Stayed local last Saturday visting Shannondale Springs WMA and the power line cut leading to the Appalachian Trail from Chestnut Hill Rd/Spring Park Trail Rd/Cub Ln. Diversity was decent and new broods of Wild Indigo Duskywing and Silvery Checkerpots were evident. The weather was great (as has been the trend this entire summer, low temps and humidity). The following species were seen by the traveling lepsters from both locations (Barry Marts and me):
* = Seen elsewhere during this week Silver-spotted Skipper 38 Wild Indigo Duskywing 4 Peck's Skipper 4 Tawny-edged Skipper 1 Sachem 1 Zabulon Skipper 11 Dun Skipper 1 Zebra Swallowtail 3 Black Swallowtail 2 Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 20 Spicebush Swallowtail 8 Cabbage White 4 Clouded Sulphur 3 Orange Sulphur 6 Eastern Tailed-Blue 16 Monarch 6 Variegated Fritillary 2 Great Spangled Fritillary 61 Silvery Checkerspot 6 *Tawny Emperor 1 Hackberry Emperor 1 Pearl Crescent 15 *Common Buckeye 1 *Question Mark 1 Northern Pearly-eye 1
Finally saw my FOY Common Buckeye this evening at Nash Farm. A nice surprise. Also 2 Common Checkered Skippers in the last few days – one at South Schoolhouse Ridge, and one in my back garden.