What a great 2024! I’d like to extend a thank you to everyone contributing records and expand our understanding of Nebraska’s diverse Lepidopteran fauna. On the butterfly side one state record and ten county records were found/submitted. Lori Tomes had the find of the year when she photographed this male Diana Fritillary in Saunders County on June 18 – the first record of this butterfly in the state. There is a permanent Diana Fritillary population in the Missouri Ozarks from which this male must have originated. Great find and photo Lori!
Nebraska Statewide Arboretum’s Blazing Star Award winner Cathy Prettyman found two new species in Washington County – a Funereal Duskywing she photographed in 2019 and a second brood Zabulon Skipper she photographed in Blair on August 23 of this year. Zabulon Skippers must have had a good year as they were reported multiple times, but the only other county record was photographed by Jacob Cooper (a UNK professor) in Howard County (near the western edge of their range) on May 26. Rachel Hall submitted three records for Polk County – a 2021 Northern Broken Dash Skipper, a 2020 Giant Swallowtail and a Hackberry Emperor from July 18, 2024. Terry Mason contributed two new 2024 records from Custer County – an Olive Hairstreak (May 28) and Snout Butterfly (July 25). And on August 24 I found Common Sootywings and Sachem Skippers on alfalfa in Adams County. Thanks again for your interest/participation!
Up next – 2024 Moth findings!
Hi all
There is only an experimental population of Diana fritillary in SW MO (OK genetics). This was started by Dr. Barnhart several years ago.
The closest native populations of this species to MO are in NE Oklahoma and NW Arkansas. I truely wish we had a population that was native.
That male flew along way! Great find!
Like the post.
Thank you for the information, Casey. It certainly was a surprise find for me!
Thanks for all the work you and your team do to make the website possible and keeping us updated!