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Post by nomad on Mar 12, 2015 16:03:05 GMT
A bright but rather breezy day today in my area. I did mange a photograph of a male Gonepteryx rhamni resting after giving up his battle against the wind.
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mantisboy
Junior Aurelian
Posts: 81
Country: U.S.A.
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Post by mantisboy on Mar 22, 2015 2:40:53 GMT
Sorry that I'm late to the party! I have been waiting to comment until I found something that was better that a common ground beetle or a house fly as my first insect. Since Wisconsin is finally starting to warm up, I went to a nice spot for insects for three hours this morning to see what I could find. Aside from a June beetle and a few crickets, there wasn't much of anything. After a lot if hiking and turning over logs, I decided to give up. As I was walking back with my head hung low, I noticed a shadow flutter over me. I quickly turned, and it seemed to be a small orange butterfly, but I couldn't figure out what it was. It didn't seem very intent on landing, so I netted it. It turned out to be an Infant Moth, Archiearis infans, which I have not found before. Although it wasn't much, it made the whole trip worth it as a sign that winter is finally over. I'll add another picture once it is spread. Attachments:
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Post by nomad on Mar 22, 2015 9:05:53 GMT
We have a similar species in the U.K, Archiearis parthenias, which I have only seen on a few occasions flying erratically around birch trees in the Spring. I must admit I like our English name better, the Orange Underwing Moth.
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Post by Paul K on Mar 22, 2015 13:13:37 GMT
I have collected back in Wroclaw-Poland Archiearis parthenias and A.notha. The second one was common in the very early spring. I spotted in one of the parks in Toronto A.infans flying in early April. I have tried to collect it for 3 or 4 springs but I always failed as they usually fly high around birch trees. I was standing with my head up waiting for one to fly down for many hours and with no success and pain in the neck go home and wait for another year as their flight season is very short. Sorry for not so perfect picture as I made with iPhone the whole drawer and zoom is not very sharp. Those are European Archiearis ssp. Paul Attachments:
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Post by nomad on Mar 22, 2015 17:07:19 GMT
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jensb
Junior Aurelian
Posts: 50
Country: Netherlands
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Post by jensb on Mar 22, 2015 22:22:41 GMT
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mantisboy
Junior Aurelian
Posts: 81
Country: U.S.A.
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Post by mantisboy on Mar 25, 2015 20:31:49 GMT
Here is the moth now that it is spread, but I still haven't found a first butterfly yet. We just got a foot of snow two days ago, so I think I'll still have to wait a while. Attachments:
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Post by xavm (Xavier) on Apr 1, 2015 13:56:37 GMT
This is not an April fool, bu finally today, in Paris area, the first 'real' spring butterfly : Pieris napi male is on the wings
Xavier
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Post by wollastoni on Apr 1, 2015 14:17:03 GMT
Pieris rapae was common last week end in the center of Milano. And I am not 100% sure but I think I have seen one Anthocharis cardamines today.
Next month, the Lycaena dispar season will start ! :-)
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Post by cabintom on Apr 1, 2015 20:11:00 GMT
We still have snow covering the ground here... I can't wait to be back in Africa.
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Post by xavm (Xavier) on Apr 2, 2015 6:37:24 GMT
Here is the moth now that it is spread, but I still haven't found a first butterfly yet. We just got a foot of snow two days ago, so I think I'll still have to wait a while.
This is really a beautiful moth. Thanks for sharing.
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Post by nomad on Apr 5, 2015 15:22:17 GMT
A walk in the Woods. It has been quite a late Spring here in North Wiltshire in England. Further south in the coastal counties, already the Satyrids, Parage aegeria and Lasiommata megera have been seen. Yesterday, was cold, dark and bleak on the Wiltshire Downs, with a cold north-east wind, neither beetle or butterfly were to be seen. Still there was that perfect thatched village set in the fold of the downs where there was a welcome hot meal in the Blue Boar washed down by a pint of Wadworth Wiltshire 6X beer. Today, I awoke to blue skies, so I got out my old steed and rode out to the west and down into the clay vale to a oak wood that was once part of the fragmented Braydon Forest. The clouds were rolling in but before they did so, I found a couple of Peacock butterflies basking on the Woodland floor. Queen Bumble Bees were busy looking for nesting holes while Hover flies were busy at the Sallows. The Wood. Peacock - Inachis io. Male top, female bottom. The Hover-fly Eristalus pertinax. Covered in pollen of the Sallow flowers. A resting Bee Fly Bombylius major. A Queen Bombus terrestris looking for a hole for the new nest.
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Post by wollastoni on Apr 5, 2015 17:19:12 GMT
Wow, I love this Bombylius major picture ! I have never had the chance to see one !
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Post by trehopr1 on Apr 15, 2015 19:40:19 GMT
Today, I can finally report that I have officially seen (and appropriately recorded) my first SPRING butterfly sighting of 2015 ! At 1:25 pm Chicago time I sighted a fresh hatch ex-pupa male of Pieris rapae flying about my backyard hedgerow. I'm ecstatic..... I know some will just say it's just a Cabbage butterfly. However, I can truthfully say that in my little part of this world of ours Pieris rapae is the first harbinger of our spring and of better things to come !
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Post by Paul K on Apr 29, 2015 20:03:07 GMT
After overwintering in hot and tropical Thailand experiencing many new tropical species I have arrived two weeks ago to cold and grey Toronto. Today finaly i could say it is first day of spring ( 29 Apr ! ). The temperature claimed to high 20C and with full sun I dissuaded to go to one of the large ravin park complex in the city and look for some spring butterflies. Besides few early flowers and green grass there is not so much green yet, trees just starting to have the buds. Without any blooming vagetation the butterflies were very easy to spotted. I have seen many Polygonia comma specimens, couple of Nymphalis antiopa, Vanessa atalanta and first real spring butterfly : Pieris rapae . It was the very pleasant day and nice to see spring coming slowly to Canada. Polygonia comma Paul
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