Nebraska Lepidoptera: A Guide to Nebraska Butterflies and Moths

Fontenelle Forest, Kinter’s Ford, Prairie Knoll, Four Mile Creek and a Free Truck Wash

Fontenelle Forest – Seeing on “Nebraska and Great Plains Butterflies and Moths” that Hackberry Emperors were being found at Fontenelle Forest and needing them for my Big Year list Thursday morning I headed east for a day of adventures. As always the weather forecast was a factor with late day/evening storms being forecast for southeast Nebraska. I arrived at Fontenelle Forest in the late morning and began to scout out the area. Driving to the Hitchcock Wetlands Learning Center the Hackberry Emperors were everywhere with a few Red-spotted Purples sprinkled in. Cool I thought, two new species for the year without getting out of the car. So I drove back to the Camp Logan parking area and started to hike up the Bladdernut Trail. I hadn’t gone far when a hairstreak flew off the trail and perched atop a tall “weed” (aka unknown plant). As I angled around to get a good side view he/she rotated to keep facing me. When it finally tired of this game and let me get a good look I was amazed. It was a Hickory Hairstreak. Eventually it tired of my attention and flew off into the trees. A short time later it began to sprinkle. Not wanting to waste time waiting for the weather to clear I headed south to a couple of my “go to” spots in Richardson and Pawnee counties.

Kinter’s Ford SWMA is located on State Highway 8 a mile east of the Richardson/Pawnee county line. I pulled into the parking area east of the Big Nemaha River and was greeted with the sight of flowers everywhere. Checking out the milkweeds I found several Delaware Skippers – new for my Big Year. Noticing a large patch of smooth sumac in bloom next to the trees I went down to check those out as well. Butterflies were everywhere. People often overlook these as nectar sources when they are in bloom. But the butterflies don’t. Among the butterflies found there was a Silvery Checkerspot and several Dione Coppers (both new for the Big Year), along with three Giant Swallowtails and a host of common species.

Prairie Knoll SWMA is a quarter section located 1.5 miles north and a mile west of Du Bois in Pawnee county – about 5 miles away from Kinter’s Ford. It is one of my favorite areas because of the number of butterfly milkweeds found there. Road hunting the flowers in the ditch on the way there I found my year’s first Coral Hairstreak and Regal Fritillary. Strolling the property revealed no additional new species, with the milkweeds there just beginning to bloom.

Four Mile Creek SWMA – With some time left before the weather was supposed to close in I did some exploring end ended up back in Richardson county at Four Mile Creek SWMA three miles east and a mile south of Kinter’s Ford. There were common and butterfly milkweeds in flower along the road and parking lot. There I found a Great Spangled Fritillary, and about a half dozen Banded Hairstreaks and Dun Skippers all new for the year as well as Roadside and Tawny-edged Skippers.

The Free Truck Wash – With the skies darkening to the north and west I decided to head back. Not wanting to be on the interstate with a bunch of traffic in bad weather I opted for an alternative more southerly route through Adams, Claytonia and Wilbur which in hindsight was probably a mistake. It started raining just south of Lincoln and by the time I got to Claytonia it had begun to hail. I took shelter under a tree but that seemed to do little good. Rather than sit there and take a beating I headed back onto the road and drove through a couple more miles of hail before the storm regressed back into a torrential downpour. After 25 miles of rain it finally stopped somewhere south of Seward and from there the rest of the trip was uneventful. The next morning I heard that DeWitt (5 miles distant from Claytonia) received over 7″ of rain. Crazy – nobody needs that.

Delaware Skipper (Anatrytone logan) – The most common of the three Golden Girls (see June 14 post), this adaptable grassland species flies in multiple generations from mid summer to early autumn, sometimes finding their way into urban parklands and landscapes. It’s larvae feed on various prairie grasses including big bluestem and switchgrass. The Delaware Skipper is found statewide. It can be separated from the other gold skippers by the black veins on their wings.

Delaware Skippers, male, female, side view

Dun Skippers (Euphyes vestris) – This uniformly dark skipper can be confused with Northern Broken Dash and Little Glassywing Skippers (more on them in another post later), but it is by far the most common of the three. It’s larvae feed on various sedges. This species is found statewide as well. With records extending into early September at least a partial second brood is likely.

