 hours. We also saw 3 unidentified elfins.

May 11 2019

Douglas Buege

Location: Glocke Lake
Oconto County

May 12 2019

Fred Dike

Location: Ridgeway Pine Relict
Iowa County

May 12 2019

Douglas Buege

Location: Wolf Lake Bog
Oneida County

I didn't see any of the arctic butterflies.

May 13 2019

Mike Reese

Location: Brockway Rd. various locations
Jackson County

This was a scouting trip for the May 19th SWBA field trip. Over 50 of the azures were seen puddling along Brockway Rd. south of the ATV trail. 18 of the Eastern Pine Elfins were seen nectaring on blueberry sp. along a 50 yard section of trail.

Prairie Violet

Prairie Violet

Bluish Spring Moth

Bluish Spring Moth

Eastern Pine Elfin

Eastern Pine Elfin

Frosted Elfin

Frosted Elfin

Henry's Elfin

Henry's Elfin

May 13 2019

Bob Jacobson

Location: On the Deer Fly Trail in northern Chippewa County. Approximate GPS coordinates 45.186303, -91.321652
Chippewa County

On a dirt road through woods, near a sphagnum bog and slow-moving, shallow flowage.

Henry's Elfin

Henry's Elfin

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

May 13 2019

Scott Swengel

Location: Barrens and and near Mirror Lake State Park
Sauk County

4 sites inside the park and one nearby. 2 hours. 65-73 degrees F, 90% sun. 3 of the 4 sulphurs were very close to, but not in, the survey sites. All of the E. Pine Elfins were in the barrens west of Hastings Road.

May 13 2019

Dean Hansen

Location: Crex Meadows State Wildlife Area
Burnett County

Saw no butterflies along Stolte Road in Fish Lake SWA. Got to Crex Meadows SWA, saw FOY Olympia Marble just south of Crex Ridge Road. Got to north edge of Reed Lake, hiked in swale here, saw FOY "blue" in flight. Checked wet mud and saw six Silvery Blues at a time. Single Duskywing Skipper was nectaring at violet--Dreamy/Sleepy. Season is a week or more behind normal. Surprised to see no overwintering guys, and no Painted Ladies or Red Admirals.

Silvery Blue

Silvery Blue

Silvery Blue

Silvery Blue

May 13 2019

Randy Powers

Location: Delafield Township
Waukesha County

The gusty wind day, blew most of the butterfly sightings away, before one could get a good photo, let alone ID them!

May 13 2019

Tod Highsmith and Joan Braune

Location: our backyard in Madison
Dane County

May 13 2019

Marci Lanois

Location: Necedah NWR along 20th St W..
Juneau County

Also one tiger swallowtail sp.

Eastern Pine Elfin

Eastern Pine Elfin

May 13 2019

Kate Redmond

Location: Lion's Den Gorge Nature Preserve, east of Grafton
Ozaukee County

I walked the short loop from the parking lot to the lake bluff to the kiosk. Nice warblers, too.

Question Mark

Question Mark

May 13 2019

Peter Sveiks

Location: Lions Park in the Town of Greenville
Outagamie County

Besides the butterfly also saw many spring wildflowers: White and Yellow Trout Lily, Violets, Bloodroot, Trillium, Spring Beauty, and Anemones.

Yellow Trout Lily

Yellow Trout Lily

Anemone sp.

Anemone sp.

American Lady

American Lady

American Lady

American Lady

May 14 2019

Randy Powers

Location: Township of Somers
Kenosha County

Mixed clouds and open sky, gusty winds, by noon reaching 64 degrees. Lots of butterflies out today on a privately owned prairie remnant

Clouded Sulphur

Clouded Sulphur

Clouded Sulphur

Clouded Sulphur

American Lady

American Lady

May 14 2019

Sylvia Edlebeck, Joan Vennie

Location: Blue Mound State Park
Dane County

What a nice afternoon with the butterflies. The Eastern tiger swallowtail was especially entertaining, flying very fast and covering lots of territory. Also enjoyable to see a red-headed woodpecker, a bird I don't see very often.

'Spring' Spring Azure

'Spring' Spring Azure

Red-headed Woodpecker

Red-headed Woodpecker

Mourning Cloak

Mourning Cloak

Mourning Cloak

Mourning Cloak

Gray Comma

Gray Comma

Gray Comma

Gray Comma

May 14 2019

Bob Leary

Location: my back yard in Oshkosh
Winnebago County

Monarch on a cherry tree!

