Well 2021 ended up being a pretty good year for increasing our knowledge of the butterfly and moth fauna of Nebraska. 30 butterfly county records were found, with one of them being a state record (see the list below). In addition Mark Brogie and Barb and Loren Padelford recorded 31 moths never before found inContinue reading “Season Summary”
Category Archives: Learning About Butterflies
Firey Skippers and Marine Blues – One Last Time?
OK, you’re probably getting tired of hearing about them but that is about all that is flying that is even slightly interesting. Saturday I accompanied Jen for a day on the Junk Jaunt. Our first stop was at a multi vendor location along NE Highway 2 in Ansley. One of the vendors was selling plantsContinue reading “Firey Skippers and Marine Blues – One Last Time?”
Firey Skipper and Marine Blue Alert
This past weekend Jon Nikkila and Jen and I both found Firey Skippers (Hylephila phyleus) in previously unrecorded counties, Jon in Valley County and Jen and I in Polk County. In addition both Jon and I have seen Marine Blues (Leptotes marina) in our yards here in Buffalo County. Last weekend I saw one inContinue reading “Firey Skipper and Marine Blue Alert”
Godspeed AEJZ927 et al
Thursday afternoon (9/16) we went looking for Monarch butterflies to tag during their migration to Mexico. Waiting for them to find our asters in the yard had not proven to be a winning strategy so we went to a patch of alfalfa where they had been numerous in the past. The weather was warm enoughContinue reading “Godspeed AEJZ927 et al”
Painted Crescents by the Dozens!
This past Saturday (August 14) Jon Nikkila and I drove the back roads of the loess hills south of North Platte in search of Baird’s Swallowtails. We found none which, unless there is a late discovery makes this the second consecutive year without a Baird’s sighting. During our travels we decided to check out WapitiContinue reading “Painted Crescents by the Dozens!”
New to the state – Ocola Skipper
This past week Steve Spomer sent me some pictures of a skipper one of his up and coming young protégés, Jonathan Xing caught in his yard in Lincoln late last summer. When Jonathan had described it to Steve over the phone Steve had thought it was probably a Eufala Skipper. But after finally seeing itContinue reading “New to the state – Ocola Skipper”
Monarch Tagging Time
Where did the summer go? Suddenly it’s August and time to consider doing some citizen science and tag migrating Monarchs. Monarchwatch.org (a University of Kansas outreach program) is the sponsoring organization. Check out their website for full details, but briefly – you order the kit containing labels and instructions on the tagging procedure. You tagContinue reading “Monarch Tagging Time”
Distribution Map Updates – Part 2
Here are the remaining seven maps for butterflies with six or fewer counties needed to complete their “clean sweep” of all 93 counties. If you happen to be traveling through or have relatives in any of these counties there is an opportunity to get your/their name in the record book (see Garfield County post fromContinue reading “Distribution Map Updates – Part 2”
Distribution Map Updates – Part 1
I just finished updating the distribution maps for all 215 butterfly species that have been recorded from Nebraska. Six butterflies have been recorded from all 93 counties – Red Admirals (Vanessa atalanta), Painted Ladies (Vanessa cardui), Monarchs (Danaus plexippus), Common Wood Nymphs (Cercyonis pegala), Orange Sulphurs (Colias eurytheme) and Cabbage Whites (Pieris rapae). Another 14Continue reading “Distribution Map Updates – Part 1”
First Record of Giant Swallowtail in Garfield County and the Beginning (maybe) of the late Summer Southern Invasion
On July 30 René McMullen sent a picture of a swallowtail butterfly she took in Garfield County to her nephew (and my friend) Jon Nikkila. Jon correctly identified it as a Giant Swallowtail (Heraclides cresphontes). Upon checking the records it was discovered that this butterfly had not yet been recorded from that county. Jon noted thatContinue reading “First Record of Giant Swallowtail in Garfield County and the Beginning (maybe) of the late Summer Southern Invasion”