Several new moth records have come in. On July 19 Olivia DaRugna found a Clearwing Sphinx (Hemaris sp) at Ash Hollow State Historical Park. Two Hemaris species are found in the state, widespread H. diffinis (Snowberry Clearwing) and much rarer H. thysbe (Hummingbird Clearwing). After some deliberation it was decided that Olivia’s specimen was H.Continue reading “New Moth Records”
Category Archives: County Records
Eastern Tailed Blues from western NE
I was browsing the website the other day when I noticed there were three counties in western Nebraska where Eastern Tailed Blues had not yet been recorded. So I contacted Colin Croft who resides in the area to see if he could remedy this situation. As usual Colin came through, searching his database to findContinue reading “Eastern Tailed Blues from western NE”
Niobrara Valley Preserve 35th annual butterfly count
On July 10th ten individuals gathered at the Niobrara Valley Preserve to conduct the 35th consecutive annual butterfly count. Participants included Neil Dankert, Jonathan and Bennett Nikkila, Jen Corman (NE G&P), and Jojo Morelli, Krystal Church, Sanketh Menon, Kevin Meyer, Paul Stofferahn and Chris Helzer, all of the Nature Conservancy. This year’s count was heldContinue reading “Niobrara Valley Preserve 35th annual butterfly count”
Blaine County Records
Last Sunday (July 9) myself, Jonathan and Bennett Nikkila drove to the Niobrara Valley Preserve to do the annual butterfly count the next day. On the way we stopped at the North Loup River just north of Brewster in Blaine County to stretch our legs and check out some wet highway ditches that have beenContinue reading “Blaine County Records”
Three More County Records
I’m still kind of in catch-up mode after spending much of the spring/early summer finishing up the moth addition to our website. Back in April Lori Tomes found a Gray Comma (Polygonia progne) in Saunders County where it had not previously been found. Thanks and congratulations Lori Several new county records for Zebra Swallowtails (EurytidesContinue reading “Three More County Records”
Cedar County Bonanza
Recently Steve Spomer (UNL) came in contact with an amazing moth enthusiast in Cedar County. It turns out that Eric Strehlow had a childhood interest in insects that was rekindled around 15 years ago. Since that time he has been hugely successful in developing and refining bait traps to attract moths in the oak woodlandsContinue reading “Cedar County Bonanza”
Just when you thought it was over …
A couple more October county records to report: On October 16 Colin Croft photographed a Crescent butterfly in the Wildcat Hills of southern Scotts Bluff County. We forwarded the photograph to Steve Spomer at UNL who shared it with other experts and identified it as a Mylitta Crescent (Phyciodes mylitta). Scotts Bluff County is onlyContinue reading “Just when you thought it was over …”
End of the Season Blues
Although most of Nebraska has seen a frost a few hardier plants and butterflies are still hanging on for our viewing pleasure. So the following sightings might not be the last county records for 2022. On October 11 Lori Tomes spotted a Marine Blue (Leptotes marina) in Fremont which was a Dodge County record. ThisContinue reading “End of the Season Blues”
More Marine Blues, Pt. 2
Since our last post on Marine Blues (Leptotes marina) a week ago observers have come through with sightings from eight additional new counties. Diane Miller found them on alfalfa in Boone and Madison counties, Joanne Langabee and Holly Hoffreiter recorded the species while doing a butterfly survey at Homestead National Monument east of Beatrice inContinue reading “More Marine Blues, Pt. 2”
More Marine Blues
While most other butterflies have passed their peak numbers, the same cannot be said for Marine Blues. This past weekend five observers reported Marine Blues from six counties where they had not been previously reported. Colin Croft found one in Banner County in the far southern reaches of Wildcat Hills SRA. Jonathan Nikkila found themContinue reading “More Marine Blues”