May 14 2019

Paul Doxsee

Location: Hull
Portage County

'Spring' Spring Azure

'Spring' Spring Azure

May 15 2019

Amy Chamberlin

Location: Moely Prairie, Prairie du Sac
Sauk County

I saw two Monarch butterflies flying about Moely Prairie this morning while out doing restoration work!

Monarch

Monarch

May 15 2019

Mary Jo Sundling

Location: Flying through my backyard in Stoughton
Dane County

May 15 2019

Bob Jacobson

Location: At various locations along the Hay Meadow Flowage Trail, between 225th Street on the south and the Deer Fly Trail
Chippewa County

Several Spring Azures at multiple locations. Red Admirals at multiple locations. Mourning Cloak at Hay Meadow #3 horse park and marsh south of first earthen dam north of 225th Street.

Mourning Cloak

Mourning Cloak

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

'Spring' Spring Azure

'Spring' Spring Azure

★ = New county photo record

May 15 2019

Katie Hahn

Location: Hogback SNA
Crawford County

2 Monarchs

May 15 2019

Pamela Skaar

Location: Waterloo Bridge, Marshall CE birding block
Dane County

74 F, calm, 10:10 - 10:59 while birding the location (probably, many butterflies and skippers were missed)

May 15 2019

Mike Reese

Location: Mariners Trail, Two Rivers/Manitowoc
Manitowoc County

along 1.5 miles of the trail

May 15 2019

Marci Lanois

Location: Off of N Brockway Road at Brockway-Bauer Barrens SNA
Jackson County

Brown Elfin

Brown Elfin

May 15 2019

Dean Hansen

Location: Crex Meadows SWA, Namekagon Barrens
Burnett County

12th annual Crex to the Barrens butterfly trek with 8 participants. Started on Crex, saw a single Olympia near Crex Ridge Road. Saw 3 more Olympias, two Spring Azures and three Silvery Blues at north end of Reed Lake. One Pine Elfin was on Springbrook Trail. A two-rut "road" to the east of Dry Landing Road just north of Clemens Creek on the Barrens yielded over 30 Hoary Elfins. Another ten were seen near bearberry on Gomulak Fire Lane. A few skittish Duskywing Skippers were seen at each site visited, but most refused to land for long and were hard to ID. Say fifteen undetermined Erynnis.

Dreamy Duskywing

Dreamy Duskywing

Hoary Elfin

Hoary Elfin

May 15 2019

Karl and Dorothy Legler

Location: Town of Avoca.
Iowa County

May 15 2019

Karl and Dorothy Legler

Location: Along Hwy 14, west of the Lone Rock Unit of Lower Wis Riverway.
Richland County

Photo by Dorothy. Appears to be laying egg.

Silvery Blue

Silvery Blue

May 15 2019

Karl and Dorothy Legler

Location: near Spring Green Preserve
Sauk County

At a wet spot along road.

May 15 2019

Karl and Dorothy Legler

Location: Wrightman Road in Lower WI Riverway.
Grant County

There was plenty of Rock Cress but did not find any Olympia Marbles.

American Lady

American Lady

American Copper

American Copper

May 16 2019

Pamela Hoyland

Location: Colfax, gravel pit, hwy 170
Dunn County

American Lady

American Lady

Olympia Marble

Olympia Marble

May 16 2019

Bob Jacobson

Location: Jim Falls, between Old Abe Lake and the Chippewa River, upstream of the power plant.
Chippewa County

Midday, sunny, 70s.

Eastern Pine Elfin

Eastern Pine Elfin

May 17 2019

Scott and Ann Swengel

Location: Nicolet NF bogs and other bogs
Forest County

Six bogs, including 4 in the Nicolet National Forest. These three National Forest Bogs are described in the butterfly watching guide "Butterflies to Log, in and near Northern Wisconsin's Bogs" by Ann Swengel that is posted athttps://www.naba.org/chapters/nabawba/watching.html : North of Wolf Lake (Forest Road 2182), FR 2182 midway between FR 2176 and FR 2414, and northwest of the FR 2182/2414 junction. We also surveyed a bog west of FR 2414 one mile north of FR 2183, and two other bogs. The Red-disked Alpine and one of the Freijas was on the bog north of Wolf Lake most easily reached by using the snowmobile trail north of Wolf Lake. It was early in the Red-disked Alpine flight, but we think that species and Freija Fritillaries will have below-average abundance this year.

☆ = New county sighting record

May 17 2019

Terry Mortier

Location: Homestead Parklands (Co. park)
St. Croix County

Along the shoreline of Perch Lake. A sunny windy day.

