2004 Butterfly Journal
Olive Juniper Hairstreaks
2004 Butterfly News
I have been unable to keep this up in '05. Some butterfly
sightings for '05 are spread amongst the bird sightings
on the bird news page. So, below, what this is mostly, is a
season-long record of butterflies in the Utopia area, covering
the Sabinal River Valley, Lost Maples, and sometimes other
nearby areas for the year 2004. Unless specified all sightings
are in our former Bandera Co. yard circa 4 mi. NE of Utopia.
I'm guessing it is the only season-long study and record of
butterflies from the area ever.
Finished the year with over 90 species of butterflies in the
N. Thunder Creek Rd. yard (actually an acre of 22), and nearly
a hundred species in the Sabinal River Valley up to Lost Maples.
On a side note you might find it interesting that in the yard:
In Jan. 05 I saw 55 individual butterflies, of 15 species.
In Jan. 04 I saw 11 individual butterflies, of 9 species.
Anyway, here's a year of Utopia butterfly notes....for what it's worth!
Dec. 31 - At house, Mestra, Snout and Dainty Sulphur.
Dec. 27 - Single Variegated Frit and Snout were it for the day.
Dec. 26 - One Red Admiral (12:20 p.m. - 54F), single Variegated Frit,
Sleepy Orange and Snout. In town an Orange Sulphur, S. Dogface, another
Variegated Frit, and 2 Sleepy Orange. 7 species total.
Dec. 21 - 3 Sleepy Orange, 2 Snout, 2 Variegated Frit, 1 Gulf Frit,
1 each Large Orange, Cloudless, and Dainty Sulphur, a Little Yellow,
Question Mark, S.Dogface and Mestra. 11 species total in yard.
Variegated and Autumnal Meadowhawks were present as well! (2 sps. Odes).
Dec. 17 - At Utopia Pk.: Cloudless Sulphur, and, a Lady sps. that
looked most like a West Coast to me (I am most familiar with them).
Dec. 14 - AZ Sister at Utopia Pk..
Dec. 12 - At Utopia Pk., 2 Large Orange Sulphur, Red Admiral, Snout, Sister.
At home, Mestra, Snout, Sleepy Orange, Am. Lady, Variegated Fritillary.
Dec. 10 - S.Dogface, Checkered White, Cloudless Sulphur, Am Lady,
Red Admiral, Snout, Sleepy Orange.
Dec. 7 - Snout, Dun Skipper, Am.Lady, Red Admiral, S.Dogface,
Gulf Frit, 2 Little Yellow and 3 Sleepy Orange.
Dec. 2 - Red Admiral, 2 Buckeye, Dainty Sulphur, Little Yellow,
American Lady, Fiery Skipper, AZ Sister, probable Lantana Scrub-HS again.
November - I think it totaled about 39 species for the month.
It's hard to remember to write down common things all the time,
like Dogface that you might see near daily.... but it's good
to get "last flight dates" for the stuff whenever you can, and
you don't know one's the last until it's too late, if not recorded!
Nov. 29 - Tailed Orange, 2 Snout, 2 C. Checkered Skipper, 1 probable
Lantana Scrub-Haristreak, fresh AZ Sister, 6 Sleepy Orange, 4 Little Yellow,
2Dainty Sulphur, 1 Large Orange and 1 Cloudless Sulphur, Gulf Frit,
American Lady, Red Admiral.
Nov. 28 - fresh clean AZ Sister, Red Admiral, Brazilian Skipper again (!)
2 Snout, a Texan Crescent, Gulf Frit, and Sleepy Orange.
Nov. 27 - AZ Sister (diff.- worn), Buckeye, 5 Sleepy Orange.
Nov. 26 - 1 AZ Sister (formerly CA) and a Large Orange Sulphur.
Nov. 23 - Zebra Heliconian still at Utopia Park. At house 2 Monarch,
a Red Admiral, 2 Mestra, 2 Sleepy Orange, 1 Tawny Emperor and a
Little Yellow.
