|
|
Post by tasty on Aug 17, 2016 10:16:39 GMT -5
I just came in from checking the perennial bed. Boy, the rain we got on Saturday and again yesterday has made a huge difference :) .. My big perennial bed has a couple of big clumps of Black-eyed Susans and each of them had lots of little butterflies on them. They are only about 1" across the wing-span and their colouring blends very well with the flowers - rusty orange, black and the wings seem to be edged with a bluey-grey. Any ideas?
While I was out there I saw that my hibiscus has also bloomed this morning. 2 gorgeous big burgundy flowers, back to back., bigger than any saucer I have ever seen.
|
|
|
|
Post by plantdoctor on Aug 17, 2016 10:26:44 GMT -5
Look anything like this?  |
|
|
|
Post by tasty on Aug 17, 2016 10:49:29 GMT -5
The colouring is pretty close - so, yes.
|
|
|
|
Post by mnwildflowers on Aug 17, 2016 13:39:10 GMT -5
The painted lady is bigger than an inch across tho. I get those small orange ones too tho not sure of the names. They are only the size of a quarter if that and don't have the white spots.
|
|
|
|
Post by mnwildflowers on Aug 17, 2016 13:46:42 GMT -5
I think I see skipper butterflys. They are pretty small.  |
|
|
|
Post by nybirder on Aug 17, 2016 15:29:41 GMT -5
Hi, Tasty! Your description sounds similar to a Milbert's Tortoiseshell. What caught my attention is when you said it had a blue-gray edging. I've only seen a couple, but in bright sunshine there are blue dots in the black edging on the wing. Could you see if the under-wings were darker and not as patterned? Trouble is, the smallest wing-span measurement for them is 1 5/8". Compared to some butterflies, though, that isn't all that large. A small Monarch measures a little under 3 1/2". The tortoiseshells are found in your area. Check out the info and pictures here: www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Aglais-milberti. Now, another strong possibility is the European Skipper. There are many varieties of skippers--they are usually pretty small and not very showy. The European Skipper species is most likely since they are very common and show up in large numbers when they do. They are shaped different than most other butterflies, too, almost as though they have 4 wings. They do have a gray edge on the wing. Check this out: www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Thymelicus-lineolaI'm hoping you have the tortoiseshells. They are a real treat to see. |
|
|
|
Post by tasty on Aug 17, 2016 15:34:48 GMT -5
I've just been to have another look and they have NO white spots.
Hi Birdy, I'll check your links and see if they look like what we have.
Thanks everyone .
|
|
|
|
Post by annrms on Aug 17, 2016 15:36:42 GMT -5
Good to see you, Birdy!
|
|
|
|
Post by tasty on Aug 17, 2016 15:47:55 GMT -5
Checked again and yeah, they are more than 1" across. A skipper seems the most likely, I think. Just now when I had another look, I didn't see the bluey-gray on the outside edge of the wing, but I definitely saw that this morning.
|
|
|
|
Post by nybirder on Aug 18, 2016 6:53:12 GMT -5
Tasty--those little guys can be a bit variable so the edge of the wing might be darker in some than others. I can see where you would call it blue-gray. They were accidentally introduced in south-east Canada back in the early 1900's and have been spreading ever since. NY state has more than its share. I've stood in the middle of a whole "flock" of them in wildflowers a number of times.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ladybird on Aug 18, 2016 7:09:17 GMT -5
I noticed don't have the amount of butterflies this year that I did last year. I do not use pesticides
|
|
|
|
Post by wilderness on Aug 18, 2016 7:16:04 GMT -5
Another small butterfly that meets that description is the Federal. We sometimes have 100's of them at a time here.
|
|
|
|
Post by nybirder on Aug 18, 2016 7:17:24 GMT -5
Ladybird--it might be the weather. Parts of this summer, I have seen many more butterflies than last year. They were in spots that weren't as dry as others. Also, butterflies can be affected by strong storms.
On a plus note, I've seen more monarchs than in past years. A couple of years ago, I saw only 3 the whole summer and was worried that they were going to disappear for good.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ladybird on Aug 18, 2016 7:34:35 GMT -5
Have milkweed in my lower field and finally starting to get more of it. Butterflies usually cover it but not so many this year or on the joe pye weed in my upper field. Was a dry summer but now we are finally getting rain
|
|
|
|
Post by tasty on Aug 18, 2016 8:16:53 GMT -5
We have seen quite a number of the larger butterflies this year - monarchs and swallowtails. Need to keep searching on these little ones I asked about yesterday. I'm totally amazed at the variety of butterflies out there!
I appreciate all the responses + it's provided for some interesting discussion.
|
|