'Spring' Spring Azure

'Spring' Spring Azure

'Spring' Spring Azure

'Spring' Spring Azure

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

May 17 2019

Scott and Ann Swengel

Location: Parkway Road barrens along marinette County I
Marinette County

This area is described in the online butterfly watching guide "Butterflies to Log, in and near Northern Wisconsin's Bogs" by Ann Swengel that is posted at https://www.naba.org/chapters/nabawba/watching.html The weather was cool and windy.

May 17 2019

Scott and Ann Swengel

Location: Dunbar Barrens
Marinette County

Cool and windy. Includes sightings from both the county forest part of Dunbar Barrens (further south along same access road) and the State Natural Area part.

May 18 2019

Mike Reese

Location: Ridgeway, private land
Iowa County

May 20 2019

Pam Campbell

Location: Iron Creek/690th St.
Dunn County

My first Monarch of 2019!

Monarch

Monarch

May 20 2019

Scott Swengel

Location: Hwy 54 bog
Jackson County

54-59 degrees F, mostly sunny

May 20 2019

Scott Swengel

Location: Barrens between Black River Falls and Millston
Jackson County

Long-term elfin monitoring sites + a few sites I chose mainly to try for Cobweb Skippers. Areas covered were an eight-mile walking circuit west of Hunter Haven Road, and six total miles of surveying at 2 areas near Bauer Road, 2 other areas near Brockway Road, and 2 areas adjacent to Stanton Creek Road. I saw at least 10 unidentified duskywings.

May 20 2019

Bob Jacobson

Location: Hay Meadow 2 Horse Park, along Hay Meadow Flowage Trail in northern Chippewa County
Chippewa County

Sunny, upper 50s

American Lady

American Lady

May 20 2019

Bob Jacobson

Location: Deer Fly Trail, northern Chippewa County
Chippewa County

On dirt road near sphagnum bog. Sunny, upper 50s.

Henry's Elfin

Henry's Elfin

May 21 2019

David Wittrock

Location: Statenaker Lake, Lac du Flambeau
Vilas County

Mourning Cloak

Mourning Cloak

May 22 2019

Rory Williams

Location: Wiouwash Trail - Larsen Prairie
Winnebago County

First two Monarchs of the season for me. Both were flying at a high rate of speed going due north.

May 22 2019

Peter Thornquist

Location: Good Hope Island, Milwaukee River
Milwaukee County

American Lady

American Lady

May 22 2019

April Stanke

Location: My house in Brown Deer
Milwaukee County

May 22 2019

Alex Harman

Location: Spring Green SNA
Sauk County

One good-sized dark skipper...looked more like dusted than a duskywing, but only seen briefly.

May 22 2019

Randy Powers

Location: Lisbon Township
Waukesha County

Walk out into the back yard about 3Pm at a distance I see a large butterfly, fluttering around the blooming dandelions, its flight pattern makes me think that it is a Monarch. After walking toward it I get close enough, YES it my first of the year, but my camera is in the house, by the time I return it is gone!

May 22 2019

Kathi Dwelle

Location: Our yard in Shorewood Hills
Dane County

Red admiral spotted late morning on the ground.
Monarch spotted around 7:20pm, landing briefly on my late pink tulips!

May 22 2019

Shelley Hamel

Location: Westfield WI
Marquette County

On gravel near bog.

Eastern Pine Elfin

Eastern Pine Elfin

May 22 2019

Dave Hogg

Location: 301 S. Century Ave., Waunakee
Dane County

Monarch flew by the Waunakee Farmers Market, struggling to fight the wind!

May 22 2019

Darleen Horman

Location: West Bend, Rolfs Ave
Washington County

May 22 2019

Shelley Hamel

Location: Springfield Township
Marquette County

On damp sand under a deck.

Juvenal's Duskywing

Juvenal's Duskywing

May 22 2019

Tim Christianson

Location: Sheridan Park, Cudahy WI
Milwaukee County

May 22 2019

Jeremy Meyer

Location: Lake Park
Milwaukee County

Must have been a fresh hatch of American Lady, because they were everywhere, with real bold colors! Red Admiral was abundant too, but they have been since the beginning of May. The shear number of butterflies this month, between those two, has been outstanding!

May 22 2019

Fred Dike

Location: Browntown/Cadiz Springs rec area
Green County

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

May 23 2019

Rich Kahl & Laurie Yahr

Location: Rettenmund Prairie SNA
Dane County

May 23 2019

Amy Chamberlin

Location: Moely Prairie
Sauk County

Saw just a few butterflies on the prairie today as it was pretty windy. The Monarch we observed was busy ovipositing on our common milkweed so that was exciting to see.

