Butterfly sightings for April 2023

Although I went out to look for butterflies today I have to give my husband, Bill, the credit for seeing the first butterfly of the season.

Sunny and windy around 4:30 p.m. and a warm 59 degrees.

I got a very nice look at the first of 2.

2 Red Admirals, one in Locust Ravine and one near Children's Playground. About 47F, sunny, around 2:30 pm.

I've been checking out this area for the last 10 days in hopes of seeing a Mourning Cloak, as I often see them here, but no luck till today. Watched one flying in a wooded area right off the trail. I then saw two butterflies in the same area circling each other. One landed to sun itself, an Eastern Comma. Then the other landed, a Red Admiral. First butterflies I sighted this year! Also watched a group of about 20 pelicans riding the wind currants high above the trail. Windy, sunny, 52 degree afternoon.

Also saw 3 Common Green Darner Dragonflies.

Let the season begin!

Sunny, 40F, strong breezes

Kept going outside to circle to see what I might find and was rewarded every time with a flutter to follow. The sunny spots out of the wind covered with dried leaves were prime territory today! The Nettles are up 3-5 inches and the Pussy Toes are ready to support eggs so let's butterfly! Sunny, windy between 2:30 and 5:30 p.m. around 57 degrees.

Our first butterfly sightings of the year!

First sightings of the year! Sunny, East Wind 7 mph, 52 degrees, late afternoon. Spotted the first Mourning Cloak along my MFL walking path. It wasn't interested in having its picture taken. The second one (pictured) was enjoying a warm spot in the leaf litter on the opposite side of the 40.

Butterflies more active today. Also saw and heard more song birds along the trail, plus two Sandhill cranes flying over head, and several Bufflehead ducks swimming in a pond near the trail. Breezy, sunny, 52 degree afternoon.

My first butterflies of the season!

First butterfly of the year!

Sunny afternoon, low 60s with a very slight breeze

Feeding on sap from the silver maple

sunny afternoon, low 60s with a very slight breeze

This Red Admiral was lazing in the sun on gray siding.

Checking out my Crocus around 4 and was very surprised to see the Common Checkered Skipper. I frequently see various bees and flies visiting the Crocus, but never a butterfly. I was thrilled at this first for me.
Sunny, some wind, between 2 - 4 p.m. with 65 degree temps.

Sunny, breezy, temp in the low 60's. My first sighting for 2023. Could not get a picture.

Flew overhead then landed on the house and sunned itself for a few minutes

Foy butterfly

Hepatica in bloom!

Beautiful weather, sunny in the mid 60sF, light SW breeze. First butterfly of the year in WI!

Saw two butterflies: I was close enough to the Mourning Cloak to ID it. Not sure what the other one was, because it flew off.

Also saw The Infant (Archiearis infans) a moth. Our first butterfly of the year!

Gorgeous weather, 68F sunny, 10-15mph SW.

All of the brushfoots were feeding on sap from holes drilled by Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.

Sunny, 75 degrees, southwest wind 10 mph. Found the Eastern Commas and Mourning Cloaks in a stand of old pines. Counted as many as 4 Eastern Commas at one time chasing each other.

sunny, 70s, 16:30

Reliably appears in the same spot where the garden abuts the woods. This fellow must be 10-12 years old by now.

Out in my backyard and saw this Red Admiral land on the windowsill.

Mid Afternoon, Sunny, Low 70's. Also saw has a few Festive Tiger Beetles.

One of the Eastern Commas flew by me, the other landed on the trail. Along the trail I also watched three pelicans swimming in the river then take off, two ospreys at their nest, and several turtles sunning themselves on an old log. Beautiful sunny 72 degree afternoon.

It was hanging out on the back of my garage where the sun was hitting. It was around 6 pm.

all three individuals were on the same sugar maple tree feeding from sapsucker holes.

72 degrees and sunny

I went walking along the trail hoping to see my first Cabbage Whites, but I only saw one.

77 degrees and windy. All gravel roads are driveable finally.