Dione Copper (Lycaena dione) – Also called the Great Gray Copper this species is one of the larger coppers, being about the same size as a quarter. A single flight can be found from mid June to early July. The length of the orange hindwing border is variable, being more extensive in females. This copper is found statewide. Larvae feed on various Docks (Rumex sp.).

Coral Hairstreak (Satyrium titus) – Larvae feed on Chokecherry and Plum (Prunus sp.). While in the same genus as the other hairstreaks it actually lacks a tail on the hindwing. Instead this butterfly can be identified by the “coral” colored markings on the outer margin of the ventral hindwing. While wild plums are larval hostplants most are found on/near chokecherries. Finding milkweeds in bloom in close proximity to chokecherry plants increases your odds of locating this butterfly. They are found statewide.

Coral Hairstreak – photo by Randy Floyd (iNaturalist)

Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus) – Larvae feed on oaks and their range in Nebraska largely coincides with that of native bur oaks. Adults often perch on their host plants with males flying out to investigate passing butterflies. They can be highly localized, often being found exclusively on the same tree or two for multiple years while being absent from other trees nearby. Tapping oak branches puts them into flight (perched in the trees they are not easily located). Checking flowers in the vicinity of oak trees can also be productive. The Band in the common name refers to the band of white markings on the underside of the hindwing. This butterfly is NENHP listed as a Tier 2 species.

Banded Hairstreak – photo by Jon Nikilla

Hickory Hairstreak (Satyrium caryaevorum) – Hickory Hairstreaks are seldom reported and their range is restricted to southeast Nebraska where their larval hostplants native hickories (shagbark and bitternut) occur. This butterfly is NENHP listed as a Tier 2 species.

Hickory Hairstreak – 6 June 2018 Photo by Tony Palmer (iNaturalist)

Regal Fritillary (Speyeria idalia) – This handsome butterfly is listed as a Tier 1 species on the NENHP rankings meaning it is a species of concern nationwide. Regal Fritillaries have been found statewide and while not as numerous as in the past they can still be found in good numbers at some localities. Their larvae eat various Violets (Viola sp.) and overwinter as freshly hatched caterpillars in leaf litter. Larvae surviving the winter begin feeding in the spring and adults begin to emerge in mid June. After a few weeks during which mating occurs most males die and the females go into a period of inactivity until late August/early September when they begin the process of egg laying.

Regal Fritillary – photo by Jen Corman (iNaturalist)

Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria c. cybele) – Ten subspecies of this butterfly cross the continent from Nova Scotia to the Puget Sound. The nominate subspecies occurs in Nebraska where it has been found everywhere except the southern panhandle and southwestern counties. Like the Regal Fritillary it emerges in mid June and lingers into early September. Larvae feed on Violets.

Great Spangled Fritillary – photo by Tony Palmer (iNaturalist)

Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis) – Most sightings of this butterfly are from June into early July which would suggest a single flight. But records from as late as mid August suggest the possibility a partial second brood. Silvery Checkerspot larvae feed on a variety of composites including sunflowers, coneflowers and asters. Adults are usually found around woodland margins or at mud. Most Nebraska records are from the eastern and northern parts of the state. Adults are similar to Pearl Crescents and Gorgone Checkerspots but are larger than both and has more extensive open orange area on its wings then Gorgone Checkerspots. This butterfly is on the NENHP listed as a Tier 2 species.

Silvery Checkerspot – photo by Tony Palmer (iNaturalist)

Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax) – There are two subspecies of this butterfly. The nominate subspecies Limenitis arthemis arthemis is more northerly in distribution and has a broad white band across its wings. Limenitis arthemis astyanax (found in Nebraska) is more southerly in distribution and lacks the broad white band. It is thought that this adaptation is a form of mimicry to gain protection from predators by resembling Pipevine Swallowtails whose larvae feed on poisonous pipevines which renders them distasteful. Red-spotted Purples have been found on the wing from June into September, but the bulk of our sightings are from June into mid July. Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) is the primary larval hostplant in the state. Adults seem to prefer woodland margins. This species ranges west up to the the panhandle where it is replaced by another banded sibling species Weidemeyer’s Admiral (Limenitis weidemeyerii). Hybrids between these two species have been found at the Niobrara Valley Preserve in Brown and Keya Paha counties. But that’s fodder for a later post.