Clouded Sulphur

Clouded Sulphur

May 23 2019

Rich Kahl & Laurie Yahr

Location: Mazo Oak Barrens SNA
Dane County

Drove W. Madison to Rettenmund to Arena Pines and Sand Barrens SNA to Mazo Oak Barrens back to Madison. Saw many unidentified Red Admiral/American Lady type butterflies enroute and at Mazo.

May 23 2019

Mike Reese

Location: SWBA Field Trip - various stops off Brockway Rd.
Jackson County

Mostly cloudy with temperatures in the 60s. Because of the cool weather a couple of Olympia Marbles were very photogenic and allowed us to take many, many photos. One Red Admiral hitched a ride for about 100 yards along the trail.

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Olympia Marble

Olympia Marble

newer ant colony

newer ant colony

May 23 2019

Joan Braune

Location: Madison east side neighborhood
Dane County

May 23 2019

Ann Thering

Location: Tower Hill area
Iowa County

May 23 2019

Pamela Skaar

Location: 2601 Agriculture Drive, Madison, WI
Dane County

11:40, sunny 71 F. The monarch was struggling northward, coping with gusty NW wind 10 to 25 mph. FOY for me

May 23 2019

Kristin Gjerdset

Location: Scuppernong Trail
Waukesha County

Juvenal's Duskywing

Juvenal's Duskywing

Juvenal's Duskywing

Juvenal's Duskywing

May 23 2019

Kelly Sauvage Angel

Location: Blue Mounds State Park
Iowa County

70 degrees in the late afternoon. The Spring Azure chose to alight only on my finger or my boot. (The picture on my finger is courtesy of Angel Angel III.) In addition to the sightings noted here, we believe we spotted two commas of some type as well as six monarchs. They were very active today. Precise identification was difficult.

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Spring Azure

Spring Azure

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

May 24 2019

Stacy Baumeister

Location: Madison
Dane County

In garden at home.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

May 25 2019

Rory Williams

Location: Czech and County N
Waushara County

First Harvester that I have ever seen. Also saw a Gray Rat Snake that was well out of its normal range

Orange Sulphur

Orange Sulphur

Harvester

Harvester

Juvenal's Duskywing

Juvenal's Duskywing

May 25 2019

Peter Sveiks

Location: Town of Grand Chute
Outagamie County

FOY Monarch in my yard today apparently found my foot tall Poke Milkweed and laid some eggs on one stem.

Monarch eggs

Monarch eggs

May 25 2019

D Nussbaum

Location: Marion Cemetery
Waushara County

American Lady

American Lady

May 25 2019

Lester Doyle

Location: Wildenberg Sand Prairie (Lodi Town Park)
Columbia County

about 10 am - sunny

American Copper

American Copper

Monarch

Monarch

May 25 2019

Lester Doyle

Location: Rocky Run SNA area - Morse Road
Columbia County

Mid-day...mostly sunny, low 80's

May 25 2019

D Nussbaum

Location: Ice Age Trail- Woodland Dunes
Manitowoc County

American Lady

American Lady

May 25 2019

Rory Williams

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

4 Checkerspots in the parking lot. Only two in the field with all the flowers

Gorgone Checkerspot

Gorgone Checkerspot

May 25 2019

Lester Doyle

Location: Rocky Run SNA area - Morse Road
Columbia County

Mid-day...mostly sunny, low 80's...also found a "Spotless" Six-spotted Tiger Beetle.

Six-spotted Tiger Beetle

Six-spotted Tiger Beetle

Painted Lady

Painted Lady

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Olympia Marble

Olympia Marble

May 25 2019

Todd Sima

Location: LWR west if Muscada
Grant County

May 25 2019

Randy Powers

Location: Chequamegon/Nicolet Gates Lake Road
Price County

74 degrees, gusty winds take butterflies away when flushed, sunny mixed with passing clouds. Twenty Six identifiable sightings, most with photos. Also photographed five Blush Spring Moths!

Brown Elfin

Brown Elfin

American Lady

American Lady

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Monarch

Monarch

Bluish Spring Moth

Bluish Spring Moth

Bluish Spring Moth

Bluish Spring Moth

'Spring' Spring Azure

'Spring' Spring Azure

Harvester

Harvester

May 25 2019

Mike Reese, Nancy Nabak

Location: River Prairie Center trail, Altoona
Eau Claire County

Nancy spotted the first WI Orange Sulphur of the year.

May 25 2019

David Wittrock

Location: Tri Lake Road, Lac du Flambeau
Vilas County

Walking along a path next to Tri Lake Road, saw butterfly land and was able to locate and get a picture.

