You may have noticed Millers (aka Army Cutworm Moths – Euxoa auxillaris) in every nook and cranny lately. They are on a migration to higher elevations in Colorado and Wyoming where they will spend the summer before returning in the fall. But did you know that they are bear food? Scientists have determined that GrizzlyContinue reading “Army Cutworm Moth Migration”
Monthly Archives: June 2020
Platte River Bottom Lands – Alda to Wood River
Chris Helzer sent me a skipper picture Wednesday which he had correctly ided as Peck’s Skipper (Polites peckius). He’d taken the pic at a Nature Conservancy tract south of Alda and he commented that they were not uncommon there. As I had not yet sighted that skipper this year and it was only an hour’sContinue reading “Platte River Bottom Lands – Alda to Wood River”
Nebraska Statewide Arboretum Plant Sale
I got an e-mail this morning with a link to the plants they have available to buy. They have a lot of hard to find plants. If you are not a member I would encourage you to join. Happy Shopping!! https://arboretumplants.org/ They have a Senna (Cassia species) available that will attract the Sleepy Oranges featuredContinue reading “Nebraska Statewide Arboretum Plant Sale”
If you plant it they will come
For the upteenth (ok probably about 10th) straight year Sleepy Oranges (Abaeis nicippe) have found their way to my yard. Drawn by the presence of their larval hostplant Wild Senna (Cassia marilandica) they have become annual visitors, arriving each year in late spring from their home range in more southern climes. Not being widely sold,Continue reading “If you plant it they will come”
Niobrara Valley Preserve Trip #1
Monday, June 1 Jen and I left Elm Creek for the Niobrara Valley Preserve located in Brown, Keya Paha and Cherry counties, arriving there about 10:00 am. As promised, the weather was warm, with temps already in the mid 80’s. Mainly we were looking for spring flying Duskywings (Erynnis sp.) whose larvae feed on oakContinue reading “Niobrara Valley Preserve Trip #1”