Red-spotted Purple – photo by Denise Pecha (iNaturalist)

Hackberry Emperor (Asterocampa celtis) – The Hackberry Emperor larvae feed on (you guessed it) Hackberry trees. This butterfly can be found statewide and has two generations peaking in mid June and mid August. It frequents woodland margins where it can sometimes be abundant. While also visiting flowers it, along with many other woodland butterflies seeks out sap flows, rotting fruit and the like. It is not averse to landing on humans where it may take up perspiration, presumably for the salt content.

Hackberry Emperor – photo by Joanne Langabee (iNaturalist)

So all in all an exciting day. 11 new species for the Big Year bringing the ytd total to 56. I would encourage you to visit the three Wildlife Management Areas in Richardson and Pawnee counties. You will be the only person there. They are in close proximity and you can have good success walking the roads but I’d encourage you to visit the sumac in bloom at Kinter’s Ford which is a pretty short walk.

One interesting photo was sent in by “acolescjj” that Mark Brogie was able to identify as Mournful Thyris (Thyris sepulchralis). Thanks to you both!!

It’s Hairstreak Season

Mid June to mid July is Hairstreak season. A single generation of five hairstreaks (genus Satyrium) found in the state fly only in that time period. They get the name hairstreak from the threadlike extensions on the bottom of their hindwing. It is thought that the orange spot and hairstreak on the hindwings are meant to convince (or confuse) predators into thinking that is the insects’ head and to direct their attack there. At which time the butterfly escapes, cosmetically damaged but still alive. The five Nebraska hairstreaks are the Coral (S. titus), Acadian (S. acadicum), Banded (S. calanus), Hickory (S. caryaevorum), and Striped (S. liparops). Of the five Banded and Coral and Hairstreaks are usually found every year. Acadian Hairstreaks about every other year, Striped Hairstreaks about every five years, while Hickory Hairstreaks are seldom reported. Of the five species Coral, Hickory, Striped and Banded are all NENHP Tier 2 species (see June 14 post).

Banded Hairstreak – Satyrium calanus

Larvae feed on oaks and their range in Nebraska largely coincides with that of native bur oaks. Adults often perch on their host plants with males flying out to investigate passing butterflies. They can be highly localized, often being found exclusively on the same tree or two for multiple years while being absent from other trees nearby. Several personal observations – I’ve seen this hairstreak in the morning (as early as 7:00 am) on east facing oaks. Tapping oak branches puts them into flight (perched in the trees they are not easily located). Checking flowers in the vicinity of oak trees can also be productive. The Band in the common name refers to the band of white markings on the underside of the hindwing.

Coral Hairstreak – Satyrium titus

Larvae feed on Chokecherry and Plum (Prunus sp.) While in the same genus as the other hairstreaks it actually lacks a tail on the hindwing. Instead this butterfly can be identified by the “coral” colored markings on the outer margin of the ventral hindwing. While wild plums are larval hostplants most are found on/near chokecherries. Finding milkweeds in bloom in close proximity to chokecherry plants increases your odds of locating this butterfly. They are found statewide.

Acadian Hairstreak – Satrium acadicum

Larvae feed on willows (Salix sp.) and adults are usually found in riparian areas on or near their hostplants. Adults are lighter colored than other members of this genus. Maculation on the interior of the ventral hindwing consist of a row of dots. They appear to be less common south of the Platte River valley but otherwise can be found statewide.

Acadian Hairstreak – photo by Randy Floyd (iNaturalist)

Striped Hairstreaks – Satyrium liparops

While Striped Hairstreak larvae feed primarily on Chokecherry (P. virginiana) locating adults seems to be completely haphazard, with individuals often showing up randomly at unexpected locations (you can’t go looking for them, they just “happen”). The ventral hindwing is subtly marked with white striping. Distribution is statewide.

Hickory Hairstreak – Satrium caryaevorum

Hickory Hairstreaks are seldom reported and their range is restricted to southeast Nebraska where native hickories (shagbark and bitternut) occur. Most sightings are of single individuals. However, as is always the case, there are exceptions. Jim Reiser and I stumbled onto a population in a “ravine” west of Lincoln in 1994 where they were everywhere. Knowing we would never see this again we collected a couple dozen, mostly males (sadly for us males in the insect world we are largely disposable). They just kept floating out of the trees. When we left it seemed like there were more than when we arrived. Every once in a while the stars line up and normally small populations explode. Enjoy those moments when you come across them. I’ve driven Highway 34 west out of Lincoln several times (as an alternative to the Interstate madness) in recent years and cannot say for sure where that location is. Landscapes change, sadly it seems, hardly ever for the better.