American Lady

American Lady

May 25 2019

Pamela Skaar

Location: Yahara River west of Williamson, Madison
Dane County

78 F, SW wind 22 mph with higher gusts. incidental while dog walking and birding

May 25 2019

April Stanke

Location: My yard in Brown Deer
Milwaukee County

May 25 2019

Darleen Horman

Location: Yard in Allenton
Washington County

1 Red Admiral and 1 Monarch were depositing eggs

Monarch egg

Monarch egg

May 25 2019

Rich Kahl & Laurie Yahr

Location: Harwood Lakes Segment, IAT
Chippewa County

Henry's Elfin probably laying eggs on American Hazlenut leaves (Corylus americana) where it frequently returned after our harrassment trying to photo it. [This is an interesting observation. I never heard of this species using Corylus as a host plant and I looked through a number of books and couldn't find any that listed this species. Time for more research! MR]

Juvenal's Duskywing

Juvenal's Duskywing

Henry's Elfin

Henry's Elfin

May 25 2019

Mary Jo Sundling

Location: Near our cabin in Winter
Sawyer County

Beautiful sunny morning. 'Spring' Spring Azure butterflies were on decomposed scat near the driveway. Mustard White butterflies were flying throughout the yard. Spotted first Monarch of the season too.

'Spring' Spring Azure

'Spring' Spring Azure

'Spring' Spring Azure

'Spring' Spring Azure

★ = New county photo record

May 25 2019

Scott and Ann Swengel

Location: 9 Bogs in Riley lake Area
Price County

These Chequamegon National Forest Bogs are described in the butterfly watching guide "Butterflies to Log, in and near Northern Wisconsin's Bogs" by Ann Swengel that is posted at https://www.naba.org/chapters/nabawba/watching.html Forest Road 137 was closed so we had to walk more than 4 extra miles to reach the 4th and 5th bogs on this road on both sides at 2.3 miles south of Hwy 70. Also surveyed two bogs on FR 505, one bog on FR 136, and one bog on State Highway 70. This count includes butterflies in our 4 long-term bog roadside survey units along Forest 137 and other butterflies while we walked that road. All Red-disked Alpines, Jutta Arctics, and Frigga Fritillaries were out on bogs. Nine of the 11 Freijas were out on bogs (2 Freijas seen on FR 137). Fifteen of the Red-disked Alpines were 0.25-0.5 miles south of Forest Road 136 in the openest part of that bog.

May 25 2019

Fred Dike

Location: Schoenberg Marsh
Columbia County

75, partly cloudy, breezy. Also a white-form, female sulphur.

Clouded/Orange Sulphur

Clouded/Orange Sulphur

May 25 2019

Justin Nooker

Location: Rush Creek SNA
Crawford County

Observed while surveying for Packera plattensis.

Dusted Skipper

Dusted Skipper

Gorgone Checkerspot

Gorgone Checkerspot

Gorgone Checkerspot

Gorgone Checkerspot

★ = New county photo record

May 26 2019

Dale Bonk

Location: Bauer-Brockway Barrens
Jackson County

Very calm; partly cloudy/mostly sunny; lower 60s.

Eastern Pine Elfin

Eastern Pine Elfin

Hoary Elfin

Hoary Elfin

Juvenal's Duskywing

Juvenal's Duskywing

Olympia Marble

Olympia Marble

Eastern Pine Elfin

Eastern Pine Elfin

May 26 2019

Kristin Gjerdset

Location: Shady Acres Perennial Nursery
Waukesha County

Gray Hairstreak

Gray Hairstreak

May 26 2019

Scott and Ann Swengel

Location: 9 Bogs near Amnicon lake
Douglas County

Most of these bogs are described in the butterfly watching guide "The Fascinating Butterflies of Northwestern Wisconsin Bogs" by Ann Swengel that is posted at https://www.naba.org/chapters/nabawba/watching.html Freijas Fritllary and Red-disked Alpine counts were low at most sites. Twenty of the Freijas and 2 alpines were on a bog south of Miclchesky Road that we accessed about 2 miles (article says 1.75 miles but we now enter further west) west of County Hwy A at a landing. This bog is hard to get to through the forest and brambles, and the best Red-disked Alpine area is 0.2+ miles southeast of where we step on the bog. Jutta Arctics will probably begin to be findable on the first sunny day after this.
We saw 1 unidentified white

May 26 2019

Kristin Gjerdset

Location: Greenfield Park bike trail
Milwaukee County

May 26 2019

Terry Mortier

Location: W9216 Carlton Rd. Evergreen township private property
Washburn County

Sunny afternoon. Resting on tall grass.

