Red Admiral
This Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) was doing its best job to hide on this fencing, blending in rather well when it was not flashing those bright red orange wing stripes. They have been pouring to the north in the last week, migrating whenever possible in comfortable and calm June conditions. I do not often get to see this side of the species, and I was glad to have a chance to actually see one pausing with all of them floating by. I hope it is having a good trip and things are now looking up. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreVariegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia) and Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele)
The Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia) and Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele) can both be found in the Northeast in meadows and fields. The Variegated is much less common in Connecticut, being as it is mostly a southern species. Right now in the Northeast more and more butterflies are being seen migrating on emerging from new habitats. Photographed by RTPI Affiliate Sean Graesser for the Meet Your Neighbours global biodiversity project in Connecticut while on assignment for the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History.
Read MorePollinator Meadows
This morning RTPI Affiliate Sean Graesser and I attended the annual meeting of the Aspetuck Land Trust at the always magnificent Trout Brook Valley Conservation Area in Weston and Easton, Connecticut with many great friends, naturalists, conservationists and caring neighbors. Thankfully incoming rain showers held off until the afternoon, but the cool and cloudy conditions kept it quiet for most insects. We joined our fellow members of the Land Management Committee to hike the property after the meeting, examining our pollinator meadows and the sizable growth of uncut grasslands that are now...
Read MoreBusy Black Swallowtail
After seeing many Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) butterflies and little else on the wing for much of the spring, they have dropped off in number as others increase. What have your observations been? I have been surprised at how (relatively) few Eastern Tiger Swallowtails have been in the air except for a week or two in May. The harsh and historically cold winter likely changed the lepidoptera landscape for us more than usual. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreSpot-winged Glider
Today was the best day that I have experienced so far this year for migratory insects! Red Admiral and Monarch butterflies were on the wing, and dozens of dozens of dragonflies were zipping by including Common Green Darners, Black Saddlebags, Carolina Saddlebags, Swamp Darners, Wandering Gliders and Spot-winged Gliders (Pantala hymenaea) like this one. You can see the spots of this very difficult to catch species here. Keep an eye out for Sean’s Meet Your Neighbour photo of it sometime soon. So much more life is emerging every day now that we have entered the summer, and it is so...
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