September 2020 Sightings

Early AM.

deer ate my asters and I quickly planted some scabiosa- non native, but not a spreader. the skippers fight over it.

Sunny until early afternoon, then mostly cloudy, high about 80.

Sunny until 2:30. Sometimes I think I have planted too much Blue Mist Flower but not today.

12:00 to 3:15; mostly sunny early, clouds late.; temps. ca. 80°.

Gray Hairstreak parked itself on a hybrid Echinacea and stayed there for over two hours.

historical

8-10 am. Lots of Chickweed Geometers active in addition to the butterflies.

10:15-12:30, mostly sunny, 80 degrees and still humid after last night’s storms.

Brief stop. Not much here, the Purple loosestrife on the west side of Central Ave is still hanging on, the east side still marked "No trespassing".

10:30 AM - 1:10 PM. 77-81 degrees, sun and clouds, NW breeze. Lots of goldenrod and thistle blooming. The one Eastern Tiger was immaculately fresh.

10:20-2:30 Sunny and warm
Wade was one short step away from treading on a very large Timber Rattlesnake. The only two locations in north Jersey that are known to support double-figure populations of the state Endangered Leonard's Skipper are shale barrens sparsely vegetated with Little Bluestem Grass (host plant) and Spotted Knapweed (primary nectar plant).

Sunny, High 70s F; 11:45 AM–12:40 PM
1 Male & 1 Female Sachem
Also seen, 1 White Female Sulphur

first picture about 8:30 am… second one before noon

10:30 AM - 12:40 PM. Clear, sunny, 70-75 degrees. Peck's and Zabulon Skippers getting worn and faded.

The Spicebush was seen near the pond. All other butterflies were seen in the extensive boneset bloom along the cliff from the pond south and west. Sachem number is conservative. There could easily have been 200.

New Trail with lots of mature hardwood trees….Located on Woosamonsa Road in Hopewell off Rt 31 south of Titus Mill Road traffic light.

Sunny, Low 70s; 11:20 AM to 12:40 PM

1:15pm-2:45pm, 81°F, sunny, late stage Cloudless

12:30 to 2:30. Sunny, temps in upper 70s.

Mostly birding today. Sightings are from the immediate hawkwatch area and a few areas just north of there. The Cloudless Sulfurs were all southbound. Also one duskywing sp.

140-415pm

Dagmar Dale Trail, northern loop
Sunny; Mid 70s F; 11:20 AM - 1:40 PM
The Great Spangled Fritillary was exceptionally worn.

12:15-5:00pm, 80°F, sunny
Red Admiral and Painted Lady were very fresh.

2:15-4:30 PM. Sunny. Most of the Eastern Tailed-Blues and Pearl Crescents seen were puddling on the dirt roads.

Sunny, Mid 70s; 11:50AM to 12:40PM

1015-1215pm
SLF continues to be problematic here.

10 AM - 1:15 PM. Sun with high cloud, 71-77 degrees. Much of the purple loosestrife done; each of the remaining patches with bloom was inhibited by 2-5 large mantises. Bidens and Purple gerardia in full bloom. After seeing only beat-up Eastern Tigers for several weeks, have seen quite fresh individuals the last few times out; perhaps the recent rains stimulated a late emergence?