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May 21-July 13, 2013
Omaha, Nebraska
Sachem(Atalopedes campestris)
Backyard butterfly list for the year so far. Number indicates the number of days sighted. Date is the date first sighted.
Butterflies:
Cabbage White(11) 05/25/13
Red Admiral(5) 06/11/13
Black Swallowtail(3) 07/06/13
Pearl Crescent(1) 06/24/13
Great-spangled Fritillary(1) 07/07/13
Skippers:
Sachem(1) 07/13/13
The start of this year's butterfly season has not been good. A total of 21 butterflies through mid-July puts me just one ahead of where I was in April of last year. There is no doubt that our late Spring had something to do with it. Hard freezes in late April capped of by several inches of snow at the beginning of May were sure to have a dramatic impact on early butterfly totals. And they did. But, it eventually warmed up, plants germinated and flowered, and the butterflies have begun appearing. I suspect that as more plants in my yard come into flowers, weekly numbers will go up. Only time will tell.
Despite the year's crummy start, there have been a few bright spots. Last Sunday I spotted a Great-spangled Fritillary(Speyeria cybele, pictured left) in the yard, a butterfly that was absent last year. Also Sunday, I watched a Red Admiral(Vanessa atalanta) laying eggs on a common garden weed. Red Admiral caterpillars feed on plants in the nettle family, and I had no idea this plant was a member of that family. I guess I'll have to be a bit more careful when I do my weeding. Sadly, I didn't get a very good photo of the butterfly, but I got a decent shot of one of the eggs.(pictured right) Lastly, Black Swallowtail(Papilio polyxenes numbers have been encouraging. I've already seen as many as I saw in July last year, and only two fewer than I saw all of last year. I've even seen a few caterpillars munching on my dill. So maybe this year has potential after all.
That's what I am seeing in my backyard. What are you seeing in your area?