Spring bird migration is nearing an end so it's getting time to start keeping an eye on the butterflies. This spring has been reasonably wet so far and temperatures aren't getting much above 90F so my yard is looking pretty good with lots of flowers. Butterflies have been a little slow but today they really picked up. After a nap this afternoon, I went to the back porch and checked the blooming duranta through my binocs. There semed to be a tailess White-striped Longtail working the flowers but the white stripe didn't look quite right. I grabbed my camera and ran after it. Turned out to be a Gold-spotted Aguna. We have had several through the years.
Earlier in the day we did have a White-striped Longtail.
Absent for a few weeks, it was nice to see our Double-dotted Skippers back in the yard.
Our other yard specialty is also doing better lately. Boisduval's Yellows seem to finally come back after the big freeze of 2021.
This Whirlabout is coiled up to strike.
Lots of wild dill ahs produced plenty of Black Swallowtails this spring.
Here's today's list of 33 species. As long as out temps stay mild I'm expecting some good stuff in the coming weeks.
Black Swallowtail 1
Giant Swallowtail 4
- Great Southern White 2
- Cloudless Sulphur 4
- Large Orange Sulphur 1
- Lyside Sulphur 6
- Boisduval's Yellow 3
- Little Yellow 2
- Mimosa Yellow 1
- Sleepy Orange 1
- Gray Hairstreak 1
- Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak 3
- Gulf Fritillary 6
- Bordered Patch 2
- Texan Crescent 6
- Vesta Crescent 3
- White Peacock 3
- Carolina Satyr 3
- Queen 5
- Guava Skipper 1
- White-striped Longtail 1
- Gold-spotted Aguna 1
- Brown Longtail 4
- Tropical Checkered-Skipper 8
- Laviana White-Skipper 3
- Clouded Skipper 4
- Double-dotted Skipper 1
- Southern Skipperling 2
- Fiery Skipper 1
- Whirlabout 6
- Southern Broken-Dash 2
- Common Mellana 3
- Celia's Roadside-Skipper 3
- Eufala Skipper 2
