This past Sunday, 08-01-2010, I participated in the annual NABA count led by Roger Kuhlman at Petersburg SGA in southeast Michigan. This is probably one of my favorite field events of the year. It seems to be always hot and sunny and we do a lot of trudging around in difficult habitat, but we see a lot of great butterflies.
Double-click on each photo to enlarge image.
Worn Common Sootywing (Pholisora catullus)
Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos)
Sympetrum sp.
Calico Pennant (Celithemis elisa)
Spicebush (Papilio troilus)
Giving new meaning to worn - Spicebush. This butterfly was still flying weakly.
Tawny-edged Skipper (Polites themistocles)
White-lined Sphinx Hummingbird moth (Hyles lineata)
Hummingbird Clearwing moth (Hemaris thysbe)
The habitat at Petersburg SGA
Wild Indigo Duskywing (Erynnis baptisiae)
Wings open - Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
Wings closed - Painted Lady.
Sympetrum sp.
With regard to Sympetrum sp. dragonflies - for an interesting read on identifying these by photo please read Julie Craves' and Darrin O'Brien's blog Urban Dragon Hunters - about the fifth paragraph down starting with: The problem is similar, perhaps worse, with several common species of meadowhawks.
Hackberry (Asterocampa celtis)
Copulating Eastern Tailed Blues (Everes comyntas)
Hidden unfortunately - fresh Common Sootywing (Pholisora catullus)
Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)
Bending over backwards - worn Horace's Duskywing (Erynnis horatius)
Out of focus Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus)
While I am waiting for Roger Kuhlman to publish the final butterfly count; by far, Spicebush and Viceroy were the most common of the day. There were also Monarchs, Tiger Swallowtails, Black Swallowtails, one Giant Swallowtail, one Little Yellow, Greater Frittilarys, Clouded Sulphur and Cabbage White, other skippers included Least and Broken Dash.
In all, 1816 butterflies from 37 species were counted; many species which I didn't see.
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