Recent
butterfly (and moth!) sightings at Fermilab
Tom Peterson
September 4,
2008
Purplish Coppers are flying
here! Last year, for the first time in 10 years, I did not see
any. Fluctuations in butterfly populations from year to year are
typical, due to weather, disease, etc. But I know when and where
to look for the coppers here, so seeing none last year was a
concern. Not to worry, a brief visit to one of our copper "hot
spots" yesterday at noon revealed nearly a dozen flying, including the
female in the photograph below.
August 15,
2008
A fresh Luna Moth was on a service building yesterday morning.
These moths have two generations per year, appearing in May and usually
again in late July, typically not quite this late in summer. They
sleep by day, so one can have a close look without disturbing them,
which allowed the interesting close-up photo of the front wing eyespot,
below.
August 13,
2008
Tiger and Giant Swallowtails are abundant
now. A photo of each is attached below. This is the second
boom year in a row here for Giant Swallowtails. Bronze Coppers are also flying in good
numbers here, typically near our ponds since the caterpillars feed on
marsh plants. Earlier this week, I found two Big
Poplar Sphinxes sitting only a few meters apart on a building,
quite a surprise since these have not been common moths in past
years.
Giant Swallowtail above, photographed last summer at Fermilab.
Tiger Swallowtail below, photographed July 25 at Fermilab. Note
that they like the Monarda (Bee Balm).
July 16, 2008
A long time since the last update, and there is some important news --
Gypsy Moths have arrived at Fermilab. Male Gypsy Moths fly day
and night. During the day they look like small brown butterflies,
but like most moths, their flight appears a bit more labored, without
gliding. The females are larger and white and do not fly, laying
their eggs near the cocoon from which they emerged, typically on the
trunk of the tree.
Gypsy Moth male at Fermilab, July 10
Gypsy Moth female at Fermilab, July 10
Butterflies have been out in good numbers. Gray Commas and Banded Hairstreaks seem abundant at
the woods edge. Common Wood-nymphs
are flying in the fields and prairies. It looks like a big year
for Mourning Cloaks.
Finally, a new species for the Fermilab site was spotted and
photographed last week -- a Northern Oak Hairstreak. It looks
very much like a Banded Hairstreak (what's different: orange cap
on the blue spot, pattern of white lines on underside hind wing) and
was flying in the same area, the western edge of the big woods.
We are at the northern edge of the range of this species. Perhaps
their range is extending north, a species to watch for here in future
years.
Northern Oak Hairstreak at Fermilab, July 11
April 7, 2008
This past weekend marked the first warm weekend of the spring and the
first local butterflies! A short walk through the woods at
Fermilab revealed many Eastern Commas
(winter forms) and Mourning
Cloaks. Since these species overwinter as adults and
become active with the first sunny, 60 F + days of the year, they are
often the first butterflies that I see here. The flashy presence
of the orange commas resting on the brown leaves in the woods can be
quite striking.