Hickory Hairstreak – 6 June 2018 Bellevue NE Photo by Tony Palmer (iNaturalist)

There is one historic record of Edwards Hairstreak from Cherry county from about a 100 years ago but for the sake of brevity I won’t cover it here. So the hairstreaks are out. They’re small (fingernail sized) and very similar but with good pics can be identified. Or just enjoy them being there. Happy Hunting!

The Nebraska Natural Heritage Program and the Golden Girls

Silver Bordered Fritillary – A NENHP Tier 1 species, photo by Colin Croft

While there are no butterflies in Nebraska that are on US Fish and Wildlife’s Endangered or Threatened Species list there are quite a number of species from the state whose future is of concern, either regionally or nationally. These species are tracked by a cooperative nationwide Natural Heritage Program. Dr. Rachel Simpson (Nebraska Program Data Manager/GIS Specialist) has consented to explain the Program to us. She writes:

“The Nebraska Natural Heritage Program (NENHP) was created in 1987 to gather information on rare plants and animals and native plant communities, such as prairies, woodlands and wetlands. The program is also involved in conservation planning, recovery of rare species, and native habitat management. Examples of current projects are Salt Creek Tiger Beetle recovery and the management of native prairies and oak woodlands.

The Nature Conservancy began establishing state heritage programs in the 1970s as a means to determine where to best conserve biodiversity. Prior to this there was no central storehouse for information on which species were rare, their abundance and where on the landscape they occurred. Heritage programs have now been established in all 50 states, 9 Canadian provinces and territories, and parts of Latin America. In the U.S. most programs are housed in state conservation agencies or universities. The Nebraska Natural Heritage Program is part of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

In general NENHP and partners gather information about species that fall into one of two categories. ‘Tier 1 species’ are globally or nationally most at risk of extinction. ‘Tier 2 species’ are not at risk from a global or national perspective but are rare or at risk of disappearing from Nebraska.”

More information on the Nebraska Natural Heritage Program, including a link to a list of butterflies and other species tracked:
http://outdoornebraska.gov/naturalheritageprogram/

More information on the network of programs:
https://www.natureserve.org/

NENHP lists 14 butterfly species on their tier 1 list and another 84 as tier 2. Two of the Tier 1 species are the Ottoe and Arogos Skippers (Hesperia ottoe and Atrytone arogos). Both are prairie specialists and are two of what I like to call the “Golden Girls”. These two along with the Delaware Skipper (Anatrytone logan) can be nearly impossible to identify in the field. Here they are and how you might see them in the field. Get your field guide out and see how you do.

OK, how did you do? Sometimes if you’re lucky and the skipper cooperates you’ll get a look at the upperside. Then things get a little easier. Ottoe Skippers can easily be separated. The Delaware and Arogos Skippers still are frighteningly similar. Delaware Skippers have black wing veins and a narrower, darker, more sharply defined wing margin while in Arogos Skippers the veins are not black and the wing margin marking is wider, a lighter brown with a more diffuse inner edge. All this and hoping you see a fresh skipper and not a worn one. So now try your luck.

Oh, did I forget to mention all three species are sexually dimorphic (the males and females are recognizably different). You should have been able to id the top row as Arogos Skippers (male and female), the middle row as Delaware Skippers (male and female) and the bottom row as Ottoe Skippers (male and female).

As I mentioned earlier both the Arogos and Ottoe Skippers are on the NENHP Tier 1 list meaning they are at an increased national risk of extinction. At the state level both are infrequently reported. Arogos skippers have been reported three times in the last 25 years (once in 2005 and twice in 2018). Ottoe skippers have been found twice in the last 15 years, in 2007 and 2010. Both are prairie specialists and suitable habitats are increasingly hard to find.

