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September 9-15, 2012
Omaha, Nebraska
Gray Hairstreak- Strymon melinus
Backyard butterfly weekly list. Number indicates the number of days sighted. Names in bold represent new sightings for the year.
Butterflies:
Monarch(2)
Mourning Cloak(2)
Orange Sulphur(1)
Common Buckeye(1)
Gray Hairstreak(1)
Cabbage White(1)
Painted Lady(1)
Skippers:
Peck's(4)
Sachem(2)
Tawny-edged(1)
Moths
Ailanthus Webworm Moth(2)
Last week was not a great week for butterfly observation. It was cloudy and cool and we even got some good rain. Probably more significantly, Summer is ending and the days are getting shorter. I checked my records from last year and butterfly observations fell off dramatically starting the second week in September. The season is ending.
Still, Sunday was a good day. It was bright and sunny and there were a fair number of butterflies. Among these, my favorite, the Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia, pictured left). Buckeyes have always been a late summer visitor to my yard, though I did record at least one in May. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to see more as the season progresses.
The cooler weather seems to be bringing the Mourning Cloaks(Nymphalis antiopa) out. I'd had one sighting in May and nothing since then. Sadly, they seem content to float through the yard, without stopping to feed or rest so I can take pictures. There are fewer Skippers in the yard. Peck's seems to be holding on but, for the first time since June, I did not record a single Fiery Skipper(Hylephila phyleus).
So those are my butterfly observations for the week. What are you seeing in your area?