Hardwick butterflies 9/15 & 9/16

[Wendy Howes]

The butterfly numbers in our yard and various locations where we walk have fluctuated significantly this season. There was the drought and extreme heat, of course. Some days there were few to no butterflies noticed in our native plant-filled yard. Other days there would be a sudden burst of activity, although only a few species would be represented. Our reports to MassLep have fluctuated as well.

On 9/15, for example, in the yard I only noted (without intensive searching):

2-3 worn Great Spangled Fritillary

1 Red Admiral

1 Viceroy

1-2 Monarch, plus one in enclosure that eclosed and was released

1 Zabulon Skipper . .  .nice  to see, because skippers were scarce here except for Duns early in the season

Today 9/16 at Muddy Brook WMA in Hardwick:

1  Cabbage White

2  Clouded Sulphur

3  Eastern Tailed-Blue

1  Aphrodite Fritillary

2  Frit spp, possibly additional Aphrodites that were present here a couple of weeks ago

1  Pearl Crescent

1  Mourning Cloak

3  Viceroy

1  Leonard's Skipper, possibly 2

Wendy Howes & Alan Rawle

Hardwick