Nov. 22 - Tailed Orange, 3 Sleepy Orange, 2 Gulf Frit, 1 Pipevine Sw/t,
Duskywing sps. 1 Question Mark, a Mestra, a Fiery and an unID'd Skipper.
Nov. 18 Two sps. in yard not seen yesterday were Question Mark and Snout!
A Southern Skipperling was along the river at Utopia Park.
Nov. 17 - About 4 days of rain gave us about 6" or more! Now with
some sun, 18 (!) species of butterflies came out! 3 sps. of Dragonflies.
Butterflies were: 4 Sleepy Orange, 3 each of S.Dogface, Little Yellow,
Cloudless Sulphur and Gulf Frit. 2 each of Red Admiral, Variegated Frit.,
C.Checkered Skipper, Dainty Sulphur, Queen and Mestra. One each of Monarch
Hairstreak sps., Hackbetrry Emperor, Painted Lady, American Lady, AZ Sister,
Orange Sulphur, Gray Hairstreak. Not bad for 1300' in mid Nov..
Nov. 12 - a Brazilian Skipper landed on a Juniper out front!
Also a Pearl Crescent passed through.
Nov. 10 - The butterfly of the year flies by porch - a MALACHITE !!
Oh my !! Scalloped hind-wing edge, green and "black", big, oh my !!
Nov. 7 - Sab.Cyn.Museum lantana still has a Zebra.
Nov. 5 - Museum lantana had a Zebra still.
Nov. 4 - half a dozen Monarch.
Nov. 3 - First frost of fall with about 35 F in morning.
Nov. 1 - Zebra was seen at the house, and at the Museum lantanas.
Oct. 31 - The Tailed Orange was still around the yard ...
Oct. 30 - The Mexican Yellow was here for day 10, a Zebra flew by at
4 p.m., and a Tailed Orange finally showed up.
Oct. 29 - Cook's Slough Uvalde, produced 40 species of Butterflies!
Oct. 28 - Mexican Yellow again. At Sabinal Cyn. Museum lantana patch
(on Main St. in Utopia) was Crimson Patch (ph. - different from last weeks),
Sickle-winged Skipper (ph.), 12 Pipevine and 1 Giant Swallowtail,
3 Bordered Patch, 3 Gulf Frit, a Sleepy Orange, 1 Large Orange Sulphur.
Skippers: 10 Fiery, 8 Sachem, and 1 each of Eufala, Julia's, and Clouded.
Oct. 27 - Mexican Yellow - day 7, and White-striped Longtail (same?)
again (ph.). Coyote Cloudywing came by for good but brief looks,
and a Duskywing that was Juvenal's or Horace's made a showing.
Oct. 26 - Mexican Yellow again.
Oct. 24 - The Silver-spotted Skipper present in yard again (too fast to photo),
and I finally got some photos of the Mexican Yellow that has appeared 3 of last 4
4 days now.
Oct. 23 - Silver spotted Skipper at porch! 1 Brazilian Skipper still at
the Mourning Glory patch in town. Zebra on Main St. in Utopia.
Dusky-blue Groundstreak at house.
Oct. 22 - Mexican Yellow again! Lyside still. Giant Swallowtail,
photo'd Eastern Tailed-Blue in front yard. Down at Sabinal Canyon Museum
lantana patch it was hoppin with a Crimson (ph.) and 2 Bordered Patch,
a Zebra Heliconian, 4 Clouded, 1 Julia's, 1 Eufala and 5 Fiery Skippers,
.
Possible Violet Patch Skipper. AT Utopia Pk., Goatweed Leafwing, probable
Erichson's Skipper, 5 Phaon Crescent, 5 Fiery Skipper.
Oct. 21 - A Mexican Yellow was in the yard! Chased it but go no shots.
Also 25-30 Gulf Frits in half the day, a probable eresimus (Soldier), and
a possible or probable Pale-banded Crescent - again!.
Oct. 20 - At Cook's Slough in Uvalde I saw a Scallopwing which I thought
was Mazan's, again. Also the minute Western Pygmy Blue was there.
