Butterfly Transit Walk, Brukner Nature Center, August 11, 2013

We met at 11 AM.  The day was just beginning to warm up.  Before we officially started, we saw butterflies...Red-spotted Purples and Hackberries.  Both were on the porch of the Brukner Interpretative  Center when the official count began.

Phil took this photo of the Red-spotted Purple on Brukner's welcome mat.

Photo by Phil Shafer
Red-Spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax)  Wingspan 3.0-4.0 inches (7.6-10.2 cm)

Hackberry Butterflies often land on people, on their clothes or their arms or legs.  This one landed on Jim's shoe.

Photo by Phil Shafer
Hackberry Butterfly (asterocampa celtis) Wingspan 2.0-2.6 inches (5.1-6.6 cm)


As we headed toward the back of the Interpretative Center, I stopped to photograph the reddening seedpods of the Jack-in-the-Pulpits.  These are all female plants.  Male or gender-neutral "Jacks" do not produce seedpods.

Photo by Pauline

At the back of the building, Ruth made an exciting discovery on the spicebush.

.Photo by Phil Shafer
Spicebush Swallowtail larva (Papilio troilus)  Wingspan of adult 3.5-5.0 inches (8.9-12-7 cm)

This is the very young caterpillar of the Spicebush Butterfly.  It is camouflaged  by looking like a bird dropping.  It also curls the edge of a leaf around itself for further protection.  After a number of molts, it will look like this.

Photo from Caterpillars of Eastern North America by David L. Wagner, Princeton University Press

Phil took this excellent photo of an Eastern Comma with its distinctive silver comma displayed.

Photo by Phil Shafer
Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma) Wingspan 2.0-2-4 inches (5.1-6.1 cm)


Down by Cattail Pond, we saw a few butterflies and also other wild creatures.

Photo by Phil Shafer
Dragonfly

Photo by Phil Shafer
Eastern Painted turtles.

Inside the woods, we found a Tiger Swallowtail which seemed to be newly emerged.  It was still wrinkly, its wings not quite completely unfurled.

Photo by Pauline
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) Wingspan 3.5-5.5 inches (8.9-14.0 cm)

Along the drive among the prairie flowers and grasses planted by Pheasants Forever, a conservation group, we saw Orange Sulphurs.

Photo by Phil Shafer
 Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme) Wingspan 1.6-2.4 inches (4.1-6.1 cm)

In the planted butterfly garden, a Silvery Checkerspot paused.  Do you see the single white spot on each hind wing that distinguishes this butterfly from the Pearl Crescent?

Photo by Phil Shafer
Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis) Wingspan 1.4-2.0 inches (3.6-5.1 cm)

And, always, an unidentified skipper.

Photo by Phil Shafer