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August 5-11, 2012
Omaha, Nebraska
Backyard butterfly weekly list. Number indicates the number of days sighted. Names in bold represent new sightings for the year.
Butterflies:
Eastern Tailed-blue(4)
Monarch(2)
Gray Hairstreak(2)
Cabbage White(1)
Cloudless Sulphur(1)
Skippers:
Sachem(6)
Peck's(1)
Silver-spotted(1)
Fiery(1)
Last week's count was 10 Butterflies and 9 Skippers. Over the same period last year I counted 22 Butterflies and 9 Skippers. Once again, the conspicuous absence was the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail(Papilio glaucus) Last year I recorded them 6 days out of the week. Black Swallowtails (Papilio polyxenes) have been almost as uncommon. So far, I have recorded just three for the year. I know they've been around, though, as last week I spotted two caterpillars feeding on dill. The first, which didn't make it, looked like a third instar caterpillar. The second,(pictured above the fold) looks like a fifth instar caterpillar, and hopefully will pupate soon.
On the other hand, I recorded no Sachems (Atalopedes campestris) over the same week. Aside from a singe spotting near the end of July, last year I did not even begin regularly recording Sachems until August 14th. Last year at this time the dominant Skipper was the Silver-Spotted Skipper(Epargyreus clarus) I have seen just a few this year, but I finally managed a photo(above-left).
Those are my Butterflies for the week, what are you seeing in your area?