Oct. 19 - A regular Long-tailed Skipper came by, as did a Vesta Crescent!
About 25 Gulf Frit, 15 Monarch, and 5 Queen were also seen.
Oct. 18 - White-striped Longtail still.
Oct. 17 - Lyside, 3 QM (?), White-striped L/T, 24+ Gulf Frit. going S.,
Black Swallowtail, Tawny Emperor, and more of same....
Oct. 16 - White-striped Longtail, False Duskywing, Olive-juniper
Hairstreak, Buckeye, 3 Sisters, Question Mark, 20 Monarch, 10 Queen,
17 Gulf Frit., 10 Cloudless Sulphur, 4 Large Orange and 3 Orange
Sulphur, 12 Sleepy Orange, 5 Dainty Sulphur (those picking up lately)
10 Checkered Skipper, one large white Skipper looked like Laviana's.
Oct. 14 - Lyside Sulphur, Texan Crescent, both missed yesterday!
Oct. 13 - Big butterfly day. Over 40 species between yard and Utopia Pk..
At park, 1 Zebra, 1 each Ceraunus, Reakirt's, and Eastern Tailed- Blues,
5 Phaon Crescent, 2 Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak, 3 Orange Sulphur, and at home,
the first Checkered White in 2 months, Eufala Skipper, Bordered Patch, etc.
A great day for B-Flys today!
Oct. 12 - Zebra Longwing at house again! From desk! Also Long-tailed Skipper
and another White-stripe L/T, & a Rawson's or Rounded Metalmark got away!
Maybe only 50 Monarchs today..... no lift off locally....
Oct. 10 - Zebra Longwing (Heliconian) and Marine Blue at Lost Maples!
White-striped Longtail at home. But, highlight of day was a major passage
of probably 50-100,000 Monarchs, going SSW from 1:30 to dark. Counts of 100
per minute went on for an hour at least, in any direction you looked.
It was a remarkable passage, still 10 per minute 6 hours after it began.
Oct. 9 - the C.Wood Nymph shows out front again! Man, it's beat up!
Dogfaces have been increasing markedly since early October.
Oct. 8 - Down in Uvalde at Co.Rd. 202 west of town at the Nueces
River, there was a Texas Powdered Skipper, and on the raod in,
a Coyote Cloudywing, and a Great Purple Hairstreak! WOW!!
Oct. 6 - same worn beat Common Wood Nymph in the yard again.
1 Monarch, 10 Gulf Frits.
Oct. 3 - A Carolina Satyr was at Lost Maples, our first there.
Sept. 29 - Monarch on Little Creek, and at Utopia Pk., 10 Cloudless
Skipper, 2 Tropical Checkered Skipper, 2 Carolina Satyr, and one
Least Skipper, which I couldn't catch or photo but saw very well.
Sept. 27 - Long-tailed Skipper, White-striped Longtail, and a
likely Systasea IN the yard got away.
Sept. 26 - At Lost Maples SNA saw a Texas Powdered Skipper (Systasea
pulverulenta), unknown from Bandera Co. (but known from all the
surrounding counties). No pix, just great looks on Can Creek trail!
We had seen a dozen the day before at Ft.Clark Springs in Brackettville.
Sept. 24 - 2 Monarch, 10 Queen, 15 Gulf Frit, going south of course!
Sept. 23 - Lots of Hackberry Emperors at hackberries on Cypress St.,
just outside Utopia Pk.. Couple Tawny's around too...
Sept. 22 - Common Wood Nymph flew across yard as did a large white
Skipper (Laviana's or Turks's Cap?). Going south was a Monarch,
4 Queens, 16 Gulf Fritillary.
Sept. 21 - False Duskywing, Long-tailed Skipper (U.proteus), and
2 Mestra. South of Sabinal (town), Lyside Sulphur, Phaon Crescent,
and Question Mark. At Utopia Pk., another False Duskywing, a Monarch,
3 each Clouded Skipper and Carolina Satyr, and 2 Mestra.
