Recent sightings

American Lady was the first one I've seen this season

Another overcast day. We saw 1 Monarch on a Buddleia, in the butterfly garden. The rest were seen on Goldenrod in the field. The pollinator of the day was the Ailanthus Webworm Moth. I counted 87 while walking the loop. There must have many more on the plants away from the edge of the path.

Despite the dismal weather, I managed to flush a Cabbage White while gardening and saw two female Eastern Tailed-Blue searching for suitable host plants. Earlier this morning, I found a single Silver-spotted Skipper caterpillar resting on a Black Locust leaf along with a dozen or so Isabella Tiger Moth (Woolly Bear) Caterpillars feeding on various plants in the garden and in the lawn.

Leaderless Walks - 8 participants

Good year for Ocola Skippers up here. Another one was nectaring on MSU campus today.

Also, the first real Monarch migration day. When I was on a roof in town to see some migrating Broad-Winged Hawks, I saw at least 20 migrating Monarchs in about an hour.

10:45 to 1:30. Sun with clouds; temps mid-70s to about 80°. Swarthy Skipper quite worn. Obvious Monarch movement.

rainy day… sachems in low number… then a fresh hairstreak

12:20- variegated was fresh; dusky wing was worn

A beautiful sunny, above average temperature day.
We saw a few Silver-spotted Skipper caterpillars in their shelters in Bush Clover and a gorgeous late instar Pine Sphinx Caterpillar.

3:20-4pm, sunny 80F

2:30-3:30 pm. 86 degrees. Clouds and sun.
Most years I see at least one (usually 2-3) Ocola Skippers in this garden, almost always on verbena.

11:00 to 2:00. Mostly sunny and humid; temp. ca. 80°.

Various flowers around the pond were still in bloom including Climbing Hempvine and Blue Mistflower. While poking around the Mistflower, I happened to notice a Giant Water Bug resting on a leaf nearby. My first sighting outside of Northern New Jersey.

Most of the activity on Zinnia, Marigolds and Buddleia.

Several butterfly gardens in town. 2:15-4 pm.

Let Monmouth County Aud Trip

finally not raining, about 75F; sachems M,F

11:00 to 1:15. Overcast, 70s. This area is loaded with shrubby willows and is a great spot for Viceroys and Red-spotted Purples. But it was interesting that ca. 8 Viceroys and 2 Red-spotted Purples were "nectaring" on the berries of three Autumn Olive shrubs, a very invasive alien. They were really quite approachable leading me to wonder if the juice was somewhat fermented.

12:30 pm , break in the drizzle

new day, new monarch, though the weather was still rainy and not conducive to flight