Hesperia leonardus pawnee Dodge 1874 Another butterfly described from NE
This is probably one of my favorite group of butterflies (skippers actually). Members of the genus Hesperia are native prairie specialists. Finding any of them today is to rediscover habitat roughly unchanged from what white settlers first encountered when entering our area in the early 1800s. They are the insect equivalents of the American Bison.Continue reading “Hesperia leonardus pawnee Dodge 1874 Another butterfly described from NE”
Butterflies with Type Localities in Nebraska: Lycaena rubidus longi K. Johnson and Balogh, 1977
Pardon my neglect in putting out new material. I’ve been learning some new mapping software to make new distribution maps for Nebraska’s 200+ species (the last ones for the state were put out in 2004/05). I’ve also been comparing notes with Steve Spomer to synchronize our data. So hopefully it will all be worth it.Continue reading “Butterflies with Type Localities in Nebraska: Lycaena rubidus longi K. Johnson and Balogh, 1977”
Butterflies with Type Localities in Nebraska – Smoky Eyed Brown – Lethe eurydice fumosus (Leussler 1916)
This is another butterfly Richard Leussler (that man again – see Jan 8 post) named, this time as a subspecies. The name he originally gave the butterfly was Satyrodes canthus n. v. fumosus but the genus was later changed to Lethe and the species to eurydice. So the current name is Lethe eurydice fumosus (Leussler,Continue reading “Butterflies with Type Localities in Nebraska – Smoky Eyed Brown – Lethe eurydice fumosus (Leussler 1916)”
Butterflies with Type Localities in Nebraska – Bernadetta Checkerspot (Euphydryas anicia bernadetta)
Staying on the theme of butterflies with type localities in Nebraska, back in 1920 Richard A Leussler (that man again – see Jan 8 post) described what he believed to be a new species of Checkerspot which he called Euphydryas bernadetta. In the years since the powers that be have decided that it is actuallyContinue reading “Butterflies with Type Localities in Nebraska – Bernadetta Checkerspot (Euphydryas anicia bernadetta)”
Butterflies with Type Localities in Nebraska – Nebraska and Kohler’s Fritillaries with an updated distribution map
Let’s revisit a theme from the Jan 2 post (butterflies with type localities in Nebraska). The Silver-bordered Fritillary (Boloria selene) currently has eight named subspecies spread across the northern half of the United States. Among these eight two are named from type localities in Nebraska. The first B. selene nebraskensis (W. Holland, 1928) was namedContinue reading “Butterflies with Type Localities in Nebraska – Nebraska and Kohler’s Fritillaries with an updated distribution map”
Found one time in Nebraska – The Hermit (Grais stigmaticus)
On 9/20/2005 Doug Long found another butterfly (skipper actually) in the state for the first time. This time is was a Hermit (Grais stigmaticus) which he found near Holbrook in Furnas County. While certainly not the most colorful “butterfly” in Nebraska (many people would have mistaken it for a moth) Doug alertly noticed the yellowContinue reading “Found one time in Nebraska – The Hermit (Grais stigmaticus)”
Found one time in Nebraska – Cobweb Skipper (Hesperia metea)
Back on May 2 1989 I was looking to get outside for a spring butterfly outing. Harlan County Reservoir was just an hour away so off I went. I parked in the lot at the south end of the dam and started checking the chokecherry, lilac and aromatic sumac flowers which were all in bloom.Continue reading “Found one time in Nebraska – Cobweb Skipper (Hesperia metea)”
Found one time in Nebraska – Leda Hairstreak (Mimistrymon leda)
On June 24 1989 Jim Reiser and myself were out on Nebraska Highway 2 in Sheridan County (2 miles west of Ellsworth). We had found a colony of Ruddy Coppers (one of the more striking butterflies in the state) taking nectar from dogbane along the Burlington Northern railroad right of way. At some point JimContinue reading “Found one time in Nebraska – Leda Hairstreak (Mimistrymon leda)”
Another Doug Long State Record Pyrisitia nise – Mimosa Sulphur
On July 18 1993 Doug Long found another butterfly never before recorded from Nebraska. In Holbrook (I assume in his yard) he found this Mimosa Sulphur (Pyrisitia nise). I likely would not have given it a second look and passed it off as a Little Yellow (P. lisa). As a small (more “delicate”) butterfly andContinue reading “Another Doug Long State Record Pyrisitia nise – Mimosa Sulphur”
2020 – A look back (Season Summary)
Every year I compile a Season Summary to submit to the Lepidopterists’ Society highlighting new county/state records for butterflies, new moth species for the state and anything other interesting finds. I’ll briefly summarize what I reported this year. 2020 turned out to be a pretty good year diversity wise. Roughly a dozen observers recorded 113Continue reading “2020 – A look back (Season Summary)”
A Doug Long state record Anaea aidea – Tropical Leafwing
On October 26 1996 Doug found this butterfly in his backyard in Holbrook NE. If I recall correctly he said it was on a watermelon rind he had left in the garden to attract butterflies. Well I guess it worked. Most people (myself included) would have thought “Hey, that’s interesting, a Goatweed Butterfly”. (The GoatweedContinue reading “A Doug Long state record Anaea aidea – Tropical Leafwing”
Doug Long – Citizen Scientist Extraordinaire
Back in my student days at Kearney State College the Biology Department sent out newsletters to high school Biology teachers. My academic advisor (Dr. Harold Nagel) had an idea to send out solicitations for students/teachers interested in contributing specimens/data on Lepidoptera species. One of the responses we got was from one of Doug Long’s kids.Continue reading “Doug Long – Citizen Scientist Extraordinaire”
Richard A Leussler – Nebraska’s Greatest Lepidopoterist and Hesperia pahaska
It is of interest that while Richard A Leussler was/is perhaps Nebraska’s most noted Lepidopterist, that was not his vocation. While I was unable to find out much about his early years he was evidently born in St Louis in 1866 and came to Nebraska in 1902 as an executive in the Omaha and CouncilContinue reading “Richard A Leussler – Nebraska’s Greatest Lepidopoterist and Hesperia pahaska”
Fun With Taxonomy/Nebraska’s Type Localities
Hopefully this post finds everyone healthy and well. So we made it to 2021 but it’s still not butterfly season. So to pass the time (and as time permits) I’ll try to put together some interesting tidbits on Nebraska butterflies and the people who have worked with them to share with you. I hope youContinue reading “Fun With Taxonomy/Nebraska’s Type Localities”
102 species – Season Recap
So I guess with snow and temps in the teens that butterfly season is officially over. Despite late season trips to the North Loup, Niobrara and Republican Rivers I’ve been stuck on 102 species since just before Labor Day. So 102 species it is. That exceeds what I expected thanks in large part to myContinue reading “102 species – Season Recap”
Loading…
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
Follow My Blog
Get new content delivered directly to your inbox.