Eastern Pine Elfin

Eastern Pine Elfin

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

May 26 2019

Alex Harman

Location: Riley Lake area
Price County

Holy Red-disked Alpines! About 3/4 of individuals seen were puddling along the roads. Also found Cicindela limbalis, longilabris, purpurea, formosa, tranquebarica, and scutellaris. Two unidentified yellow Colias, 1 white, and 1 possible Polygonia also seen.

Boreal Long-lipped Tiger Beetle

Boreal Long-lipped Tiger Beetle

Dreamy Duskywing

Dreamy Duskywing

Red-disked Alpine

Red-disked Alpine

Brown Elfin

Brown Elfin

May 26 2019

Pat Malcolm

Location: Madison
Dane County

Spotted a Painted Lady as I was weeding the flower bed next to my apartment. She perched on the brickwork and seemed to watch me at my labors.

May 26 2019

David Wittrock

Location: Lac du Flambeau
Vilas County

3.5 mile walk along the shore of Statenaker Lake. Elfin was seen in a freshly logged area.

May 26 2019

Mike Reese, Nancy Nabak

Location: Fallen Timbers Environmental Center, Black Creek
Outagamie County

3:30-5:00pm Lots of mosquitoes!!!

May 26 2019

Darleen Horman

Location: Yard in Allenton
Washington County

May 26 2019

Bob Jacobson

Location: Hay Meadow Flowage Trail (north of 225th Ave in northern Chippewa County)
Chippewa County

Sparse butterfly activity. One Juvenal's Duskywing, one Painted Lady, a few Spring Azures and a handful of unidentified species. Mostly sunny, low 70s, moderate breeze.

'Spring' Spring Azure

'Spring' Spring Azure

Painted Lady

Painted Lady

Painted Lady

Painted Lady

Juvenal's Duskywing

Juvenal's Duskywing

May 26 2019

Rich Kahl & Laurie Yahr

Location: Bay off Holcombe Flowage separated by W. Lakeshore Dr., about 1 mi NW of Holcombe
Chippewa County

Monarchs were drifting N across lake. Harvester, Azure, and Duskywing enjoying recycled fish nutrients from most likely an otter - mostly fish scales and bones, some crayfish carapace.

Juvenal's Duskywing

Juvenal's Duskywing

Harvester

Harvester

May 26 2019

Scott and Ann Swengel

Location: Barrens north of Ino
Bayfield County

Two patches along Forest Road 236. Although the sky was generally clear in the region, here a giant smoke cloud blocked the sun 95% of the time. Because butterflies were only active here when the sun emerged, we couldn't complete our other surveys along FR 236.

May 26 2019

Dean Hansen

Location: Crex Meadows SWA and Namekagon Barrens SWA
Burnett County

Four species, and sixteen individuals, of blues were on a beaver/muskrat deposit at the north end of Reed Lake in Crex. Flighty, undetermined small Erynnis were out in numbers at damp road sand. Saw no Mottled or Persius Dusky Wings. FOY Gorgone Checkerspot and Monarch seen on Crex.

Silvery Blue

Silvery Blue

Henry's Elfin

Henry's Elfin

Olympia Marble

Olympia Marble

Hoary Elfin

Hoary Elfin

Spring Azure

Spring Azure

Dreamy Duskywing

Dreamy Duskywing

Spring Azure

Spring Azure

four species of blues on dung!

four species of blues on dung!

Common Roadside-Skipper

Common Roadside-Skipper

more blues on dung

more blues on dung

May 26 2019

Scott and Ann Swengel

Location: Barrens south of Brule
Douglas County

4 patches. 0.9 walking miles. 64-70 degrees F, sunny. We saw 50 unidentified elfins.

May 26 2019

Scott and Ann Swengel

Location: Douglas County Widllife Area barrens
Douglas County

4 patches. 1.1 walking miles. Mostly sunny, 75-80 degrees F. We saw 8 unidentified elfins and 1 unidentified duskywing.

May 26 2019

Randy Powers

Location: Chequamegon-Nickolet Forest
Price County

Gates Lake Road just south of Riley Lake Road intersection, a boggy area. Temperature still dropping 65 degrees, clouds break up again for forty five minutes. Some butterflies & day moths appear in great numbers, but then disappear as quickly as they shared a presence. A somewhat eerie experience!

