National Butterfly Center, 3/12/15

After several days of cool rainy weather I ventured out to the National Butterfly Center south of Mission this afternoon.  With all the winter's rain, things are very lush and butterflies were starting to be more active. Chris Tenney found this very sharp Brown-banded Skipper, my first of the year.

I really liked this dark female Sachem.  I don't think I've ever seen one like this before.

Here's another Texas Powdered Skipper.  They seem to be everywhere this spring.

Not many Pierids today with the north wind.  My only Checkered White on the day.

My first Julia's Skipper for the year.

This Phaon Crescent lacks the black spot on the last orange spot on the front wing subterminal row of orange spots.  But it's still a Phaon. 

Since today's post has degenerated to a photo of a Phaon Crescent, it's time to stop.

National Butterfly Center, 9/30/14

Well I finally got out to the National Butterfly Center for the first time in a month.  With the recent rains the numbers have really increased although there was nothing very interesting.  The balloon vine is blooming and has a few Silver-banded Hairstreaks.

The numbers of Fiery Skippers were way up and they're gonna try to keep it that way.

Here's two shots of a Common Mellana.  I didn't realize the female has all those white spots.

I'll gladly sacrifice a Phaon Crescent to keep this robber fly happy.

A big fat Gulf Fritillary.

 My first Monarch for the fall.

Here's today's list.

• Pipevine Swallowtail 1
• Giant Swallowtail 1
• Southern Dogface 5
• Large Orange Sulphur 6
• Lyside Sulphur 5
• Little Yellow 4
• Mimosa Yellow 1
• Silver-banded Hairstreak 4
• Western Pygmy-Blue 12
• Ceraunus Blue 5
• Reakirt's Blue 1
• Rounded Metalmark 1
• Red-bordered Metalmark 1
• American Snout 80
• Gulf Fritillary 4
• Zebra Heliconian 6
• Variegated Fritillary 1
• Phaon Crescent 15
• Red Admiral 1
• White Peacock 2
• Empress Leilia 1
• Tawny Emperor 10
• Monarch 3
• Queen 180
• Soldier 3
• White Checkered-Skipper 3
• Tropical Checkered-Skipper 12
• Laviana White-Skipper 6
• Common Sootywing 4
• Julia's Skipper 8
• Clouded Skipper 35
• Southern Skipperling 6
• Fiery Skipper 25
• Whirlabout 2
• Southern Broken-Dash 12
• Common Mellana 5
• Celia's Roadside-Skipper 10
• Eufala Skipper 4