I hope you’ve enjoyed your foray into skipper identification. I call skippers the sparrows and shorebirds of the butterfly world – lots of them and hard to id.,

Crescent Lake/Ash Hollow Trip – 18 species, 6 new

Jen and I decided to visit the Crescent Lake area north of Oshkosh in hopes of crossing Lupine Blues, Giant Yucca and Uncas Skippers off my big year list. To cut two hours off the three and one half hour trip we traveled as far as Ogallala the night before. That also enabled us to arrive a little earlier and avoid some of the mid 90’s heat predicted for later in the day. While it used to be a regular stop for me I had not been to Crescent Lake since 2002. So it was with much anticipation we began the 28 mile drive north out of Oshkosh into the sandhills and Crescent Lake. I had been forewarned of a high water situation in the area and about half way to the Refuge there was a large sign next to the road warning of water across the road and that only four wheel drive vehicles should proceed. Duly warned we proceeded. I guess once you get to a certain age you should realize that nothing is forever and things change but I was not prepared for what I saw upon arriving at Crescent Lake. Somewhere in the 18 years since I had last visited the area had burned. What used to be yucca covered hills were now nearly devoid of that plant. So no yucca, no Giant Yucca Skippers.

The low spots in the road in the area had been raised (at considerable expense I would think) by up to a foot for one lane traffic. We pulled off at Island Lake to take this pic with just the roof of a picnic shelter (or something) just visible above the water.

Island Lake, Crescent Lake NWR, 6/12/2020

So having struck out on Giant Yucca Skippers we started working our way back to Oshkosh stopping first at NE Game and Parks Crescent Lake State Wildlife Management Area. Following the road to the boat dock we drove through a prairie dog town and over one burrow some wise guy had dug in the middle of the road. He/she saw us coming and safely ducked to avoid any interaction with us. Arriving at the boat dock we noticed there were some willows nearby that had attracted some Viceroys (Limenitis archippus) and a Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) – the larvae of which both feed on willows. While not rare, both of them were new for my Big Year species count.

Viceroy – Picture from butterflyidentification.com

Both species are found statewide with the larvae feeding mainly on willows. Viceroys have two generations and overwinter as early instar larvae while Mourning Cloaks overwinter as adults. When found, Mourning Cloak larvae often feed in a group.

Heading back to Oshkosh we passed a roadside mud puddle and stopped to check it out. Some Checkered Whites were flying and we captured a couple of males to pin up and see if they were Western Whites (P. occidentalis) – to be determined. Also quite a few other smaller butterflies. Along the roadside there was an abundant supply of yellow flowers (Stiff Greenthread – Thelesperma filifolium I think) upon which we were excited to find a Ruddy Copper (Lycaena rubida). I hadn’t seen one of these in years. The larvae feed on winged dock (Rumex venosus) which is present at almost any disturbed location in the panhandle. I didn’t see anything special about the site so I think this butterfly is widely (but sparsely) distributed across the state’s western counties. This butterfly’s flight period is restricted to a single brood largely coinciding with the month of June.

Winged Dock – photo from plants and animals of northeast colorado

Distribution of Ruddy Copper in Nebraska

So we made our way back to Oshkosh and then back east to Ash Hollow State Historical Park at the west end of Lake McConaughy. We checked for any activity on the hillsides in the park and found several Dainty Sulfurs (Nathalis iole), new for the Big Year, but little else. These small sulfurs are in the group of regular visitors from the south which cannot survive Nebraska winters but repopulate the state annually. Unlike most sulfurs the larvae do not feed on legumes but rather on various composites including the greenthreads that were blooming in the area. Leaving the historical park we took the road just north of the park back to the east. There we found one yellow flowering plant which we stopped to investigate. There was a beat up Pearl Crescent and Orange Sulphur there so we got ready to move on. Then we saw some movement on some knee high Yellow Clover next to it. Taking a closer look we found about a dozen Juniper Hairstreaks and then a Marine Blue (Leptotes marina). The Marine Blue is an uncommon southern stray. Probably overlooked due to its small size years often pass between sightings. Larvae feed on legumes so it is possible they breed here but once again they cannot survive the winter. Records for both species span the state.

Having time for one last stop we road hunted for a couple of miles and found some milkweeds in bloom south of Lewellen. There we found numerous butterflies including Least Skippers and a Buckeye (Junonia coenia). Same song and dance for the Buckeye – regular southern visitor not overwintering. Found statewide it likely breeds here with larvae feeding on various plaintains, figworts and vervains.

With the temps and the wind cranking up we headed back to Elm Creek. After striking out on our three target species (Lupine Blues, Strecker’s Giant and Uncas Skippers) we ended up identifying 18 species, 6 of which were new for the “Big Year”. They were: Common Checkered Skipper, Common Sootywing, Least Skipper, unknown skipper, Black Swallowtail, Checkered or Western White (tbd), Alfalfa Butterfly, Dainty Sulphur, Ruddy Copper, Juniper Hairstreak, Marine Blue, Reakirt’s Blue, Variegated Fritillary, Pearl Crescent, Mourning Cloak, Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Viceroy and Buckeye.

