Pinery Insects-Update

Today was the Pinery/Port Franks Count.  The morning was a write-off!  As usual the weather forecast was completely wrong and it was cold, cloudy, drizzly in the morning.  The sun did finally come sometime after lunch, as so did the butterflies.  We had absolutely no butterflies in the morning!!  A first.

Hobomok Skipper

My party always does the southern half of the park, and we came up with 17 species. Common Roadside Skippers were fairly common again this year.







We had a skipper along the power line corridor that caught our attention.  My very first impression was Dusted, but then we thought it was Northern Cloudywing.  Not sure why we concluded that, but looking at the photos on the computer screen, one can see that it is actually a Dusted!  The face pattern was not very visible, so that may be what threw me off.  We have had Dusted here twice before on the counts.  Thanks to Brenda Kulon for confirming the ID.

Dusted Skipper

Common Ringlets made a showing.  We had two or three when I think I have only seen one before within the park.

A few Red-spotted Purple were out, but we did not see the transitional type this year.

First time we missed Great-Spangled Fritillary!  Some other misses too, not surprisingly.

Dragonflies also came out later in the afternoon with several species.   A few Midland Clubtails were flying.







A late Juvenal's Duskywing made an appearance near Nipissing Trail.

Nothing noteworthy in birds, but I did hear a Black-and-White Warbler at the Burley Bridge--somewhat uncommon for the area in breeding season.

Tawny-edged Skipper

On the way home, I made a quick stop north of 'Burg and spotted a Coral Hairstreak-first hairstreak of the year!