Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus)

I've only seen a few Monarch butterflies this year.  This one was passing through our garden a few days ago.

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Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus)

Orange Sulphur - female (Colias eurytheme)

Orange Sulphur (female)
Colias eurytheme

Identification: Female yellow or white with irregular black border surrounding light spots. Underside hindwing spot silver with 2 concentric dark rings, and a spot above it.

Caterpillar Hosts: Plants in the pea family (Fabaceae).

Adult Food: Nectar from many kinds of flowers including dandelion, milkweeds, goldenrods, and asters.

Habitat: A wide variety of open sites, especially clover and alfalfa fields, mowed fields, vacant lots, meadows, road edges.

Range: Southern Canada to central Mexico, coast to coast in the United States except for the Florida peninsula. Comments: One of the most widespread and common butterflies in North America.

Source: BAMONA

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Orange Sulphur - female (Colias eurytheme)

Monarch Butterfly (Danaus perplexity)

We've been seeing a few Monarchs migrating though our area every day for the past several days, but no large migratory population.

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Monarch Butterfly (Danaus perplexity)

Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus)

Silver-Spotted Skipper on Purple Coneflower

Both butterfly and the coneflower are past their prime, but still worthy of a few pixels, I think.


According to BugGuide,  Silver-Spotted Skippers range throughout southern Canada and most of the continental United States except the Great Basin and west Texas; northern Mexico.


Caterpillar Hosts: Many woody legumes including black locust (Robinia pseudacacia), honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) and false indigo (Amorpha species).


More information and photos are also available from Butterflies and Moths of North America.

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Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus)

Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus)

My world is becoming repopulated with butterflies like this Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus). This is the spring form of this butterfly. The summer form is darker. (Photo here.)


Range: Primarily the southeastern United States. More uncommon in the northeast. Occasionally makes it as far north as southern Ontario.


Food: Adults take nectar from flowers and also take fluids from damp ground, as the butterfly in the photo above is doing. The larvae host plant is Pawpaw.

To participate in Camera Critters and/or find links to other critter photos, please click the logo above.

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Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus)

Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus)

Banded Hairstreak Butterfly (Satyrium calanus)

Yes, I'm again trying to prime the pump for Spring, 2011, by posting photos from a past spring.

Range: Maine across southern Canada to North Dakota; south to central Texas and the Gulf States.

Life History: Males perch on low shrubs and tree branches during the day, watching for females. Eggs are laid on twigs of the host during the summer, and hatch the following spring. Caterpillars eat catkins and leaves.

Caterpillar Hosts: Many species of oak (Quercus), walnut (Juglans), and hickory (Carya).

Adult Food: Nectar from flowers -- in this case, an Ox-eyed Daisy.

Habitat: Forest areas and neighboring open edges and fields.

Source:  Butterflies and Moths of North America.

Macro Monday hosted by Lisa's Chaos.

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Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus)

Gemmed Satyr (Cyllopsis gemma)

Gemmed Satyr (Cyllopsis gemma)

Range:  Southeastern United States south to central peninsular Florida; west to southeast Kansas, central Oklahoma, central Texas, and northeastern Mexico. 


Habitat:  Near open, wet woodland; grassy areas near water; near streams and ponds. 


Food:  Caterpillars feed on grasses including Bermuda Grass (Cynodon dactylon). Adults do not visit flowers but are attracted to rotting or overripe fruit.

BugGuide

Butterflies and Moths of North America

eNature

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Gemmed Satyr (Cyllopsis gemma)

Common Wood Nymph (Cercyonis pegala)

Common Wood Nymph (Cercyonis pegala)

Common throughout most of the United States and southern Canada.  (Range Map)  Adults feed on flower nectar and rotting fruit.  I reckon this watermelon rind in our compost qualifies as "rotting fruit".  (BugGuide Species Page)

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Common Wood Nymph (Cercyonis pegala)