Brown Elfin

Brown Elfin

Brown Elfin

Brown Elfin

Black-banded Orange

Black-banded Orange

Red-disked Alpine

Red-disked Alpine

Black-banded Orange

Black-banded Orange

'Spring' Spring Azure

'Spring' Spring Azure

May 26 2019

Randy Powers

Location: Chequamegon - Nicolet Forest
Price County

Spruce Road off County Trunk H. Mostly Sunny, 72 degrees, few cloud and gusty winds. Five butterfly species and one day moth!
The Blush Spring Moth

'Spring' Spring Azure

'Spring' Spring Azure

'Spring' Spring Azure

'Spring' Spring Azure

Brown Elfin

Brown Elfin

Bluish Spring Moth

Bluish Spring Moth

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Brown Elfin

Brown Elfin

May 26 2019

Kathi Dwelle

Location: Shorewood Hills
Dane County

2 Monarchs dancing in Post Farm Park 4pm
1 American Lady dining on creeping Charlie in a pathway.

May 26 2019

Randy Powers

Location: Chequamegon-Nickolet Forest
Price County

A small bog area just west of Poplar Creek Road on Gates Lake Road, 2:30 Pm Temperature had dropped to 68 degrees because of clouding over, few sun openings in sky, gusty winds. Two day moths Bluish Spring Moth & Black-banded Orange.

Black-banded Orange

Black-banded Orange

Black-banded Orange

Black-banded Orange

Red-disked Alpine

Red-disked Alpine

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

American Lady

American Lady

'Spring' Spring Azure

'Spring' Spring Azure

Brown Elfin

Brown Elfin

Brown Elfin

Brown Elfin

May 26 2019

Fred Dike

Location: cty hwy B west of Dodgeville
Iowa County

Pearl Crescent

Pearl Crescent

May 27 2019

Lester Doyle

Location: Rocky Run SNA
Columbia County

Cloudy, Cool..high-50s, 10 am...trip ended with heavy rain.

May 28 2019

Rose Tiegs

Location: Oneida home
Outagamie County

1 six spotted tiger beetle eating ants

May 28 2019

Alex Harman

Location: Gravel roads north of Clam Lake
Ashland County

Looking for Polygonia (specifically Green and Satyr Commas), none seen. 1 each of Cicindela limbalis and purpurea. About a dozen unidentified duskywings.

May 28 2019

Stan Rehm

Location: Fitchburg residential butterfly garden
Dane County

Our first BST eclosed this morning, just slightly later than the average of three previous years.

Black Swallowtail

Black Swallowtail

May 28 2019

Alex Harman

Location: Moquah Barrens area
Bayfield County

Our target was Chryxus, which was not found. Also 1 each of Cicindela sexguttata and longilabris. Probably additional duskywings as well.

May 29 2019

Mike Reese

Location: Two Rivers
Manitowoc County

May 29 2019

Alex Harman

Location: Riley Lake Road area
Price County

All four bog species (frigga, frieja, jutta, and red-disked) were found north of the State Natural Area along Gates Lake Rd.

May 29 2019

Rich Kahl & Laurie Yahr

Location: Grady/West Knoll, UW Arb
Dane County

Juvenal's Duskywing

Juvenal's Duskywing

May 29 2019

Joan Vennie

Location: Badger Prairie, Verona
Dane County

Surprised that I caught a picture of a butterfly laying eggs on a white clover.

American Lady

American Lady

Gray Hairstreak

Gray Hairstreak

May 29 2019

Paul Doxsee

Location: Hull
Portage County

Eastern Tailed-Blue

Eastern Tailed-Blue

May 30 2019

Scott Swengel

Location: Five barrens in and near Mirror Lake State Park
Sauk County

3+ miles walking. One of the Dusted Skipper sites is a new place for me to see this species.

May 30 2019

Joan Rickert

Location: My yard, rural Medford
Taylor County

FOY Monarch

May 30 2019

Michael Nied

Location: North of La Crosse Landfill south of bike trail
La Crosse County

American Lady

American Lady

May 30 2019

Rich Kahl & Laurie Yahr

Location: Hauser Rd. Prairie, TPE property
Dane County

Most Monarchs and American Lady's laying eggs on common milkweeds and pussytoes, respectively. No decent photos of butterflies but too many of hillsides of shooting stars!

Shooting Star

Shooting Star

May 30 2019

Kyle Johnson

Location: Coon Fork Barrens
Eau Claire County

A very nice barrens site with good diversity. Just a tad too early for Dusted Skippers, which should be there.

☆ = New county sighting record

May 30 2019

Alex Harman

Location: Glocke Lake area
Oconto County

Looking for Jutta, no Boloria out.

May 30 2019

Alex Harman

Location: Road to Ada Lake
Forest County

May 30 2019

Kyle Johnson

Location: Lower Chippewa River Prairie & Savanna
Pepin County

One very fresh male Dusted Skipper, at the extreme early edge of the flight period here.

