Found this pair of mating Pearl Crescents a couple of weeks ago and was so grateful to see them, since activity has been slow.
We came from here (super collection from Bob_71 at the end):
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1173774/
This message was edited Jun 23, 2011 5:18 PM
Don't laugh at this awful picture, but it is the only one I have of a Viceroy. I had just parked at my Mom's house and look who decided to land on the windshield.
I bet I would be proud of it too Marna....never seen one of those or Red Spotted Purple in person...keep waiting.
Luckily I had seen one before, but never photographed. Sneaky butterflies!
This Saturday (knock wood, fingers crossed, etc.) I'm hoping to make my first butterfly monitoring run to Nachusa. The weather has been simply awful to try and go. As you may remember me saying, conditions have to be right for monitoring. 70+ degrees, light winds, more than 50% sunny. Combining all those things with a day that I am free to do it has been really tough. Even if I don't see very many, that is really important to document. Last year my first run was on the 16th of June. So I'm only a week behind from that. Regal Fritillaries should be flying by now. We'll see.
Wish you success with the weather for the count. Also look forward to seeing any pics you might share.
Thank you very much for the new thread!!
You're welcome Nanny, and thanks Sheila. Gosh I hope I get some decent numbers. My first monitor date last year was 6/16, then 6/24. So I'm a week behind from then. I'm supposed to start June 1 though. The Regal Fritillaries should be flying right now. Fingers crossed.
Welcome all new comers, to the best forum DG has to offer! over 300 posts on the last thread is that a new record? Many many beautiful pics to look at.
Mrs_Ed why am I on your windshield? (ha ha) hope you do well with your count this weekend. I have a few pics left from the weekend.
Thanks Mrs. Ed for the new thread. I too looking forward to seeing your pics. on your monitor run. Have ton of fun, hope Bob and others that are lucky to have a good number of butterflies continue to share until we get them.
Lovely Sulpher, Viceroy. Hehehehe about your comment to Mrs. Ed. lol
I got this picture of this hairstreak and I was very happy I was lucky enough to find him sunbathing.
Oh, Vicerory, love that shot!
I guess you are on my windshield because you are a TEASE! Ha.
yeah I get that alot.
Viceroy and Mrs. Ed. that's too funny. Viceroy, that hairstreak shot is really rare. I don't even think I've ever seen its with wings open like it. They usually are folded and rubbing while they're seen landing on a leave or nectaring.
Fantastic shot Viceroy!!
Something is not right with the 3 BST chrysalis I have. I think I will call this year a washout. Will just let nature take its course and maybe there will be some cats on the fennel in a few weeks. All the new fennel I planted seems to be taking except one. So that will be good for next year!
Sorry to hear about the 3 BST cats Nan. I've not seen not a one here. :((
Sorry nanny on the BST problems, bet it is those parasites again. At least by bringing them in you can kill the larva inside before it matures.
Not a bf but I was excited to see this HB moth last evening.
After it took nectar a while it stopped and rested. Only thing I see them on here are the phlox.
I found a Queen cat last night, first thing other than the dreaded Swamp MW beetles that has eaten my mw this year. Here are some more beetles, just hatched evidentally because this morning the leaf is lace. That leaf was a small one I just happened to turn over looking for eggs. I couldn't tell for sure what the red spots were until I looked at the picture. So they will be history for sure.
boo beetles, yay queen!
I think that's the clearwing that hosts on honeysuckle, Sheila. I had an egg and cat last year, but didn't raise it. I think it wound up being bird food.
Sorry about the cats Nanny. I know how that goes.
Spring Azure, always one of my earliest ones.
Cabbage White, another of my earlier ones.
The only Variegated Fritillary so far.
Dun Skipper
Love that VF pic, Bob. Great shots.
Russell
Haven't see one VF this year...nice one Bob!
It rained on and off today so I decided it was cool enough to do a lap around the house. I still ended up sweaty due to the humidity, but it was good to get out and check the plants. My tomatoes are awesome! (Mortgage Lifter and Homestead varieties, FYI.) The reason I grabbed the camera was that I saw this Hairstreak on the way in. He nicely waited for me to get my camera; he's nectaring on Bidens spp. We call them Spanish Needles because of the seeds - they stick to you like you wouldn't believe!
Don't forget to submit your sightings to BAMONA at www.butterfliesandmoths.org I know we have lots of anecdotal evidence on here, but let's turn it into cold, hard facts and science!
And the Gulf Frits continue to eat my passiflora "Lavender Lady". Meanwhile, the p. caerulea is plentiful - I might transplant a few caterpillars. I'd like to see a bloom just once!
Melanie
Monitoring today was not too bad…
The "stars", Regal Fritillary
Second in line, the Aphrodite Fritillary
And to round out the Fritillaries, the Meadow Frit.
Those frits are super!
Welcome to Chris ....he posted on the previous thread. I think that may be a polyphemus moth in your first picture. Look it up and see if you think so.
My devil's trumpets are going to start blooming tonight. I have 2 with buds unfurling, one white and one purple. Hoping to get some of the moths that like them!
Thank you for the welcomes here and the other thread :) I'll check out the moth you mentioned, Sheila..I know he was a beauty!
and just an fyi .. Chris is short for Christine ^_^ Hard to tell without a pic LOL!!!
waving Hi to Crit.. we've done several swaps with each other..
Thanks for the new thread Mrs-Ed, happy to hear the butterfly monitoring went well. Love the Fritillary shots you got.
I found this female at the bottom of my garage door.
Polyphemus Moth
Here's another shot of it.
Sheila, you're right about mine.. it's definitely the Polyphemus Moth and I believe mine is a male.
I feel kinda short-changed cause he didn't have himself all spread out like some of the pics in the BugFiles, so I didn't realize that he had more than just the two "eyes" on his wings. I'm going to put my pic here again in order to compare it to burn's female.. these are so beautiful and so HUGE! One pic in the BugFiles is of a moth on someone's hand and it really shows off the size :)
Here's one that I took last summer near Burlington IA in the SE corner of the state. I'm not sure what the name of this one is..I'm pretty ignorant of butterfly names other than the Monarch :)
Good photo for size comparison, Clan. Your right, yours is a male.
Clan, it's a Buckeye, Yakmon has one posted, on the previous thread. Great shot!!!
