interesting Great Spangled Fritillary

[madeline...@verizon.net]

Yesterday, Keith Shaw and I were at the Lakeview-Morse Conservation area in Sharon, and he got this photo of an unusual Great Spangled Fritillary.

 

Lots of Baltimore Checkerspot caterpillars, chrysalises, and now butterflies there.  We were there after the rain, and when the sun suddenly came out we estimated about 50 flying around.

 

There's a nice patch of milkweed there, a lot in bloom now, today I saw one Spicebush Swallowtail and that's it on the milkweed. I'm watching for the Striped and Banded Hairstreaks which were nectaring a lot last year about this time but maybe they are a little late this year.

 

Madeline Champagne, Foxboro