☆ = New county sighting record

May 30 2019

Amy Chamberlin

Location: Moely Prairie, Prairie du Sac
Sauk County

These were 4 separate and different monarch butterflies that I saw on the prairie today. They are all very busy laying eggs all over the milkweed that is present.

May 30 2019

Mike Reese

Location: Point Beach State Forest
Manitowoc County

I was looking mainly for Hoary Elfins in the abundant Bearberry which was at peak bloom. I found none, but was happy to see an Olympia Marble, the first in the eastern third of Wisconsin in the last 20 years.

Goldthread

Goldthread

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

American Lady

American Lady

Olympia Marble

Olympia Marble

Fringed Milkwort

Fringed Milkwort

Bearberry

Bearberry

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

May 30 2019

Alex Harman

Location: Crivitz area
Marinette County

Seen while driving, FOY canadensis

May 30 2019

Stan Rehm

Location: Fitchburg residential butterfly garden
Dane County

Young healthy Monarch obviously excited to find our milkweeds. First eggs of the year for us. About 1-2 weeks behind schedule compared to recent years.

Monarch

Monarch

May 31 2019

Fred Dike

Location: Lower WI Riverway
Richland County

Hobomok Skipper

Hobomok Skipper

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Pepper and Salt Skipper

Pepper and Salt Skipper

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

May 31 2019

Fred Dike

Location: Moody Rd
Iowa County

Clouded Sulphur

Clouded Sulphur

Clouded Sulphur

Clouded Sulphur

May 31 2019

Mary Jo Sundling

Location: My backyard garden in Stoughton
Dane County

Sunny warm afternoon with a mild breeze. Watched a Monarch visit several of the young milkweed plants that are just coming up in my garden.

May 31 2019

Kyle Johnson

Location: Lower Chippewa River Prairie & Savanna
Pepin County

Very hot with limited butterfly activity.

☆ = New county sighting record

May 31 2019

Rory Williams

Location: Boulder Junction
Vilas County

Spring Azure

Spring Azure

Eastern Pine Elfin

Eastern Pine Elfin

May 31 2019

Paul Doxsee

Location: Little Plover River
Portage County

On Lupine

Juvenal's Duskywing

Juvenal's Duskywing

Juvenal's Duskywing

Juvenal's Duskywing

May 31 2019

Roger Zimmermann

Location: Mission Lake Road, Town of Elderon
Marathon County

Juvenal's Duskywing

Juvenal's Duskywing

Juvenal's Duskywing

Juvenal's Duskywing

May 31 2019

Douglas Buege

Location: Wolf Lake Bog
Oneida County

Red-disked Alpines made me chase them through the bog. I could only get photos from a distance. temp in the high 80s F.

Red-disked Alpine

Red-disked Alpine

★ = New county photo record

May 31 2019

Douglas Buege

Location: Around Riley Lake Area
Price County

I found no reason for the road to be closed.

May 31 2019

Fred Dike

Location: Cty Hwy B
Iowa County

roadside

May 31 2019

Karl and Dorothy Legler

Location: White Marsh
Green Lake County

Got up to 87 degrees. Limited nectar sources.

Juvenal's Duskywing

Juvenal's Duskywing

Six-spotted Tiger Beetle

Six-spotted Tiger Beetle

May 31 2019

Karl and Dorothy Legler

Location: Germania Marsh State Wildlife Area
Marquette County

May 31 2019

Scott and Ann Swengel

Location: Barrens between Millston and Black River Falls
Jackson County

We walked about 16 miles each. We saw Frosted Elfins in 16 units, including 13 where these were our first 2019 sightings. Two other units topped their highest previous 2019 Frosted Elfin count. We searched for Frosted Elfins in the Belle Mound area and near Bauer, Brockway, Castle Mound, Hunter Haven and Stanton Creek Roads. Phlox flowers were too far pre-peak for us to find Phlox Moths. We saw at least 103 unidentified duskywings and dark spreadwing skippers.

May 31 2019

Kyle Johnson

Location: Dunnville Barrens & vicinity
Dunn County

Gorgone checkerspots are having a good year here - mostly fresh males observed. Single fresh male Dusted Skipper, still extremely early in the flight period.

☆ = New county sighting record

May 31 2019

Amy Chamberlin

Location: Moely Prairie, Prairie du Sac
Sauk County

I was only able to capture a few in photos, but saw a wide variety on the prairie today.

Silver-spotted Skipper

Silver-spotted Skipper

Pearl Crescent

Pearl Crescent

May 31 2019

Daniel Jackson

Location: Timberwood Lane, Holmen
La Crosse County

May 31 2019

Mike Reese

Location: Forest Beach Migratory Preserve
Ozaukee County