The Bog was so wet it was more like a marsh. Saw a few other brushfoots that went by too quickly to identify, but nothing unusual.

She was busy laying eggs. Pasque flower and Bloodroot blooming today.

Glenwood City wastewater ponds.

Compton Tortoiseshells have been active all week in various locations. Was a little surprised to see an American Lady had already blown up here. C. Green Darners and Variegated Meadowhawks as well.

In woodlands in southern section.

I saw my first Mourning Cloak, my first Pasque Flowers and Bloodroot of the year.

2 individuals were stuck inside an unheated garage. I released them outside on an unusually warm spring day.

76F, sunny breezy 15-20mph gusts higher out of SW.

Also 2 unidentified commas

Also 3 unidentified commas

Spotted the Cabbage White flying through my yard. Breezy, sunny, 82 degree afternoon.

Mid-eighties, very windy,

Flying high around large oak trees about 11 AM

One landed on a log during golden hour, only to start chasing a second Red Admiral who fluttered into the area.

While out doing restoration work on remnant Moely Prairie, I watched this American Lady ovipositing on Pussytoes buds. My first butterfly sighting of the year! As soon as I noted the American Lady, a Clouded Sulphur flew by me! Another first of the year for us but no photo unfortunately.

Red Admiral visiting Siberian squill

Sunny, warm, 70-80 degrees.

There were probably more, but I saw at least five Red Admirals at one time. They seem to like to nectar at the Pachysandra blooms this time of year. Warm day, high around 80F.

The Grady Tract was post-prescribed-burn, pre-nectar-sources.

Sunny, 82 degrees and breezy. After what seemed like a long winter, it has warmed up quickly. I was hoping for a first of the season Olympia Marble but settled for and Eastern Tiger Swallowtail which tied my earliest date in 2012. I also saw my first tiger beetles of the season.

This was my first butterfly of the year.

9:15 am - 10:45 am. Eastern half of the park.

late afternoon, sunny, warm, and windy

11-1:30, sunny, 80s

A nice new hiking location. About one mile loop, crushed gravel, mostly level, passes farm field, meadow, scrub woods, drainage pond, with several benches. Not on current Google Maps image; access from Bud's Drive behind Sub-Zero (park in their lot). Open to public. Will be good when nectar plants bloom.

It was great to see a flash of blue and know it was a butterfly. Thought I had lost sight of it but waited a bit and it came back and landed. Saw at least one Red Admiral enjoying the sap from Yellow-bellied Sapsucker holes.
Between 5-6 p.m. with temps around 78 and no wind.

Surprised and pleased to see the Common Buckeye!

Sunny and near 80 degrees. Could not get photos of Red Admirals.

The skipper landed briefly in my garden. It stayed just long enough for me to get my phone camera turned on, but then it left before I could get it on the screen. With no nectar sources yet, it left in a hurry. This will likely be the best sighting of the year for me, I was totally shocked to see one this time of year.

Approximately 1:15 pm-2:45 pm. Wooded eastern portion of the park.

Hopefully this little butterfly will survive the next couple of days.

The Cabbage Whites never landed, just flew through my yard while I was out doing yard work. Sunny 78 degree late morning.

The Mourning Cloaks seemed to mostly concentrate in a few areas with the Eastern Commas, leading to lots of time chasing each other. The Common Checkered-Skipper was nectaring on buttercups just at the border of the woods and prairie

Butterflies were absent until the storm ended around 4:00. The butterflies are finally out in this area!

I saw all three in the same section of the woods, in the area around the large rock formations, as the sun started to come out, between 4 and 5 pm.

What's a little snow and freezing weather to a Wisconsin butterfly? Didn't stop these two Red Admirals! Found these adaptable generalists out for the last of today's sun around 6:00 p.m. with temps around 55 F. Looks like the Magnolia blossoms survived, too. Yeah!

Checked out this part of the trail to see if the butterflies I saw there before the recent snow and freezing temps were still in the area. Several were out sunning themselves. Breezy, sunny, 50 degree afternoon.

