Congrats, Larry! 'Sounds like it really was the Ascia howarthi - I always have to get out the field guide when you post!
Persistent southerly winds do bring in rare leps - I got that visit from the pretty white moth from south Florida or Central America right after T.S. Lee earlier this month.
In 2005, the second of two consecutive big hurricane years, black witches blew in, then we had Katrina - 'made me think the superstition about them was true.
Sherry

Sherry, if its any consolation for you, I sometimes have to ponder the common names or initialisms you folks use here as well if no other description or picture is included. The crowds I ran with just didn't use either of them as they are not conclusive, so what I learned and used so many years I still use.

Today there is quite a few Hespieriidae (skippers) using my Lantana (lantana, maybe shrub verbena), an occasional Lycarnidae (gossamer-wing), and one Vanessa (brush-foot) happened by. So maybe they are thanks to the southern squall (monsoon) with a little rain (water condensed from atmospheric vapor and falling in drops). ;)

Larry, glad you are getting some butterflies. This is actually my favorite time of year because of the number of butterflies that migrate through our area. It's also exciting to see a bug that gets blown off course by the winds. Sounds like you've got a lot of nectar plants outside your front door. Thanks for sharing a great story. With a little imagining, I can see you collecting those larvae, packing them, and sending them. Bet you were more than a little upset when they didn't make it.

I had visitors today--three 4 and 5 year olds. They came to see the Danaus plexippus in the yard. I sent them home with a bag of caterpillars and milkweed. We also released a male that had eclosed today.

I also IDed a butterfly in a phone photo for my orthopedic doctor (this morning) who is going to do surgery on both wrists. The titanium plate in the left wrist is going to have to be removed--the screws are pressing against the tendons, and the other wrist has developed a ganglion cyst. Just minor inconveniences.

The Junonia coenia are just about through, and the Vanessa cardui are building in numbers the last few days. Also seeing some Limenitis archippus--which have been very rare this summer. A Polygonia comma was laying eggs on the hops vine on Saturday. As I said before, this is my favorite Lep time of the year.

Sandy

Wow, if I had seen that, I would have just chalked it up to a cabbage white :). Thanks for the description of the southwest. I have never been there and your descriptions make me want to go...badly.

Sandy, sorry to hear about the wrists. I have had ganglions before. At least they don't do the old book smash method of removal any more!

Cheers,
Elisabeth

Sandy,

A comment semi jokingly about him crusin' for a bruisin' got our delivery drivers attention. After that if he tried to deliver a package and nobody was home, especially one from another country, he'd come back in the evening on his own time in his own vehicle to bring it to us. He'd always get invited in for refreshments, sometimes stay for dinner, and always wanted to see our livestock in progress. Ended up becoming a lep lover too, and a friend that we took on a few field trips with us to get him started before we moved.

Hips, knees, wrists, etc... your getting old girl. ;) As always hope it goes well getting the repairs done. You've still got a lot of leps to do.

I have seen a few more Lycaeiidae, Heperiidae and another Vanessa is all, no more strays. But after that last squall it has turned relatively hot again with not a breath of fresh air or any clouds. Even so, this is also my favorite time of the year here... not for leps, but because we are starting to cool off for the season and will soon be enjoying a long, cooler fall/winter with just about ideal temps. You can dress for the cold when seldom needed here, but even in Vegas walking around nude in the heat is frowned on if you are over 25. LOL

Elisabeth,

Everyplace has a lot of wonderful species to explore, and some of my favorites places in this country are in the midwest and east. Luckily I was able to travel for leps wherever I wanted to experience species not found where I lived. For those of you east of the slopes of the Rockies there are many, many species out west that would be new for you, and with the wide open spaces that are almost all public lands out here they are easy to "go find". There are lots of specific places here that are meccas for a lot of species too, both flora and fauna. The different habitats and landscapes make for a great trip, just like some of those back east were for me the first time I visited them. Great scenery, new species and nice people no matter where you travel is always a winner. All it takes is realigning priorities to be able to do it to whatever level works for you. Our family vacations always included some lep time even if not specifically taken for leps. We couldn't even lay on some far away beach for long before we'd all be exploring the species in tide pools or snokeling (from my marine biology days) or looking for life in the dune flora. Even staying in some hotel or resrot in a big city offered some time to look around the landscaping or immediate area. I've had a lot of strange stares in my life by walking around cities with a butterfly net. LOL Exploring nature was just too enjoyable for all of us to ignore a new opportunity with the possibility of discovering something new.

