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”

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”

Niobrara Valley Preserve, late summer – no new species but great day anyway

Last September 3 Jen and I met with Chris Helzer and his fellows at the NVP to look for Pawnee Skippers which we found. In addition we found one Lupine Blue and several Horace’s Duskywings. The latter two species had eluded me so far this year so Saturday I made a trip up to theContinue reading “Niobrara Valley Preserve, late summer – no new species but great day anyway”

Working for Them – 3 Days, 3 Species

Day 1 – Friday July 3rd I decided it was time to cross Little Wood Satyr (Megisto cymela) off my list before they disappeared for the season. Their normal flight period is mid June to early July so there was not much time to spare. They inhabit open woodlands/woodland margins. My spot of last resortContinue reading “Working for Them – 3 Days, 3 Species”

Victoria Springs

I decided to make a day trip to the Victoria Springs area in Custer county to try to knock off two or three species – Acadian Hairstreaks, Silver Bordered Fritillaries and Eyed Browns and scratch my wetlands itch. So after getting a bit of a late start I arrived at the State Recreation Area aboutContinue reading “Victoria Springs”