Had a very nice hawk migration and while watching hawks, I kept seeing butterflies coming zipping by. Honestly can say I've never seen butterfly migration too! Guessing it's going to be a banner year for a Red Admiral?!

Flying along the freeway.

Saw a Red Admiral flying in my yard today.

First butterfly at the SNA this year. Only 57 degrees. Found bloodroot in bloom but butterfly was not interested

Only 50 degrees but the butterfly found a spot in the sun. This Park has been cleaned up of its buckthorn last year and this year they have a substantial number of waterleaf, lillies and Dutchman's Breeches. The Breeches are just beginning to bloom

11:20 AM

The Common Checkered Skipper was on the paved path below toward the lake. I spotted a tiny butterfly land on the edge of the path. I was very surprised to see what it was. This skipper displayed a black and white checkered pattern that merged into a dark bluishgray body. I’m familiar with this species as I photographed one just last year in Racine. It flew before I could get a photo, never saw it again despite extensive searching.

I've been seeing Red Admirals on sunny days since about April 11th, but this was the closest I've been able to get to photograph one. It was nectaring on Scilla.

Landed in yard.

I was hoping to see my first Olympia Marble of the year but got distracted by the Painted Redstart. Lots of buttercup and Bird's Foot Violet in flower. These are easy to spot after the burn, although it is starting to green up.

cold, 38 degrees but bright sun

The Red Admirals were visiting the Plum Tree and found Dandelions, too.
Sunny and 54 F between 3 and 4.

I was hoping to see more butterflies today as dandelions and ground ivy are now blooming, but our lows are still below freezing at night. I did have fun watching four American White Pelicans swimming in the Yahara River and also a Sandhill Crane walking next to the trail. Sunny 50 degree early afternoon.

The American Lady was visiting the pussytoes, which are emerging abundantly beside the path on the western knoll. In the middle of the Evjue pine woods a group of Polygonias and Red Admirals were battling for territory in a sunny spot.

Beautiful day - nice to see butterfly shadows on the trail.

Another beautiful, windless, sunny day. The red admirals were active again on the Pachysandra.

Incidental while removing garlic mustard from SNA

others there saw azures and Mourning Cloak. I was looking for the Olympia Marbles up on the bluff as I expected them to be flying. Saw just two but still fun to see them.

Traveling Survey, Duration: 1 hr, 3 min; Distance: 0.83 miles; sunny, calm, 65F, red admiral 10 probably more, many solitary bees out, one male Osmia bucephala. Nests of Colletes inaequils in the ground some individuals out. Cherries and rhododendrons a few other shrubs and plums in flower. Thought I saw maybe one of the lady butterflies possibly American lady.

I once again failed to find my first-ever Olympia Marbles, but I got to spend time with Red Admirals as a consolation prize! They were seen between 6:30 and 7:30 pm, at the edge of the forest and the first bluff overlook. At one point, I saw three of them look like they were drinking the sap from the same birch tree. It was partly cloudy and in the mid 60s.

Breezy, sunny, 62 degree afternoon.

Partly cloudy, low 60s. 11:00-12:30. Saw about 20 Bumble Flower Beetles along the main trail .

Sunny day, 50°F, found in grass in backyard. 1pm

13:25 - 15:35, 2.2 miles. It was flying high in trees in savannah area along the path.

Finally! FOY

First butterfly of season seen on the conservation grounds. Could not photograph, but was able to get a close look the few seconds it landed.

My first Red Admiral of the year.

I went out between 2:30 and 6 pm. It was sunny and in the upper 60s.

I was thrilled to find my first-ever Olympia Marbles! They were on the bluffs, near where their host plant can be found. They stayed extremely busy, rarely landing for more than a second. I saw them between 3 and 4 pm. When I checked back on them around 5 pm, I didn't see them.

The American Ladies were all in the lower prairie area, and I didn't see any when I walked back through that area around 6 pm.

Festive Tiger Beetles were abundant.

Four sites

On pearly everlasting in my back yard