Butterfly Sightings Archive
March '04
On March 1st, in town (Utopia), I saw what looked
to be a Falcate Orange-tip (based on flight style
quite unlike Checkered White), but it "got away".
Also in the "got away" category, were a couple
of "Hairstreakish" things that were probably
Henry's Elfin. Checkered White was seen March 3
and on the 4th another probable Henry's Elfin.
On March 5, I photographed a Henry's Elfin in my
driveway for the first positive one of the year that
I saw. Also a couple of Checkered Whites and
Pipevine Swallowtails were seen around town.
Eleven species were seen March 6, including a dark
brown Skipper (Julia's/Dun type) and a "Rusty colored"
Skipper. Also the first Acilid (Robberfly) of the year.
March 7 (the second warm day) ... things exploded
with over 20 species seen around my yard. Three Olive
Juniper Hairstreak, 4 Black and 1 Pipevine Swallowtail,
Gray Hairstreak, Henry's Elfin, 4 Snout, 30 Dogface,
3 Cloudless Sulphur, 1 Little Yellow, 3 Dainty Sulphur,
a Horace's or Juvenal's Duskywing, Gulf and Variegated
Fritillary, and 3 or 4 different types of Skippers.
March 9, 16 species were seen and on March 10,
a "Tiger type" Swallowtail flew by, besides that
Horace's/Juvenal's Duskywing which taunts me since
it apparently knows I can't identify it!
March 11, the first Dusky-blue Groundstreak was here,
but I must say the "Dusky" part of the name is poor
at best. The blue above is more a metallic azure blue!
March 17, there were 5 Black and 3 Pipevine Swallowtails,
a Henry's Elfin, Olive Juniper Hairstreak, Buckeye,
2 Gulf and 1 Varieg. Fritillary, and the first Monarch
of the year, going south into headwinds.
March 18, the "Tiger type" Swallowtail was confirmed
(photos) as an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail. What a beauty!
March 20, 4 species of Swallowtail were seen:
The first Giant of the year, the Eastern Tiger,
3 Pipevine and 2 Black! Also a Western Checkered Skipper
and Funerial Duskywing.
Then the drizzle set in a really slowed things down for
a few days.
March 27 the highlight was the first Vesta Crescent
of the year.
March 29 The highlight was two exciting new ones for the yard.
Two Little Wood Satyr were in the oaks, and a Leafwing
(Anaea sps.) which is apparently a new Bandera Co. record!
Unfortunately I could not positively ID the Leafwing.
March 30 was spectacular, with a full blown explosion of
activity! At least 28 sps. were around the house! Most of
would be the of the "most expected" types, but a few were
new or "first of year". The Leafwing showed again briefly
and I am still at a loss to specifically ID it, due to
inexperience with them. Very frustrating! Some of the
other interesting stuff included Southern Skipperling
(photos), Nysa Roadside Skipper, Reakirt's Blue (ph.),
Fatal Metalmark (ph.), Julia's Skipper, Dainty Sulphur,
and Little Wood Satyr again. A remarkable day at the least!
March 31 I found at least 30 species around the house!
Over half a dozen were not of the 28+ seen on March 30!
That makes a two day total of around 37+ species!
Different were Orange Sulphur and Sleepy Orange, Henry's
Elfin, Orange Skipperling and Dotted Roadside Skipper!
So, I figure there were 40 species of butterflies at least
seen in March just around my place! Many other types were
nearby, but not here, due to habitat requirements not
present where I am and my lack of time to cover all the
other habitats in the area. I would not be surprised if
a couple experts working the area would have come up
with over 50 species in March alone!
And it will only get better the next several months!
The format will change slightly now, and each day there
are notes posted will be at the top, so the most recent
sightings are there, and you won't have to scroll through
what you've read already to see the latest.
February '04
Up to mid-month it was fairly cold, and wet,
so there was only minimal flight activity.
The 17th saw the first big flight day locally.
