Recent Butterflies and Other Bright Things

Hobomk Slipper on Blue Flag

Will this be a good season for butterflies? It's hard to tell. Last year at this time we were experiencing torrential rains and historic flooding. One of the results of the deluge was to depress populations of our early summer butterflies. I suspect that this season's numbers will be down as a result of poor breeding success from last year, but again, it's hard to be sure. Butterflies can be quite resilient - and since a single butterfly can produce hundreds of eggs, favorable weather conditions this year can result in high survival rates for hatchlings. 

Hobomok Skipper can be found in forest clearings and wooded edges

The Common Ringlet has been around for a couple of weeks

Long Dash Skippers are just starting to emerge

Long Dash Skipper on Red Clover

Silver-spotted Skipper feeds on nectar of Tufted Vetch

Recently emerged Silver-spotted Skipper on newly opened Indian Hemp flowers

Silver-spotted Skipper

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

The White Admiral Butterfly imbibes water from the muddy driveway

White Admiral Butterfly - Its underwings are decorated with reddish spots

Baltimore Checkerspot caterpillar 

Viceroy Butterfly on a willow sapling

A female Common Yellowthroat with a beak-full of food for her young

The Common Spring Moth on Multiflora Rose

Foxglove Beardtongue began blooming in the meadow this week