Central Ohio NatureButterflies That Don’t Look Like Butterflies
Posted on June 22, 2020
In the last few weeks butterflies have become a lot more common, especially during warm late spring afternoons. To the casual observer some don’t even look like butterflies.
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Below are some seen recently where there’s no question what they are.
The very small Banded Hairstreak, (Donna).
Another very small butterfly, the Summer Azure, (Donna).
Hackberry Emperors are a very common medium size butterfly that shun flowers but on a warm day will often land on your skin.
The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail is a large butterfly that’s easy to spot and usually easy to get a picture of.
The profile of the medium size Eastern Comma is a bit confusing but in flight there is no mistaking it for anything but a butterfly, (Donna).
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But then there are some where we’re not quite sure, a moth, butterfly, or something else?
The Silver Spotted skipper is one of the largest of the skippers and for that reason fairly easy to spot. It is a fast flier not floating like the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail. Habitat: Disturbed and open woods, foothill stream courses, prairie waterways. Range: Extreme southern Canada and most of the continental United States except the Great Basin and west Texas; northern Mexico. http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org
The Zabulon Skipper is very small, common but easy to miss. Habitat: Brushy openings near moist forests and streams. Range: Massachusetts west through southern Michigan to central Kansas; south to central Florida, southern Louisiana, and northeast Texas. Strays to New Mexico, South Dakota, and southern Quebec. A separate population ranges from central Mexico south to Panama. http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org
Two very small and seldom seen Crossline Skippers. Habitat: Open grassy areas including prairies hills, barrens, power line cuts, old fields, forest openings. Range: Western North Dakota east across central Minnesota, southern Ontario, and southern Quebec to central Maine; south to northeast Texas, the Gulf Coast, and northern Florida. http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org
A Peck’s Skipper on a dandelion. A very small fury butterfly. Habitat: Many open grassy habitats including meadows, prairies, lawns, marshes, landfills, roadsides, vacant lots, and power line right-of-ways. Range: British Columbia east across southern Canada to Nova Scotia; south to northeastern Oregon, southern Colorado, northwest Arkansas, and northern Georgia. http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org
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And then there’s this rather unusual specimen.
American Snout, Habitat: Forest clearings and edges, thorn scrub, brushy fields, roadsides.
Range: Argentina north through Mexico and the West Indies to southern United States. Migrates to central California, southern Nevada, Colorado, and most of the eastern United States. http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org
While fascinating it’s not clear what purpose the snout serves, (Donna).
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Given that many butterflies are very small and some fly very fast it can be a challenge to spot them. However once spotted, they transport one into a world that few visit and get to appreciate.
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Thanks for stopping by.
It’s A Butterfly Time Of Year
Posted on August 16, 2018
Not that they aren’t seen earlier in the spring and summer but August does seem to be the time for butterflies. This year it’s been almost impossible to be out for any length of time without seeing a Monarch. In the late morning or afternoon small but beautiful Pearl Crescents make the shorter grass along the trail their playground. The beauty of some butterflies like the Giant Swallowtail is apparent to even a casual observer but others like the Buckeye reveal their beauty only after a closer look. Others like the hairstreaks are easy to miss altogether unless you know what to look for. The good news is that you don’t have to get up a the crack of dawn to see butterflies.
Sunlight filters through the woods along the Big Derby during a recent butterfly hike.
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So below is a celebration of butterflies that have been seen in the last few weeks. Much of the credit must go to my wife who tirelessly pursues these usually unpredictable creatures until she gets the shot she wants while I often content myself to photographing the more predictable wildflowers.
In late summer Bull Thistle is common in the prairie areas of Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park and seems to attract it’s share of Monarchs.
The Giant Swallowtail is Ohio’s largest butterfly and not one we see every day, Griggs Reservoir Park..
A Giant Swallowtail depositing eggs, (Donna).
Great Blue Lobelia enjoying the more shaded areas of Griggs Reservoir Park.
A very small female Eastern-tailed Blue rewards Donna by opening it’s wings.
Prairie sunflowers, Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park.
The beautiful but very small Gray Hairstreak, (Donna).
Hackberry Emperors are fairly common in Griggs reservoir Park and on a warm day enjoy hitching a ride on your arm to take advantage of your perspiration, (Donna).
Cardinal Flower
A small Summer Azure almost seems to blend in, (Donna).
Wingstem, Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park prairie.
The not often seen Meadow Fritillary
The fairly common but lovely Orange Sulfur, (Donna).
New England Aster
Usually not seen in central Ohio until late summer or fall the medium size Buckeye is striking, Griggs Reservoir Park, (Donna).
Fringed Loosestrife also enjoys the more shaded areas along the Scioto River.
A small Zabulon Skipper, (Donna).
A small but lovely Common Checkered Skipper, (Donna).
Lazard’s Tail along the Scioto River, Griggs Reservoir Park.
Silver Spotted Skipper, Griggs Reservoir Park.
Tall Blue Lettuce, Griggs Reservoir Park.
Red-spotted Purple, (Donna).
Another look, (Donna).
Gray-headed Coneflowers seem to take flight.
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Another look.
A somewhat faded black form of the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, (Donna)
Black Swallowtail, (Donna).
Black Swallowtail laying eggs, (Donna).
Ironweed, Griggs Reservoir Park.
The Peck’s Skipper is a very small moth like butterfly, (Donna).
Cup Plant
Monarch, (Donna).
Monarch
Trumpet Flowers, (Donna).
Mating Pearl Crescents
Pearl Cresent
Tall Bellflower
Eastern Comma
The tiny flowers of Virginia Knotweed.
Certainly not the most aesthetic setting, a Zebra Swallowtail lands in our canoe just as we finish a paddle on Paint Creek, (Donna).
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Where there are butterflies and moths there are caterpillars and no one is better at spotting them than my wife.
Brown-hooded Owlet, (Donna).
Monarch caterpillar, (Donna).
Orange Dog (Giant Swallowtail caterpillar), (Donna).
Another look.
Black Swallowtail caterpillar showing horns. Horns extend when head is touched lightly. Donna).
Without horns protruding, (Donna).
Sycamore Tussock Moth caterpillar, (Donna).
Milkweed Tussock Moth caterpillars, (Donna).
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We would be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge some of the birds that continue to charm us as we walk through the woods of central Ohio.
Male Goldfinch, (Donna).
This time of year False Dragonhead can be seen along the shore of Griggs Reservoir.
A Ruby throated Hummingbird checks out the Bull Thistle at Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park, (Donna).
Woodland Sunflowers offer a splash of color in the woods along the Scioto River.
A Tufted Titmouse checks Donna out as she attempts to take it’s picture.
Indigo Bunting, Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park.
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So what was I doing while my wife was taking so many excellent photographs in central Ohio? Fishing in Michigan of course.
This nice Largemouth Bas went swimming right after posing for this picture.
Fishing at sunset on Devoe Lake, Rifle River Recreation Area.
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If time spent in nature speaks to the essence of your being, your soul, you have riches greater than any material procession can offer. A wealth that grows in health, spirit, and the awareness of being part of the greater mystery. Thanks for stopping by.
Central Ohio Nature 