We present a moth today because it’s cool. I went for a lunch time walk at Cool Spring in southern Jefferson county. It was anything but cool as the temps hovered around 90 degrees with the humidity off the charts. Tallied 16 species including a female Sachem. Not that that’s much of a big deal but given the recent dearth of skippers in the eastern panhandle it makes this noteworthy. More will be coming!
Species: Black Swallowtail 1 Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 7 Spicebush Swallowtail 2 Cabbage White X Clouded Sulphur 4 Orange Sulphur 7 Eastern Tailed-Blue 4 Silvery Checkerspot 3 Pearl Crescent X Question Mark 1 Red-spotted Purple 1 Viceroy 3 Common Wood-Nymph 5 Silver-spotted Skipper 2 Least Skipper 1 Sachem (female) 1
Thank you, I wondered what those were. Another good reason to let the thistles grow.
Love the photos and thanks for including the information on the type of butterfly and your locations. You have inspired a trip to Spruce Knob and I am sure you will inspire a few more trips soon.
Naturally,
S. J. Brown