It was the first day over 70 F. in some time,
following a 68 F. the day prior. Up to the 17th,
the only species seen flying earlier in Feb.,
were: Nicippe Sulphur, Red Admiral, Variegated
Fritillary and American Lady, (all a couple
times each) and one Checkered White in Utopia.
Then on the 17th it happened! 8 species seen flying
in the yard, and over 30 butterflies total!
S.Dogface - 11; Sleepy Orange - 2; Snout - 13;
Red Admiral - 3; American Lady - 1; Buckeye - 2;
Gulf Fritillary - 1; Variegated Fritillary - 4;
37 individuals total. Some looked very worn,
whilst others appeared very fresh.
This is only the tip of the iceberg ... a teaser
for the butterfly explosion to come ... in just
a few weeks ... to a bush near you! Within the
next two to three weeks, we should start to see
some of the early spring fliers that haven't been
out flying since spring or early summer last year.
Dreaming of Elfins and Orangetips.
On 2/18, three Pipevine Swallowtails were seen
on strong southerly winds. Further, a bright,
fresh, Olive Juniper Hairstreak was in our
yard also on 2/18. These two species haven't
been seen since locally since '03! As if that
wasn't enough, I saw a beast fly by that looked
exactly like a Rawson's Metalmark to me!
Additional Pipevine Swallowtails were seen on
Feb. 19, 20, 21, and 23. They're baaaack!
Then on Feb. 23 there was a minor movement
with 10 Dogface, 6 Nicippe Sulphur, 3 Snout,
a Pipevine, and a Skipper (Field/Fiery type?).
Late February
February went out with a bang so to speak,
with a flurry of activity, though diversity was
limited. On the 23rd there were 6 Sleepy Orange
(Nicippe Sulphur), 10 Dogface, 3 Snout and a
Fiery/Field type Skipper.
Feb. 26 had a male Black Swallowtail,
a Variegated Fritillary, a Cloudless Sulphur,
and a Duskywing that was probably a Funerial.
"Leap Day" Feb. 29 was good with probably the
same male Black Swallowtail, 7 Dogface, and singles
of Orange Sulphur, Sleepy Orange, a worn Dainty
Sulphur, Snout, Red Admiral, Variegated Fritillary,
Buckeye, American Lady, and a Fatal Metalmark.
So, we finished February with 15 species seen,
and an increased activity level presageing what will
surely be a better March!
January '04
In our yard in Jan., seen flying were:
(all within one acre on one day, the 9th)
Red Admiral, Gulf Fritillary, Variegated Fritillary,
Dainty Sulphur, Common Mestra, Snout, Buckeye,
Tailed Orange, Nicippe Sulphur (Sleepy Orange),
one Skipper sps., for a total of 10 species.
On Jan 4 Checkered White was seen at Lost Maples.
On Jan 17 a very small very bright Blue sps.
was seen 3 miles N. of Utopia.
An American Lady was also seen in January.
This makes a total of thirteen species
seen flying in January.
Older News
On Nov. 16 I did a "big day yard list" and
found 17 species of butterflies still flying
around the house!
Thus, as of the end of December, about
40 species have been detected in the last two
months of the year in the yard. Compared to
what I'm used to seeing at this time of the
year, in most other parts of the country,
remarkable if I might say so myself. Surely
someone well-versed in hill country butterflies
would have identified a dozen or more species
(at least) that went by me un-ID'd. I still
chase them around with books in hand, hoping
they'll land on the page they're on.
Although after the first few freezes, the
activity really slows down, you can still see
them out on warm days of mid-winter.
On Jan. 1 04 I saw my resident Red Admiral out!
On Jan. 2, I saw both Snout and Dainty Sulphur.
Then on Jan 9, the first real warm day of the year,
I saw 10 species of butterflies in the yard!
Early Spring Yard Update: by late March several new
species have been added as spring flyers begin to show
themselves, and some hypothetical ID's are confirmed.
On March 7, some 24 species were seen in the yard!
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