Larry

Larry,
I'm curious as to where would be an ideal place to go for butterflies here in the Black Hills. Have you ever been out here? Do you know what would be in this area? I'm not the best for hiking as I'm not in the best of shape. Fibromyalgia has really taken a toll on me. :/ I'm going to work on getting in better shape over the winter so I can try to go exploring this coming spring/summer. I truly want to go find butterflies. :)

~Tina

Tina,

Most of the field work I did in SD was in those general areas, and out in the grass lands, from the early 80's to I think my last trip there was in 1990. So I don't have current information. But almost anywhere in the Black Hills/Badlands/Grasslands will hold some populations of leps, and a lot of it can be done by simply "road hunting" the back roads for the spots that hold a lot of nectar and larval plants, wet areas, natural flyways, etc close to a road. While I did hike into a few specific places for specific species I was working on, I doubt you'd want to attempt them - some were long and grueling for me even way back then when I still had my health. Besides, you'll be able to see and do a lot right along the roads or within a few hundreds yards of them anyway. Places such as Spearfish Canyon, Bear Butte Lake, all through the Custer/Wind Cave area and around Buffalo Gap are good bets. All but Spearfish Canyon have protected areas (state or national) where you can observe and take pictures only, but the habitats around those places can be just as good as in those protected areas if you hope to collect livestock to rear.

Learning all you can this winter about the species that might be found there BEFORE you go will go a long ways in improving your chances to "find them all". That means for each species at least their specific habits, preferred habitats and nectar/larval plants, when during the season there should be livestock and/or adults present, and how to identify both the bug and the plants it uses. I don't know if any old contacts still live in SD, but a big help would be to find Gary Marrone if he is still in Fort Pierre (or SD someplace). Twenty years ago he was working on a species checklist of all the SD Rhops, and planned to do a book. Maybe he did and had it published. So if you can't find him look for a book written by him.

HTH,

Larry

Larry,

Thank you!

You'll be pleased to hear this, Gary does have his field guide printed. Now I've just got to go out to a bookstore and purchase it! :D That is on the to do list! Something for me to read over the winter and of course, reread! I am an avid reader. Only take one evening to read it I am certain and retain much of. LoL I'm a fish when it comes to reading. Love it! I drive by Bear Butte Lake often, when heading up to see the MIL. Also do not live very far from many of those locations you mentioned, Custer being the furthest away.

So, next year, you shall be seeing as many photos as I can possibly bombard everyone with from my adventures! Haha! It shall be much fun! ;) My Rebel will get a work out as I shall too! I am soo excited I cannot wait. :)

Again, Thanks so much Larry.

~Tina

Tina,

I am so excited for you! The fact that these locations are close to you is great. I encourage you to get out and experience what you can. I, too, have Fibro and Osterarthritis, but I don't let that stop me. I just go and then suffer afterwards! When I can't move, I put photos on the computer and edit.

Sandy

Tina,

Glad to help and to hear that Gary did get a book done. He knows the area well, has a lot of years experience exploring and photographing it. So I imagine his book will be a keeper, especially for anyone living in that state or around it. I've not seen it, but it may also provide a bunch of site data for each species that will also tell you where to go for each of them, and probably which nectar/larval plants they each prefer in those areas. Most likely also a lot of pictures to help you with identifications. A book, even just a field guide done about the leps and plants of a speciifc area you are interested in is always a good one to add to your library.

You'll be opening up the real world of Lepidoptera next year that most here never do beyond their home gardens. That means you'll see and learn a lot more a lot faster, and I'm sure will soon find out just how much more rewarding it is. Set your sights high and don't be afraid to travel to other new places to explore as well as your skills and knowledge grow. New species and discoveries made on those trips will be even more enjoyable to a budding Lepidopterist, trust me.

Good luck,

Larry

You'll be even happier to learn this then... My daughter is going to get drug into it as well. LOL She just doesn't know it yet! Haha! She was thrilled over the butterfly, so was my son. So I may have to drag him along as well sometimes. :D I am so excited. I just have to order the book. I know it can't be more costly than any regular book I already have bought to read, just for normal reading. You know, not learning type reading, just killing time type reading. :P

I recently bought hiking boots, already have camelback packs, a walking stick... hubby has garmin... Dog has his backpack too! I'm thinkin' we're pretty well all set! :D Oh, can't forget a camera! :)

~Tina