Today I spent the mid-day hours cruising some very sandy and dusty pine barrens. I don't think my car or optics will ever forgive me. It was worth it. I found a couple of year birds and three year Leps!
The first was a bug that I wasn't sure I would find in Cass County - Olympia Marble - , and I didn't. I found three individuals about .25 miles out of Cass County in Hubbard County. What a spectacular bug! - It hangs out in sandy pine / oak barrens and is quite a looker -
Olympia Marble - Euchloe olympia
Once I swung back into Cass County I found some new "blue" butterflies. The first one flew in through the sunroof and out the rear window. This bug was VERY difficult prey for my camera!
Spring Azure - Celastrina ladon marginata
This next blue butterfly almost went unidentified as I thought it was just another Spring Azure, but upon closer examination I discovered it was a very different bug indeed!
Silvery Blue - Glaucopsyche lygdomus
Today the Mustard Whites were out in big numbers. I would estimate 50+ bugs seen through out the day! Most were along McKinley Rd anywhere the road came close to a wetland. Here is a shot of one nectaring on a Willow blossom.
Mustard White - Pieris napi
Ok, I want to tag along on one of your day trips! It's ok, Andrew, you're safe...I live in Canada. Seriously, that's an awesome outing. Your Olympia Marble is gorgeous; I don't think I've even seen a picture of one before now. We're in kind of a no-man's land for butterflies and moths: too far northwest for "Ontario" species and too far east for "prairie" critters. I may have to wander further afield in my search. Your photos are beautiful...thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteAndrew, after admiring your Marble photo last April and lamenting that we weren't likely to have anything so special in our area, I literally stumbled on a beautiful specimen along the highway between Kenora and Winnipeg last June! It has more markings, more green, than your photo, but was loosely identified by Bug Guide contributors as an Olympian or Creamy White.
ReplyDeleteI thoroughly enjoy your images; thanks for sharing!