A Prairie Haven

We did the Buffalo County Butterfly Count here last week, and - of course - I've been seeing more moths.

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We did our Buffalo County butterfly count yesterday - Mike Reese and his son David Reese came to count with me.

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This is my first butterfly of 2009.  An Eastern Comma, seen on March 16.

Polygonia comma

It was 65 degrees today - a good day to bring out those early 'leps'.  ('Leps' is short for Lepidoptera - moths and butterflies.)

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Three of us did the count this year – Mike Reese, Dave Hanson, and me - on July 24th. It was a good day – very sunny, but not as hot and muggy as it has been in the past.

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The count was held on July 10th. (more...)

Mourning Cloaks are one of the first butterflies to fly in the spring because they over winter as adults. They spend the winter in crevices behind bark or in log or brush piles. If the temperature warms to 55 degrees and the sun is shining, these butterflies will come out to bask in the sun in a sheltered place, even in the middle of winter. This one flew past me in the woods and landed on a branch right in front of my face. (more...)

This has been a good week for moths and butterflies in St. Paul. (more...)

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Mourning Cloak Butterflies (Nymphalis antiopa) are large butterflies - about the size of monarchs. They have dark brown velvety wings with a line of blue spots and a yellow band along the outer edge of their wings. (more...)