Sept 20 - 3 Monarch, 2 Buckeye, 1 White-striped Longtail, lots of
Clouldless and a few Large Orange Sulphurs.
Sept. 19 - 2 Monarchs and a Buckeye.
Sept. 17 A positive male Orange-barred Sulphur! A male Great
Southern White!, 3 Monarchs. At Utopia Pk., a Viceroy and
Phaon Crescent.
Sept. 16 - probable Mazan's Scallopwing and probable Orange-
barred Sulphur, a couple Monarchs, and a Dorantes Longtail!
Sept. 15 - 3 Monarch, lots of Queens going S., Large Orange
Sulphurs, Orange Sulphur (Alfalfa), buckeye, Red Admiral, and
an unidentified species of long-tailed Skipper.
Sept. 14 - Down in Uvalde on CoRd 202 at Nueces River, a Rawson's
Metalmark was nice.
Sept. 11 - White-striped Longtail at gate at road out front.
Sept. 10 - Clouded Skippers have been near daily lately...
Sept. 9 - The first Vesta Crescent I've seen here in a while...
Also a Nysa Roadside-Skipper IN my car (parked with windows down!).
Sept. 8 - Ceraunus Blue, Painted Lady, Mestra, Monarch, E.Tiger
and Giant Swallowtail, Question Mark, Orange Sulphur, Dusky-blue
Ground-streak, Celia's Roadside-Skipper, Reakirt's Blue, and
a big white skipper species of some sort.
Sept. 6 - Besides at least 10 Large Orange Sulphur, a Mestra.
Sept. 5 - A Great Southern White flew 6' from me on the porch.
There is no Bandera Co. record yet! Also had a near-certain
Erichson's White Skipper. 3 Monarchs going south.
Sept 2 - Carolina Satyr in my yard - 1st since May here.
Also Monarch going south, which are daily now too.
Sept. 1 - My first Orange Sulphur (Alfalfa) of the fall ...
Many Gulf Frits heading SE last couple weeks (several daily) now
increasing to dozen or two daily.
August 31 - In Uvalde at Cook's Slough besides the usual Viceroy,
Kathy found and I photographed a female Mazan's Scallopwing!
August 29 - At Utopia Pk., the 2 Zebra Heliconians continued,
plus there were AT LEAST 6 Carolina Satyr out and about,
and Celia's Roadside- (ph.), and Clouded Skippers too!
August 27 - Another White-striped Longtail on porch, this one
landing briefly on kitchen window!
August 24 - Here at the casita I again saw what looks like a
Giant White to me!?! Also saw a probable Silver-spotted Skipper!
It got away. Buckeye and Little Wood Satyr were also out & about.
Then at Utopia Park, in Utopia (Uvalde Co.) there were TWO (2!)
Zebra Heliconians (ph.) and another False Duskywing! At a patch of
Turks Cap on 187 at the south end of town, I saw a Metalmark,
either Rawson's or Rounded, but it got away ...
August 23 - Saw what may have been a Laviana White Skipper here.
Also saw a probable Giant White!! Couple Sisters, and QM again.
August 22 - A White-striped Longtail landed on the front porch!
August 20 - A Zebra Heliconian flew 6' past me on the porch!
Black and Yellow, unmistakeable, and another new record for
Bandera Co.! Question Mark and Monarchs also showed this day.
August 18 - At Sab.Cyn.Mus., Eufala and Clouded Skippers.
August 14 - Funereal, Horace's and False Duskywings.
August 13 - I photographed an Eastern Tailed-Blue in my driveway!
Also had probably the same Ceraunus Blue out front again...
August 12 - In Utopia (Uvalde Co.) at the town square park,
and the Sabinal Cyn.Mus. flower patches there were Whirlabouts.
At a large patch of Mourning Glory in town I found 3 to 5
Brazilian Skippers (Ph.)!
August 11 - At the place here I saw I saw False Duskywing,
Goatweed Leafwing, Lyside Sulphur, and 2 CA Sister.
