July 2018 Sightings

9:30 AM to 11:00 AM Hot, up to 92 deg. F., mostly sunny,

95°F, sunny, 3:30pm-4:30pm

2:00pm-3:00pm. 94°F, sunny, short stop to see if any Harvesters had recolonized the site-no joy.

Lots to Milkweed but few Butterflies

Observations from 8:00-11:00am. Primarily targeting Hoary Edge.

Observations from 11:45am-2:00pm. An unided hairstreak spp.

There has been some more activity at the milkweed as well as other visitors to the garden. However, the bait, mud and scat remain untouched.

In the evening I had a butterfly visitor at the moth lights. A European Skipper joined the crowd. I have had a number of butterflies come to the lights at night through the years. This was my first Skipper. The night before I had a beautiful Promethea Moth come to the back porch light.

8:30-1:00 mid 90s
1 fresh Coral Hairstreak 1 worn

10 AM - noon; sunny and very hot.

drive by sighting

11:15-12:00. Sunny, hot, humid. We had Baltimores here in 2016, but none since.

11:30 to 2:15. A nice place to be on a hot day. Temps. in high 80s.

[Moderator's Note]: This is the 3rd report of Compton Tortoiseshell in the state this year and first report of the summer brood–all in Sussex County. Keep an eye on them elsewhere in northern NJ.

Extremely hot and humid. Constant thunder from the east. Observations from 2-4pm

9:00-10:15 and 2:55-3:40, in different areas. Sunny, very hot, oppressively humid.

10:00 to 2:15. Mostly overcast with occasional thin sun; temps in mid-80s.

8 to 11 am. Hazy, Hot, & Humid.

10-2pm overcast with thunder in the distance, very humid
first time visit and not my last

1:30 to 3:00. Sunny, hot & humid. Checking a spot for Saturday's Springdale Fourth of July Butterfly Count.

Finally a Banded Hairstreak!

I also found two different instars of Abbott's Sphinx caterpillars on the Virginia Creeper on the front porch.

Mid afternoon. We watched a Monarch ovipositing in the butterfly garden. We had a few early and mid instar Prominent and Crambid Snout caterpillars on various trees and plants. Butterfly numbers were very low compared to visits in early July in other years.

Wooded and marshy area to the left of the trail head where the official trail ends and goes towards the Rt 206 shopping area.

4-6pm
sunny 77f lots of thru hikers
many fresh commas

Observations from 11-11:45am

9:30-2 pm
sunny and no clouds 77f
walked to castle , button bush productive
very comfortable day

1420 to 1600. Sunny, high 70's, low humidity, slight breeze.
The +/- 6 acre area is mostly covered with milkweed, which, despite being past peak, attracted a good number of Monarchs, some of whom appeared to be ovipositing. Unfortunately, Japanese Stilt Grass continues to take over all but the sunniest areas.

No Harvesters! 2:15-3:00, sunny