Recent sightings

Sun and clouds, upper 70's and very humid.
lots of gnats
2:20-3:30

Good to see so many Monarchs (100 a rough estimate). Mostly on the old Interpretive Center trails, nectaring on Eupatorium (Thourghwort?).
10:30-1:30. Bright overcast. Mid 70's.

2:00-4:40 PM. High 70's. Much goldenrod blooming but most nectaring on Knapweed. Brazilian verbena in gardens also attracted many butterflies. Also 3 dark swallowtail sp., 1 road-killed rosa-form Buckeye.

Observations made from Fredon-Marksboro Road north and south of intersection with Fairview Hill Road (note that this is private property, and much of it is protected by an electric fence). Mostly sunny, humid, low 80's. 3:30-4:00. Pasture loaded with Spotted Knapweed flowers . Last brood of Meadow Fritillaries the largest brood this year.

Spmerset Historic Site

10:00-12:00. 70°-mid 80s. Cloudy for the first hour, then good sun. A walk conducted for patrons of the Wild Birds Unlimited store in Middletown.

9:30 AM to 3:30 PM ; warm, humid, mostly sunny; Observations made while at the NABA - North Jersey Butterfly Club exhibit and during member led butterfly walk.

noon, sunny, warm. zabs here all week but, too lazy to report them. all on small zinnias.

3:00-4:00
sun and clouds, light drizzle, 70's

Don't know what the little brownish one is? Can anyone help identify it?

Saw the Hackberry Emperor yesterday - first one seen in the backyard.

2-3 pm. Upper 70s.

12:15-3:00
Sunny, 67-70.
Compare results to our posted Aug. 30 visit. Much less knapweed in bloom on 9/11 visit.
2 unident. anglewings

10:00 AM - 12:20 PM. Most activity on Knapweed and Thistle. A couple of grass-skippers so faded we could not venture an ID.

1:30 - 3:00

10:10 - 12:25

10:45 to 2:15. Sunny, calm with temps in the 70s. Gorgeous day with surprisingly good butterfly variety.

10:15-12:00
mostly sunny, and breezy, 60's

1:15pm-4:15pm, clear then partly clear, breezy, 72F
Lots of nectar: thoroughwort, goldenrod, ironweed, thistle, some knapweed, some loosestrife, aster just starting

9:30 Am - 3:30 PM. Cool morning, breezy, warmed up later. Also 1 white-form Sulphur sp, 1 Anglewing sp.

11:30-1:30. Partly cloudy. Sun was blocked 20% of the time. 65-70F.
The fields were beautiful with goldenrods, Wild Bergamot, a few asters and the purplish tint of the Little Bluestem. But there were few butterflies.

Took a stroll around the first pond and part of the second along the edge that contained a good mix of wildflowers. There was a lot of butterfly activity once we got out of the area with heavy foot traffic. Along with the butterflies, I found a Milkweed with (3) Monarch caterpillars.

10:40-11:30
upper 50's, breezy, and mostly cloudy

1-2 pm.

Sunny, 65 degrees, windy
10:30 - 1:05

During an early morning walk around the yard I found 2 more Monarchs feeding nearby 2 that already pupated in the White Snakeroot next to the Milkweed. Across from them in the patch of Hog Peanut, there was a late instar Silver-spotted Skipper. In the driveway I found a pair of Delicate Cycnia hiding on the back of Indian Hemp. On the next leaves over, several Delicate Cycnia caterpillars of various stages.

Later that morning I saw a few Cabbage Whites in the garden with 2 males chasing a female and later in the day the lucky winner mating with her.

Meanwhile in the rearing container, 2 Milkweed Tussock caterpillars pupated while a third was in the early stages of pupation.