August 10 - the first big butterfly day here in some time
since the bloom started to fade....I found 30 species around
the abode this date, with several highlights. The cherry was a
Rounded (or Lost) Metalmark (Calephelis perditalis) photographed,
for another Bandera Co. 1st. Also present that day were FOUR
Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak, Ceraunus Blue, Hackberry Emperor,
Desert and Tropical Checkered Skippers, and Common Mestra.
August 2 - A White-angled Sulphur flew across yard too quickly
as always. Also Tawny Emperor present.
July 31 - nearby at Ft. Inge in Uvalde, I saw what I'm sure were
Great Southern Whites... a dozen of them, some seen point blank!
July 29 - though not a butterfly, an awesome insect was in the
yard, which I collected. It was a Plinthocoelium suaveolens.
This is a 2" metallic green (with orange-red) Long-horned Beetle!
See the pictures on the Critters, bugs, and stuff page.
July 26 - A Mazan's Scallopwing was nectaring out front.
I ran inside for net, but alas, it was in car! So, I grabbed
camera, but I could never get it to stop long enough for
a photo. Great close looks, but no photo or specimen.
July 24 - Lost Maples SNA - a black form female Eastern
Tiger Swallowtail, a Buckeye, lots of Sleepy Orange and
Pipevine Swallowtail, some Little Yellows, but slow overall.
Both lull in bloom and cool cloudy weather factors.
July 22 - A Dorantes Longtail flew right up to me on the
front porch, and then up over house. I ran out back with
camera, hoping it would stop at "flower alley" as I call it,
since it is a new Bandera Co. record, but I couldn't
relocate it. It must have just kept going!&^%$(&^%!
The yellow spots in the forewing were bold and obvious!
July 19 - A Long-tailed Skipper flew across front yard
over house, and out back! At the yellow Lantana patch in
front of the Sabinal Canyon Museum in Utopia there were
a few Whirlabouts, plus a few more at the city square park
across from the general store. A couple Fiery Skippers
were in the flower patches too, for great comparisons.
Probably a total of 5-6 Whirlabouts at minimum!
July 17 - Northern Cloudywing again, and one each of
Hackberry and Tawny Emperor.
July 16 - at Utopia Park there was a Clouded Skipper.
July 14 - Northern Cloudywing out front. Nice!
July 12 - a couple Julia's Skippers are fighting over the
best territory out back near the water seep.
July 11 - Besides the Horaces's Duskywings which continue to
be common, there was a Tawny Emperor and a Common Mestra
in the yard.
July 9 - a White Peacock flew across yard to a hackberry,
and a territorial Hackberry Emperor ejected it from the area!
July 5 - did Uv.Co. Rd. 361 about 5 miles south of Utopia,
(goes west between the two Sab.River Crossings). GREAT
raod for butterflies. One Leafwing was apparently Goatweed.
Also one Long-tailed Skipper, and a Ceraunus Blue, in
the clutches of a Green Lynx Spider.
July 1 - flooded overnight - about 6" of rain! But, did
see a species of White with black forewing tips! Looked
like the millions of Cabbage Whites I've seen, but would
be a new county record. Blasted by to fast for photos...
June 29 - Bordered Patch out back. Stunningly Gorgeous!
June 28 - Another (or same?) Nysa Roadside Skipper out back.
June 24 - a half-dozen Large Orange Sulphurs went through
yard today. A hint of how common they'll be later in summer.
There was also a Hackberry Emperor.
June 22 & 23 - Large Orange Sulphur was in my yard (ph.).
Otherwise its been kinda slow. We seem to be in a lull,
in the flower bloom. Sleepy Orange and Pipevine Swallowtail
are common to abundant as is Little Yellow now. But maybe
it's just because I haven't been looking hard for a few days.
June 20 - At Lost Maples there were 3 black form female
Eastern Tiger Swallowtails up the "ponds" trail.
June 16 - Two Hackberry Emperors and a Goatweed Leafwing.
