I ran over to the National Butterfly Center on Sunday to see if I could add anything to the Big Board as we finished up May. With the decent spring rain lots of stuff is still flying. This spring is certainly more interesting than the past several dry springs. A couple of husky Double-dotted Skippers in the front gardens were nice. There have not been many around lately.
Some of the Ocherous Skippers (Nick Grishin has split our Clouded Skippers) were nearly as large. The remaining Texas thistle blooms were popular.
Lots of Great Southern Whites around lately.
This female was ovipositing on some kind of pepper grass (not really a grass).
Female Tepanec Long-horned Bees are easy to ID with the black spot on the white band on T4.
A short drive to the south garden included a stop at the blooming Tenaza tree. Lots of common butterflies here but best were a couple of cavorting Double-dotted Skippers.
Curve-winged Metalmarks were easy to find. We had a bunch this past winter and they seemed to have raised babies. I totalled five today. Glassberg lists them as rare in is guide but not anymore.
Soldiers are back for the summer.
Mexican Crescents were mating in the Consevatory. Meanwhile Vesta Crescents seem to be absent. Have they been replaced by Mexican Crescents?
A walk of the bait logs turned up nothing rare but it was nice to see a few Mexican Bluewings.
Back in the front garden this Mournful Duskywing showed the tell tale white spots on its hind underwings. iNaturalist's Ai missed on this a couple of weeks ago but got it right this time.
I love Red-bordered Metalmarks.
This ratty Long-tailed Skipper brought the May "Big Board" toatal to 92 species. I think that's an all time high for May.
Looking good for June.
