Author Archives: hpahaska

Creighton University’s Dr. Ted Burk recently made a presentation about Monarchs and Regal Fritillaries to students of the UNL entomology program about observations he and his students have made while surveying for the two species over the past 20 years or so. Even if you think you know everything there is to know about theseContinue reading “Regal and Monarch Zoom Presentation”

While browsing through iNaturalist recently I came across two additional county records. The first was a Common Sootywing from Thayer County Common Sootywing (Pholisora catullus) from Thayer County, NE, USA on May 24, 2023 at 01:26 PM by dave21779 · iNaturalist. This common species has now been found in 89 counties. Let’s find it inContinue reading “Two More Skipper Records”

Perusing the iNaturalist website one cold winter day I came across two new county records for Peck’s Skippers (Polites peckius) in Nebraska. The first record (a handsome specimen) was found by UNL Associate Entomology Professor Tom Weissling in Nance County. The second record was from Scotts Bluff County where Steven Mlodinow photographed a Peck’s SkipperContinue reading “Two New Peck’s Skipper County Records”

I was passing a cold winter day skimming through iNaturalist records when I came across a couple of new Funereal Duskywing (Erynnis funeralis) records for the state. The first came from Colin Croft from the Wildcat Hills area (Scotts Bluff Co.) on May 22, 2020. The second was found at Sutherland Reservoir (Lincoln Co.) onContinue reading “Two “new” Funereal Duskywing Records”

Tying up loose ends for the 2023 season I’ve found several submissions that I let “fall through the cracks” and did not recognize this past year. First on the list are Lori Tomes’s county records which she found in Saunders County this past year. This past May 3rd she photographed/identified a Gray Comma (Polygonia progne)Continue reading “Late Season Addendum vol 1.”

A couple of new butterfly records have been reported. On October 1 Cathy Prettyman spotted a Texan Crescent on some asters in Washington County. Southern strays have been few and far between in Nebraska this year with this one being an exception. Great find Cathy!! On September 28 Barb Rimel photographed a rare form “americus”Continue reading “Cool New Butterflies!!”

Another state record and two more county records have been reported. Let’s start with the state record. On September 12 Eric Strehlow found an interesting moth that was attracted to a mercury vapor light. It turned out to be Papaipema beeriana (a Blazing Star Borer). Its larvae bore into and feed in stalks of variousContinue reading “Three More Lepidoptera Records”

Back on August 11 Colin Croft found Glena nigricaria (sorry, no common name) in the Wildcat Hills south of Scotts Bluff/Gehring. This moth is western in distribution with Colin’s Nebraska record the easternmost in the United States The larvae feed on pines and are cryptically colored to blend in with pine needles (click on theContinue reading “Two New Moths for the State”

Two more moths have been added to our state’s ever growing moth list. The two latest additions come from opposite ends of the state, one from Lincoln and the other from the Scotts Bluff area. On August 11 Colin Croft found a neat Geometer Moth (Glena nigricaria) in the Wildcat Hills south of Scotts Bluff.Continue reading “More New Moths for the State”

Many thanks to contributors who continue to submit moth records. This past week Jen Corman verified a Snowberry Clearwing record from Rock County. That makes 44 counties with records for a species that occurs statewide. More work to do. Good job Jen! Mark Brogie continues to amaze. In the past week he has added twoContinue reading “More new moth records”