I have seen Giant Purple Hairstreaks in the past.....just not this year. Still hoping.

Char, she is so gorgeous on the Whit Mistflower, Wow!

Gorgeous!

Do the orange sulfur alba butterflies come almost white? I saw some very similar yesterday here in NM, but I chased them around for about half an hour and couldn't get any decent pics. They were mostly pale yellow white with a few markings, but nothing that I could really distinguish.

There are probably others, but there is one called a white angeled sulphur that might show up in your area. http://www.butterfliesandmoths...

Thank you, Christine. The ones I saw had no green tinge at all. More creamy white. They apparently are common because I seem a lot. I'll try to get better pics. The ones I got were not usable.

I had to take Mom to have a procedure done today but she's fine. I also got to make her an appointment to see another doctor, but she did thank me for that (she was watching her soap).

I always think it's funny that something that's super common is rare in other parts. I can't walk out my front door without Long-Tailed Skippers zooming by the porterweed. Char, I'd send you some if I could!

I've only ever seen a Great Purple Hairstreak once and it was so awesome. I was at a local nursery buying my first Sweetbay Magnolia (host for Tiger Swallowtails). Dad ran interference for me while I took a few photos. The light was in the background so I didn't get good photos, but at least I saw one!

Karen, Jack posted some alba form Orange Sulphurs the other day here: http://garden.org/thread/view_... Sulphurs can vary a lot so you may have seen one that's more white than his. It can be a regional thing, too.

mellielong said:I had to take Mom to have a procedure done today but she's fine. I also got to make her an appointment to see another doctor, but she did thank me for that (she was watching her soap).

I always think it's funny that something that's super common is rare in other parts. I can't walk out my front door without Long-Tailed Skippers zooming by the porterweed. Char, I'd send you some if I could!

I've only ever seen a Great Purple Hairstreak once and it was so awesome. I was at a local nursery buying my first Sweetbay Magnolia (host for Tiger Swallowtails). Dad ran interference for me while I took a few photos. The light was in the background so I didn't get good photos, but at least I saw one!

Karen, Jack posted some alba form Orange Sulphurs the other day here: http://garden.org/thread/view_... Sulphurs can vary a lot so you may have seen one that's more white than his. It can be a regional thing, too.

Mellie, hope your mom is okay.
Please send me some of those beautiful long-tailed skippers too! I've never seen one! But I see plenty of Purple Hairstreaks whenever I go into the city....and at rock concerts. They don't have wings though

Thanks, Melanie. Seeing Jack's pics is what made me think they were orange sulfurs or something very close.

Just happy to know that Mom is okay. That's the important thing. Give her a group hug.

Mostly Skippers today...
Skipper > on Dahlia


2 Skippers >





3 Skippers >


Buckeye and Skipper (s) >


Scape Moth >


Elsewhere -
Question Mark or Comma with flies
There's a lot of fallen apples underfoot here (part of Plato's walk)...

GrammaChar said:I have seen Giant Purple Hairstreaks in the past.....just not this year. Still hoping.


Whoa Char! Now I understand why you were hoping to get a shot of one....That metallic blue against the red is breathtaking. Is it larger then other Hairstreaks? or just named "great" because of its great coloring?

I posted something like this before, but in case newer people are lurking and learning, here's a quick video that shows how the Hairstreak butterfly rubs its tail wings together to distract predators away from its head in case of attack.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

Mellie- Can you explain why Jack's White-tipped black is soooo far away from its range? We are having much warmer weather here in Pennsylvania later than usual--- but not each day. If it's warm out Jack's way I guess that helps too but THAT far afield? Isn't that like finding a Gulf Frit up here?

I'm curious about that out of range butterfly as well. This thread is becoming exciting, I pop in occasionally to see the beautiful photos. Got one of my own this week when several monarchs appeared, must be the migration.

We had many Monarchs on the Lantana yesterday. Here is a shot with Lantana and Heath aster.

I had a Monarch here on Tuesday on a Tithonia.

And a White-tipped black was spotted in Mid Missouri. (Not by me)

Am still enjoying lots of skippers, sulphurs and lots of teeny-weeny guys that I have not been able to ID. They are enjoying my Spanish Needle (Thanks Melanie). That and Tithonia and Blue Porterweed ( thanks again Melanie) are all still blooming up a storm.

Sorry I've been AWOL today. I got a shipment from Amazon and I've been playing with my new toys. Except I haven't had a chance to use my UV flashlight, yet. Gonna go find caterpillars in the dark! Better wear gloves. And take a regular flashlight.

Looking at BAMONA's map, it looks like Jack's moth does stray sometimes, though they don't have any reports in Illinois that I can see. Maybe Jack could report it? (Hint, hint.) It was weird seeing it because I'm pretty used to seeing them around here, but I didn't think they were up north. Then again, I was going to ask Jack how he still has so many Skippers and other butterflies. Isn't it getting cold for some of you? I haven't looked at the weather - or the news - because I get depressed or angry.

Things usually slow down on the thread around this time of year but it seems like a lot of you are still seeing butterflies. Climate change? Weird weather year?

In case you missed it - the photo contest is open! We don't have an insect category or pollinator category this year which is bumming me out. But I know you guys have tons of great photos you can enter. Click here: http://garden.org/apps/photoco...

Cabbage White -


Having no pic category for pollinators a/o insects just doesn't seem right.
When I get around to it, I'll submit sighting to BAMONA.

It's not gotten down to anything like freezing yet; and isn't in the foreseeable future. I think the avg. first freeze date was 2, maybe 3 weeks ago.

We have had very warm weather too, it has been like summer up to now, but the days are shorter so the plants are changing anyway.