Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Summer Butterflies in Kurten

After a slow start for butterflies this year in the spring due to unusual, heavy rains, the summer ushered in even fewer butterflies.  I have noticed an increase in the last 2 days, so perhaps the heat is finally bringing the butterflies.  Today's sightings:

Dainty Sulphur,  Little Yellow, Clouded Sulphur, Queen, Horace's Duskywing, Eufala, Tailed Orange!!, Giant Swallowtail, Fiery Skipper, Clouded Skipper  -- 10 species. 
It will get better.
Star of the day, a summer form Tailed Orange.  At first, I thought it was a very orange-y Sleepy Orange, but then I noticed it was so plain on the ventral side.  Yep, a Tailed Orange. 

 Another butterfly of interest in my area this summer is the Tropical Checkered-Skipper.


And, I was excited to see a Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak. (7-1-16)  Only saw Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak one other time this summer.