I took it easy this morning, thinking about where I might go today. Chris Balboni had a pretty good report from Yturria Brush. Or maybe I'll stay home and watch football. It was warm and yesterday had a good south wind so I decided to just go over to the National Butterfly Center. As I passed the front garden I noticed a Mallow Scrub Hairstreak and though maybe it'll be a good hairstreak day.
I checked in. and proceeded to the sunken garden. Lantana Scrub-Hairstreaks continue.
I was disappointed to see little on the brush holly that was blooming so heavily just a couple of days ago. They bloom out fast. So I checked the blooming fiddlewoods and got a Dusky-blue Groundstreak.
It was getting close to luch time so I started to wander back to the visitor's center and noticed Chris Balboni and Ryan Shaw looking at the litte brush holly. I yelled "What you got?" Ryan shouted "Some weird hairstreak."
I ran over and recognized it immediately. Black Hairstreak! I had been waiting for this Mexican visitor since I missed the last one ten years ago. It just sat there feeding on the few brush holly flowers that were left on the plant. I guess I had missed it just a few minutes earlier. What a cool hairstreak. The photos in the book didn't do it justice. RGV lifer #230.
After lunch I found a Great Purple Hairstreak up high in the chomonque.
And then I found a Clytie Ministreak in a nearby fiddlewood. This one is a beauty.
Finally John Rosford found my seventh hairstreak for the day, Marius Haistreak. I missed common Gray and Silver-banded Hairstreaks.
He also got me a lifer hemipteran which I haven't IDed yet.
Mimosa Skipper is uncommon at the NBC but easier to find at Santa Ana and Resaca de la Palma where the host Black Mimosa is more common.
Some visitng birders from my old stomping grounds at New Mexico State were happy to see a Red Rim.
There have been several reports of Mexican Silverspot in the Valley lately and people wanted to see one. Jon McIntyre found this one today by the corky-steed passionvine where they have oviposited in the past.
Wow! What a good day! A big fresh Malachite wished me "Adios" as I left.
No cold weather in the forecast. Dry and 80's. More good stuff on the way.
