As Halloween fast approaches there is still plenty of wildlife to be found for anyone who dares brave the hoards of mosquitoes to venture out. A good place to look is anywhere you see a stand of wild sunflowers in bloom.
The Sunflowers with brown buttons are generally Narrow-leaved Sunflowers (Helianthus angustifolius). The Sunflowers with yellow or orange buttons are Helianthus floridanus.
Above: A little Red-banded Hairstreak Butterfly (Calycopis cecrops) in some wild sunflowers.
Above: A bumble bee at work on a wild sunflower.
Above: A little Pearl Crescent Butterfly (Phyciodes tharos), down in the grass. This little guy is no more than 1-1 1/2" (24-38 mm) wide. . . but spectacular in close up.
Above: A couple of Orange Sulphur Butterflies after a wild morning glory (Glades Morning-glory; Ipomoea sagittata). They are maybe 2" (50 mm). These are males. The female's black borders are broken by yellow spots.
There's a lot of this morning glory blooming in little patches near lakes (or where lakes should be). . . in the patches of morning glory you'll find butterflies.
Above: The Little Yellow Butterfly (Eurema lisa). They are also very small at 1-1 1/2" (25-38 mm).
Above: A little Red-banded Hairstreak Butterfly (Calycopis cecrops) in some wild sunflowers.
Above: A bumble bee at work on a wild sunflower.
Above: A little Pearl Crescent Butterfly (Phyciodes tharos), down in the grass. This little guy is no more than 1-1 1/2" (24-38 mm) wide. . . but spectacular in close up.
Above: A couple of Orange Sulphur Butterflies after a wild morning glory (Glades Morning-glory; Ipomoea sagittata). They are maybe 2" (50 mm). These are males. The female's black borders are broken by yellow spots.
There's a lot of this morning glory blooming in little patches near lakes (or where lakes should be). . . in the patches of morning glory you'll find butterflies.
Above: The Little Yellow Butterfly (Eurema lisa). They are also very small at 1-1 1/2" (25-38 mm).
Vast numbers of Little Yellows emigrate to the Caribbean and Atlantic every fall. Columbus is supposed to have witnessed from the decks of the Santa Maria one such mass movement, probably consisting of this species or the Cloudless Giant Sulphur.
Above: The Cuban Crescent (Phyciodes frisia) on some Climbing Aster (Aster carolinianus).
Above and Below: The very plentiful Clouded Sulphur (Colias philodice) on Cypress-vine (Ipomoea quamoclit). My Cypress-vine did not come back this summer due to the drought so I have to find it in nearby ditches where there is some moisture. Find the vine and you'll find the butterflies.
Below: The Swamp Metalmark Butterfly (Calephelis mutica).
Together the range of the Swamp, Northern, and Little Metalmarks cover most of the United States east of the Mississippi so this could actually be any one of those three species. The distribution pattern suggests that these 3 metalmarks may have evolved relatively recently from a common ancestor. He is tiny 7/8 - 1" (22-27mm).
Above: The Cuban Crescent (Phyciodes frisia) on some Climbing Aster (Aster carolinianus).
Above and Below: The very plentiful Clouded Sulphur (Colias philodice) on Cypress-vine (Ipomoea quamoclit). My Cypress-vine did not come back this summer due to the drought so I have to find it in nearby ditches where there is some moisture. Find the vine and you'll find the butterflies.
Below: The Swamp Metalmark Butterfly (Calephelis mutica).
Together the range of the Swamp, Northern, and Little Metalmarks cover most of the United States east of the Mississippi so this could actually be any one of those three species. The distribution pattern suggests that these 3 metalmarks may have evolved relatively recently from a common ancestor. He is tiny 7/8 - 1" (22-27mm).
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