June 15 - Saw a weird skipper out back. Will get the photos/scan
up ASAP to confirm ID (its "chillin'" in the fridge). It may
be another new county record.
June 14 - Nysa Roadside-Skipper and Tawny Emperor were nice,
and Queens are getting common...8-10 of 'em today.
June 13 - I saw another White-striped Longtail (2nd county)
up at the Bravo Creek crossing just north of me on Thunder
Creek Road. (Just photo'd the first two weeks ago).
June 11 - I saw what I believe was a Tropical Checkered Skipper.
June 10 - Between covering the house and a little out on the road,
I saw 41 species close by today. The highlight was a photographed
Eastern Tailed Blue, .1 mile up the road from my place. There
was also another Common Wood Nymph at the creek crossing
(Bravo) .5 mi. up the road from my place
June 7-9 lots of rain (6-7"), but 9th it broke and things came
out in force for a banner day, after a washout in the a.m..
Highlights were: the first Bandera Co. Long-tailed
Skipper (Urbanus proteus) which I photo'd in back yard.
Also equally exciting was my first local Common Wood Nymph
of the season/year in the yard! What a huge beauty! There was
also the first Common Mestra of the year here, a Ceraunus Blue,
and the first Mimosa Yellow I've seen locally as well!!!
June 6 - Highlight was a Cassius Blue in the yard.
June 5 - A must stop place for butterfliers in Utopia is the
Sabinal Canyon Museum. Besides the interesting stuff inside
(open only Sat-Sun) there is a popular patch of yellow lantana
out front. Today I had my first local Common Sootywing on it (ph.).
In sight of Bandera Co. where it appears to be unrecorded.
It hold Leps to the freeze in Nov.. It's on Main St. (west side).
Marine Blue in the yard (ph.). 57 sps. locally since 5/28.
June 4 - Bronze Roadside-Skipper (great looks but no photos).
A stunning black form female Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (ph.).
A pale mystery skipper that got away that looked White-barred.
June 3 - Clouded Skipper (ph.) and Desert Checkered Skipper.
June 2 - 35 species in the yard, Nysa Roadside-Skipper best.
May 28 to June 2 I saw about 52 species of Butterflies locally,
(in my yard or at Utopia Pk.)
June 1 - As if May 31 wasn't enough, I spent 3 hours "working
the yard" today. I found a new record yard daily total of 40
species of butterflies! Nothing overly rare, just got most
of the "locals" finally, in one day. A Red-spotted Purple
was the highlight. Pipevine Swallowtail, Sleepy Orange, and
Little Yellow are abundant now. Texan Crescents have moved in
in good numbers. A Whirlabout was good also.
Still, I missed several species I see almost every other
day here ... 50 is possible!
May Butterfly News
May 31 - The month went out with a bang, so to speak.
I saw a record 34 species in my yard, and 8 additional species
at Utopia Pk., for a record local day total of 42 species!
I finally photographed the Elada Checkerspot in my yard,
the first Bandera Co. photos of the species. There were
about 100 (!) Dusky-Blue Groundstreaks on the Poison Ivy at
the park, and over 20 Texan Crescents there and a Viceroy too!.
I also saw what I'm sure was a White Peacock, a rare stray from
the valley at the junction of N.T.C.R. and S.Little Creek.
May 29 - I saw the 29 most expected species, with an
Orange Skipperling the highlight.
May 28 - I spent 90 minutes around the place in the late
afternoon. 21 sps. in the first 30 minutes, and added 10 more
in the following hour, for a total of 31 sps.. The highlights
were: the first Bandera Co. White-striped Longtail which I got
distant, but ID'able photos of! Then the first absolutely
positive Whirlabout I've seen. I've had several probables but
this was unquestionably "vibex". Also had 2 Red Satyr, and
Dotted Roadside-Skipper, always a beautiful little treat.
May 24 - A Mexican Yellow was in the front yard! Derek just
saw the counties first 8 days ago.
May 22 - I saw a Phaon Crescent at the Little Creek Crossing
on North Thunder Creek Road while Odeing about.
