Common Buckeye
You can still find butterflies like the Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia) even here in November. This individual was sunning itself on a cool morning, still looking like those wings are in great shape in late autumn. Our science and conservation staff surveys and records butterflies across a multitude of sites in New York, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut, helping to increase the knowledge of range and abundance for certain species, discover early or late individuals pushing the boundaries of flight seasons, and adding layers information on the biodiversity at important locations. We also work to...
Read MoreSnail Attack
If you are in the mood for more Halloween madness, I witnessed this attack about a month ago on a sidewalk during a rainstorm. It looks like a snail had run into some bad luck with a harvester. It happened right as I came upon the snail, first seeing something in my viewfinder as I was about to snap the photo…what are those long, thin, moving…legs?! Oh my… Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreVariegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia)
Here is our second record late butterfly of the day for Connecticut, this Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia) for which the October 26 date at Stratford Point breaks the previous state record of October 20, 2007. This beauty certainly has the autumn and Halloween look down! Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreCommon Checkered Skipper
This is the Common Checkered Skipper (Pyrgus communis), a lovely little butterfly that was a life species for Audubon Connecticut’s Director of Bird Conservation Patrick Comins and me this morning at Stratford Point. The early and late dates on the Connecticut Butterfly Association website indicate it is also the latest one has ever been seen in Connecticut with October 26 breaking an October 10 record from 2012. Stratford Point has been known to harbor late individuals thanks to it being a coastal site surrounded by the warm waters of Long Island Sound. We had another late record...
Read MoreCrawly, not Creepy!
Why do spiders have to be creepy, crawly creatures? Let’s go with crawly and not so creepy! We love all forms of wildlife. But it definitely fits the Halloween season…
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