Celebrate Nebraska Pollinator Week

Nebraska Pollinator Week is June 22-28. To recognize pollinators importance to the world as we know it a number of fun activities and training opportunities have been scheduled during the month of June. Check them all out at

https://www.nebraskapollinatorweek.org/

Thanks in advance for your support!!

Neil

Look what the wind blew in

Today is day 2 of strong winds from the south. I went back behind the garage (sheltered from the wind) to see how things were going in the butterfly garden. To my dismay I found a rabbit had eaten of my fledgling Leadplant and Illinois Bundleflower plants down to the ground. As I sat there and fumed and thought dark thoughts and plotted my revenge I noticed there was quite a bit of butterfly activity on the Walker’s Low Catmint (Nepeta racemosa). So temporarily dropping my dark thoughts I wandered out to take a look. There were two blues on the mint. The first was the expected Eastern-tailed Blue but the second was a Reakirt’s Blue (Echinargus isola). Then a big fresh skipper flew in which turned out to be a Sachem (Atalopedes campestris) male. Both species are found in Nebraska on a regular basis but neither can overwinter here. So they repopulate (and likely breed in) the state annually from regions to our south.

Reakirts Blue – Echinargus isola

Reakirt’s Blue – photo from Bugguide.net

This little blue butterfly is found statewide but the frequency with which it is encountered varies greatly from year to year. They are probably under-reported as they may be passed over as being Eastern-tailed Blues. Larvae feed on a wide variety of common legumes including vetches, clovers and alfalfa. Adults have been found from mid May to mid October.

Sachem – Atalopedes campestris

This southern species is a regular visitor to the state where by the end of summer it is often abundant. The species is indistinctly marked ventrally (on the underside) but males are easily identified by the large black stigma on the dorsal (upper) forewing (top wing). Larvae feed on a wide variety of grasses. There are records for the skipper from early May to late November.

So while still plotting revenge on the rabbit (yes, I should have protected the plants) I was somewhat placated by finding a couple more “Big Year” butterflies, the species count for which now stands at 48.

Army Cutworm Moth Migration

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 Grizzly Bears in the Yellowstone region may eat up to 40,000 a day. I was in a butterfly gardening class last spring and we got to talking about this and one participant wondered how did they come up with that number. Someone else quipped up “Some PhD sent one of his grad students up to count!” So anyway here is a link to a video of grizzlies feasting on moths.

https://www.google.com/search?q=army+cutworm+moths+grizzly+bears&rlz=1C1RUCY_enUS900US900&sxsrf=ALeKk01Qdl5R20wkDGlhEbz25gA6pBqDgg:1591549576411&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=gMSmD21dAcBLVM%253A%252CwSE7aO_uCIUcIM%252C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kQ1DFln00jutWizA9CINWGt4XzTtQ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiGu5OZmPDpAhWEaM0KHY2-BIkQ9QEwCHoECAcQFg&biw=1271&bih=580#imgrc=gMSmD21dAcBLVM

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’s drive away (not bad for Nebraska) I decided to go check it out on Saturday. With the forecast being for temps in the mid to upper 90’s and a 30 mph “breeze” I thought it prudent to get an early start to beat the heat. I arrived at the tract about 9:30 am. The weather forecast was spot on (temps around 80 with the called for “breeze”) except there was a stubborn overcast. The grass was still wet and the butterflies were just getting up. They were a little slow to go to nectar but as Chris had predicted Peck’s Skippers were not hard to find. I stayed at the TNC tract for about an hour and sighted a Summer Azure (Celastrina neglecta, also new for my year) in an adjacent tree row. With some time on my hands I decided to explore several Game and Parks areas I’d never been to (Loch Linda and Martin’s Reach SWMAs) and found Least Skippers (Ancyloxypha numitor) at both of those sites, 2020 firsts for me as well. Martin’s Reach was interesting with a couple of backwaters and wet areas. Definitely on my go back to list.