May 20 - Two new ones for the yard today, first at least two
Red-spotted Purples were about, and second, an Elada
Checkerspot was just out my office window on some small
daisy type things. The Elada is a first Bandera Co. report!
May 18 - I found 32 species at my place this date and will
put the list up shortly. Nothing unusal though....
Several Horace's Duskywings and Southern Broken-Dash.
May 16 - I will list the 44 species Derek Muschalek found at
Lost Maples this date shortly..... GREAT job Derek!
I only saw one species there he didn't that day, a Green Skipper,
but that means 45 species were at Lost Maples this date!!!
That's almost half the Bandera Co. butterfly list!
Amongst Derek's highlights though were a Mexican Yellow
(which I think will be a new county record?), 29 Red Satyr
2 White-M Hairstreaks, and a Phaon Crescent! WOW!!!
May 12 - the first two Tawny Emperors in the yard
were positively ID'd
May 11 - here at the house there were a couple of
good hours after the rain passed in the afternoon. Photographed
a Red Satyr and my first (first for the county according
to the USGS website) ZILPA Longtail! What a beauty!
The other 20 sps. were all the expected types.
Zilpa Longtail
(apparent first Bandera Co. record)
May 9 - At Lost Maples there were about 20 sps. of
butterflies on the east/Maples trail. Green Skipper and
Nysa Roadside-Skipper were nice as was Large Orange
Sulphur and Vesta Crescent. Question Marks were there
and at the house that day.
May 8 - I was in Uvalde and went by Ft. Inge briefly.
Saw Large Orange Sulphur, Soapberry Hairstreak, and
Erichson's Skipper there amongst 20 sps. in 1 hour.
Well worth the visit; remember its only open Sat./Sun..
Upon my return to home, there were 5 (!) Southern (Oak)
Hairstreaks on the milkweed patch!
May 3 - 89 individuals of 23 species were about the house
(Bandera Co.) with nothing outstanding save another
Carolina Satyr and another photographed Leafwing sps.,
probably Goatweed, and a Texan Crescent.
May 2 - At Garner State Pk. were a Two-tailed Swallowtail,
lots of California Sisters, 3 Texan Crescents, a Vesta
Crescent, and two Red Satyr on the Crystal Cave trail.
A few other of the regular expected common things were
seen as well, but a cold night precluded an extravaganza.
April Butterfly News
April 30 - TWO species were added to the yard list today,
and both were photographed! First, an Oak Hairstreak finally
showed up (I'd been looking) - on the milkweed with all the
other "streaks". Then a Green Skipper dropped in, but seemed
to prefer a daisy type thing! What a beauty! When I get the
pictures back, photos of both will go up here....
April was astounding here, with over 55 species (57 I think)
in the yard alone, and another 3 at Lost Maples! WEEWOW !!
April 29 - the first positive ID here for Marine Blue!
April 27 - the first of the year Ceraunus Blue was seen here
out on the milkweed patch, which started opening flowers a
week ago. It has on it now: about 20 each Gray Hairstreak and
Olive Juniper Haristreak, and a dozen Dusky-blue Groundstreak
plus things like a Queen, Buckeye, and Monarch caterpillars.
If you have or find some milkweed, check it!
April 26 - in afternoon at house here, a stunning fresh
Crimson Patch, the first one for the year was awesome!
At Lost Maples there were over a dozen Silvery Checkerspot
a couple Red-spotted Purple (Admiral), a Green Skipper
I got photos of, and five species of Swallowtails (!)
besides the regular expected normal stuff.
