October 2018 Sightings

Sun and cloud mix. Warm and breezy. Isabella and Virginian Tiger Moth caterpillars scattered throughout the yard along with a few Fall Webworms that have not gone off to pupate yet.

Becoming sunny, 75 degrees in PM.

3:25-4:00, 74, sunny.

1130 to 1330. 70's, humid, mostly cloudy.

1:30-2:00. Sun and clouds. Also one Monarch chrysalis.

2:10-3:00, mostly sunny, 66°. We haven't seen a Buckeye in NJ all year, so nice to see 2 today.

Overcast with on and off misty drizzle.

Clouds and sun, high near 80. Our Purpletop Verbena is still going strong, and all the butterflies love it. The sulphur is one of the very few we've had here all year.

1430 to 1500. Mostly cloudy, humid, 70's. During an interlude of sunshine, I was able to find some butterflies.

3:00 PM

First report and very excited to include our first Long-tailed Skipper ever seen in NJ and of course a yard first as well. Species is well known to John Temple and me (he is also an observer) through Southern U.S. travel. Like Silver-spotted Skipper but blue-green above, with full and complete almost swallowtail-like tail. It was observed nectaring in our zinnia garden (we have many butterfly-friendly flowers in the yard). Observed for ~15 seconds, but when I ran inside to get a camera, it of course flew away and we could not relocate. Still, probably the most exciting butterfly sighting ever.

Sun & Clouds, Temp in upper 70s
1:30 - 2:30 PM

1200 to 1305. Mostly cloudy, humid, 70's. Butterflies found in the fenced garden by the Nature Center Parking Lot during a burst of sunshine. No luck with my target species: Anglewings and Mourning Cloak. All specimens seemed fresh, especially the Dun male.

2:30-3:05. 80 DEGREES. MOSTLY CLOUDY, HUMID.
For a quick stop, very good day in this garden for this time of year. Photos by Iphone.

This is at least the 5th Ocola Skipper this fall in Montclair. Common Checkered-Skipper is very rare around here (my 4th ever sighting in Montclair in about 20 years). One of the Buckeyes were super fresh.

overcast, drizzle on and off, about 75F

Leaderless Walks - 8 members. Cloudy and overcast with southerly winds.

2:30pm-4:00pm, mostly cloudy, 82F

70's, very humid, mostly cloudy.

Unseasonably warm and humid.

Nice numbers of monarchs in my garden every day now, mostly on the buddleia and zinnias.

9:30-9:45, overcast with mist, in downtown Morristown

One lone Monarch on the Buddleia on a chilly morning before the morning rain came through.

Migrating Monarchs were tallied while hawkwatching.

4:30 pm, sunny, 60F

Early to mid afternoon while waiting for Black-throated Gray Warbler to appear. Along with the butterflies, we saw a few Virginian Tiger Moth caterpillars, Ailanthus Webworm Moth, Soybean Loopers and Clover/Forage Looper Moths.

small daisies, purple asters, golden rod blooming; monarch on only visible blooming thistle in park