Vicroy's Ministreak and lots more at NBC, 2/18/25

One last warm breezy day before four cold days means the National Butterfly Center has the the potential to be hopping.  Bug of the day goes to this Vicroy's Ministreak found by Jeff Bryant, only the second I've ever seen.  BOA refers to it as Pebbly Ministreak.  Long though of as a varient of Gray Ministreak, the green eyes and pebbly scales are quite distinctive.  Jeff Glassberg described the new species and named it after his wife who passed away a few years ago, Ministrymon janevicroy.

Jeff Bryant also found this worn Mexican Crescent, the first one to be found since the freeze.

Chris Balboni found this female Silver Emperor, it's been years since I've seen one.

Two Mourning Cloaks would normally been the major find.  One was really fresh.  And one not so much.

Lots of Common Streaky-Skippers around lately.

My first Double-dotted Skipper since the freeze.

Desert Checkered-Skippers were out today.

The requisite Mexican Bluewing photo.

Here's today's list of 43 species which is pretty amazing for February.  The NBC list for the month is up to 73.

• Pipevine Swallowtail 1
• Orange Sulphur 1
• Southern Dogface 3
• Lyside Sulphur 12
• Little Yellow 3
• Sleepy Orange 1
• Gray Hairstreak 5
• Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak 3
• Dusky-blue Groundstreak 3
• Western Pygmy-Blue 3
• Ceraunus Blue 3
• Reakirt's Blue 5
• American Snout 20
• Variegated Fritillary 1
• Bordered Patch 2
• Texan Crescent 1
• Vesta Crescent 1
• Mexican Crescent  1
• Phaon Crescent 5
• Mourning Cloak 2
• American Lady 1
• Red Admiral 5
• Mexican Bluewing 2
• Tropical Leafwing 5
• Silver Emperor 1
• Queen 1
• Funereal Duskywing 6
• White Checkered-Skipper 20
• Tropical Checkered-Skipper 5
• Desert Checkered-Skipper 2
• Laviana White-Skipper 3
• Common Streaky-Skipper 5
• Clouded Skipper 1
• Double-dotted Skipper 1
• Southern Skipperling 2
• Fiery Skipper 5
• Whirlabout 1
• Sachem 1
• Common Mellana 1
• Nysa Roadside-Skipper 2
• Celia's Roadside-Skipper 2
• Eufala Skipper 2
• Vicroy's Ministreak 1
• 
  

Mourning Cloak at NBC, 2/15/25

Four days ago Javi Gonzalez glimpsed a Mourning Cloak at the National Butterfly Center.  Unaware of that sighting Mary Beth Stowe photographed one the next day which I searched for but failed to find.  Now three days later Terry Mortier photographed what is probably the same one while I was eating my lunch at the NBC in the south parking lot.  After seeing the alert on Discord, I wolfed down a few more bites and went running.

To the north, Mouning Cloaks are famous for being a harbinger of spring, often emerging on cold sunny days even while snow is on the ground.  They occur from Canada south to the highlands of Mexico.  Caterpillars feed on willows.  This is only the third I've ever seen in the Rio Grande Valley, the previous two on 11/15/11 and 11/20/12.  So this is my first for spring (Yes I realize it's winter but it's spring down here.)  Not sure what this Mourning Cloak thought about the 92F today!

Big Bend National Park, 6/24-5/13

Earlier this week I ran up to Big Bend to look for the Flame-colored Tanager that has been present for several weeks in Boot Canyon.  While birding I made it a point to keep my eyes open for butterflies.  In the couple of days I was up there I saw about twenty five species.  A treat for me was finding thirteen Juniper Hairstreaks, all in Boot Canyon and all but two were nectaring on bear grass blooms.

The only other hairstreak I was able to find was this great Purple Hairstreak.  The blooming bear grass below the high country was devoid of butterflies.

Also in upper Boot Canyon was this busy Mounring Cloak.

And several Mexican Yellows.

The next morning, sore from the previous day's hike up to Boot Canyon, I hobbled down the Window trail and was pleased to see several Golden-headed Scallopwings.

Al least three Streaky Skippers flushed along the trail.

As I left the park after noon there were many small blooming forbs along the road but very few butterflies.