It was kind of a funky day with the clouds, wind and temps. About 2 pm the clouds began to clear and the temps began their creep into the low 90’s. With the relentless wind the butterflies were reluctant to fly and nearly impossible to ID when they did. So with three new species for the day I headed for home. All told I sighted 11 species – Silver Spotted, Least, Tawny-edged and Peck’s Skippers, a Black Swallowtail, Cabbage Butterfly, Alfalfa Butterfly, Eastern-tailed Blue, Summer Azure, Painted Lady and Monarch. Earlier in the week a couple of Question Marks (Polygonia interrogationis) visited our yard in Elm Creek which was new for us as well. So the four new species (Peck’s and Least Skippers, Summer Azure and Question Mark), brings my year to date total to 46. Three are highlighted below with the Question Mark having been covered in the May 8 post.

Least Skipper – (Ancyloxypha numitor) – the little skipper with the big name

This diminutive skipper produces several generations through the summer with adults having been found in Nebraska from late May to late September. Larvae feed on a variety of grasses. The Least Skipper is normally found near wet areas. The flight of adults is weak, but often going through vegetation rather than around or over it. It can be found statewide in appropriate habitats.

Least Skipper – photo by Jonathan Nikkila

Peck’s Skipper – (Polites peckius)

Peck’s Skipper is also found statewide and flies throughout the summer well into September. While it is occasionally found in urban settings it seems to thrive in/near wetlands. One occasion that sticks in my memory is one September when I was looking for the headwaters of the South Loup River in Logan county I stumbled onto a patch of blue verbena in flower upon which hundreds of Peck’s Skippers were feasting. Larvae feed on grasses but I suspect Switchgrass is preferred. It is a smallish skipper and easily identified by the distinct markings on the ventral hindwing.

Summer Azure – (Celastrina neglecta)

It’s been said that one sure way (among many it seems) to start a heated debate was to put two taxonomists and an Azure butterfly in a room. The Azure genus Celastrina has been under constant revision for the 30+ years I’ve paid attention to butterflies. A 1981 North American butterfly checklist listed two species, ladon and ebinia with ladon having eight subspecies. The latest widely available checklist by Pelham in 2012 (http://butterfliesofamerica.com/US-Can-Cat-1-30-2011.htm) lists nine species containing six subspecies. Additional revisions have likely occurred in the interim. I don’t pretend to understand any of it.

I sighted one Azure across a fence bordering the Conservancy property. Being unable to quickly breach the fence for a close look I could only take note of it’s fresh appearance. As any Spring Azure should have shown some wear and tear by this date I lean toward this individual being a Summer Azure. While Summer Azures have been found well into August most Nebraska sightings are from June and early July. The primary larval host plant in our area is thought to be dogwood flowers.

Summer Azure – photo from North American Insects

Other recent sightings in the state include Dr. Matthew Brust from Chadron State College reported photographing a mating pair of Indra Swallowtails near Pants Butte Memorial Day weekend (just before my visit to the area) and Jonathan Nikkila followed that up with a picture of a Purplish Copper and Western Pine Elfin on the same flower at Gilbert-Baker SWMA the following weekend. Unfortunately (for me) I saw none of those three on my excursion.

Western Pine Elfin and Purplish Copper – photo by Jonathan Nikkila

On a June 4 Nebraska and Great Plains Butterflies and Moths Facebook post Joanne Langabee reported seeing 16 butterfly species at Fontanelle Forest including Buckeyes and Dainty Sulphurs. This might be the first Nebraska sightings of these two species in 2020.

Congrats and thanks to Matt, Jonathan and Joanne!!

We’re rolling into butterfly prime time – mid June through mid July where you want to be everywhere at once. Should be a fun ride!

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 featured in the last post!!

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, if you have these plants in your yard you’ll likely be the only person in town that does and somehow the butterflies find you. Without wild senna chances are you will never see a Sleepy Orange in Nebraska. So while the plant is a little hard to come by you might look into planting some on your property. Fair warning – while not overly aggressive this plant does spread some by seed. It also grows to over 5′ tall so take that into account as well.

While you would think that once locating plants to lay eggs on that the population would continue to grow throughout the season. I have not found this to be the case. They are fairly common once the first group emerges but each successive generation becomes less numerous until by summer’s end they have often disappeared. Also if you have but one plant and several females find it by the time the caterpillars are done it might not be much to look at. But established plants usually bounce right back. Wild Senna is native to southeast Nebraska.

The addition of Sleepy Oranges brings the “Big Year” species total to 42.