In yard around house on April 21: Pipevine Swallowtail -
(Battus philenor) - 14+; Black Swallowtail - (Papilio
polyxenes) - 5; Spicebush Swallowtail - (Papilio troilus) - 1;
Checkered White - (Pontia protodice) - 6; Orange Sulphur -
(Colias eurytheme) - 2; Southern Dogface - (Zerene cesonia) - 4;
Cloudless Sulphur - (Phoebis sennae) - 12; Lyside Sulphur -
(Kricogonia lyside) - 17; Little Yellow - (Eurema lisa) - 1;
Sleepy Orange - (Eurema nicippe) - 8; Dainty Sulphur -
(Nathalis iole) - 13; Juniper Hairstreak - (Callophrys gryneus)
- 18; Gray Hairstreak - (Strymon melinus) - 17; Reakirt's
Blue - (Hemiargus isola) - 11; Fatal Metalmark - (Calephelis
nemesis) - 1; American Snout - (Libytheana carinenta) - 4;
Variegated Fritillary - (Euptoieta claudia) - 1; Pearl
Crescent - (Phyciodes tharos) - 1; American Lady - (Vanessa
virginiensis) - 4; Painted Lady - (Vanessa cardui) - 2;
Red Admiral - (Vanessa atalanta) - 3; Common Buckeye -
(Junonia coenia) - 2; California Sister - (Adelpha bredowii)
- 3; Little Wood Satyr - (Megisto cymela) - 6; Queen -
(Danaus gilippus) - 1; presumed Juvenal's Duskywing -
(Erynnis juvenalis) - 1; Funereal Duskywing - (Erynnis
funeralis) - 2; Julia's Skipper - (Nastra julia) - 3;
Fiery Skipper - (Hylephila phyleus) - 1; Sachem -
(Atalopedes campestris) - 10; Dun Skipper - (Euphyes vestris)
- 8; Roadside-Skipper sps. - (Amblyscirtes sps.) - 1;
Eufala Skipper - (Lerodea eufala) - 1;
33 sps.
+5 species seen yesterday but not today:
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Gulf Fritillary, Monarch,
Northern Cloudywing, Western Checkered Skipper.
Juvenal's / Horace's Duskywing
April 14 I had about 23 species around the house, with
highlights being Spicebush Swallowtail (looked like the
same worn one), and a couple "first of years". The
Carolina Satyr might be new for Bandera Co., and at
least 4-5 Bronze Roadside-Skippers were about as well!
April 12 Derek Muschalek visited and found Dotted
Roadside-Skipper (regular here), Eufala Skipper,
and Northern Cloudywing in the yard on a cold morning.
We went to Utopia Park and he found a Carolina Satyr!
Then at Lost Maples we saw 3 each of Question Marks,
and Spicebush Swallowtails! He saw a Silvery Checkerspot
I missed due to being overcome with a Ring-necked Snake!
there were 2 doz. Reakirt's Blues at Lost Maples, and a
variety of regular stuff, like Little Wood Satyr and such.
April 10 I saw my first Spicebush Swallowtail here,
15 each of Cloudless Sulphur (mostly white females)
and Pipevine Swallowtail.
April 7, it exploded with over 30 (about 32) species seen
around the place! Without starting the car! Highlights were
a male Falcate Orangetip, a Lyside Sulphur, 3-4 CA Sisters,
2 positive Goatweed Leafwings, a Southern Skipperling,
Celia's Roadskipper, and a beautiful gold-orange headed
Dun Skipper or two.
April 6 about 20 sps. about the house. Interesting were
a Leafwing, which I probably got documentry photos of,
but was beat up and ragged and did not look like the
fresh one here a few days ago. A positive Goatweed Leafwing
was near the Waresville Cemetery in Uvalde Co. though!
The first Queen of the year was at my place nectaring,
also quite worn and frayed. At least 6 Little Wood Satyr
were out, 2 Orange Skipperlings, and a
Dotted Roadside-Skippper also showed well.
April 5 an orange female Large Orange Sulphur was in
the yard on the Dakota/Canadian Verbena! An early date I think?
April 1 started the month with a good showing of mostly
the regulars seen earlier in the year. 4 sps. of Swallowtails,
a bunch of Cloudless Sulphurs, mostly white form females,
a Gray Hairstreak (ph.), Calif. Sister (common locally),
Monarch, Funerial Duskywing, Common Checkered Skipper,
Orange Skipperling and Julia's Skipper amongst about
24 species seen.
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