We had strong southerly wind all day yesterday and not much happened. More wind was forecast for today so I had my hopes up but I wasn't seeing much as I made my rounds of the yard. Just before lunch as I was walking the east side of our little brush patch for the umpteenth time, I looked up and there was Billy Weber. Seems he and a friend had flown down for the Bat Falcon at Santa Ana so he dropped by to see if any good butterflies were around. Well we looked a bit and didn't see much so I took a lunch break and then rejoined him. As we approached my brush patch I saw a medium sized yellow butterfly land near the Diclptera. I shouted "That's the butterfly I saw yesterday!" We got a few shots and when I looked at the back of the camera I saw a tailed yellow butterfly with lots of spots on the underwings. It wasn't a Boisduvals Yellow nor was it a Mexican Yellow. The only thing I could come up with was Salome Yellow. Checking photos on Butterflies of the Americas it seemed to match Eurema salome. I sent photos to Dr. Jeffrey Glassberg and he concurs. This rare Mexican stray is butterfly species #142 for our yard,
Just last week Ryan Rodriguez visited our yard while we were away and found our first yard Banded Peacock. This long overdue species was butterfly #141 for our yard. I'm afraid I never got to see it but I'm sure we'll get another some day.
Billy and I could never refind the Salome Yellow. An icy cold front with rain and temperatures in the 30's is on tap for tomorrow so this may put an end to the amazing winter butterfly season we've enjoyed in the Rio Grande Valley.
