While it was not as pronouced as it was this spring, butterflies emerging during this reporting period tending to appear earlier than they did during 2001. More specifically, of the 37 species of butterflies that emerged during this reporting period, 14 emerged within a week of their 2001 dates of first emergence and 14 species emerged more than a week earlier than they did in 2001. Only 7 species emerged more than a week later than they did in 2001. (2 species weren’t reported during 2001 and thus were excluded from the comparision.) While species diversity was comparable to 2001, in general, the number of individuals on the wing during 2002 was much lower than in 2001. A number of observers commented on the low numbers butterflies in general and Monarchs in particular. However, notwithstanding the low numbers of most species, it was a banner year for Great Spangled Fritillary with several observers commenting on how numerous they were.

Please note that caps indicate the first record posted for the year and italics indicate the last.

6/1- GREAT SPANGLED FRITILLARY, RED-SPOTTED PURPLE (1), EUROPEAN SKIPPER, Tawny-edged Skipper, Hobomok Skipper (JH- Guilford); SILVER-SPOTTED SKIPPER (1) (CT-Lyme); Frosted Elfin (3) (MOB- Gungy Rd., Lyme); Great Spangled Fritillary, Red-spotted Purple (BY- Guilford)

6/2- VARIEGATED FRITILLARY(1) (RM- Milford); HOARY EDGE, RED ADMIRAL (HG, AB- Gungy Rd., Lyme); Little Wood-Satyr, Peck’s Skipper, Tawny-edged Skipper (RZ- Young Farm, Newington); Monarch (1), Silver-spotted Skipper (1), European Skipper (2), DELAWARE SKIPPER (1) (BY- Guilford); “Cherry Gall” Azure (1), LEAST SKIPPER (1) (LB- Lake Wintergreen, West Rock Ridge St. Park, Hamden); ARCTIC SKIPPER (8), PEPPER & SALT SKIPPER (2) (T. Fiore, K. Wallstrom- Litchfield)

6/3- Least Skipper (1) (RM- Milford); Dreamy Duskywing (2), Dusted Skipper (4) (T. Fiore, K. Wallstrom- Litchfield Co.)

6/4- Arctic Skipper (1), Indian Skipper (1) (T. Fiore, K. Wallstrom- Litchfield)

6/6- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Spicebush Swallowtail, Clouded Sulphur, Orange Sulphur, Eastern Tailed Blue, Pearl Crescent, Anglewing (sp.), American Lady (1), Red Admiral, Viceroy (1), Common Wood Nymph, Northern Cloudywing (1), Duskywing (sp.), European Skipper, Tawny-edged Skipper, Hobomok Skipper, Zabulon Skipper, (BY- The “Rockpile”, Guilford)

6/8- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (1) (RZ- Newington)

6/9- Cabbage White, Clouded Sulphur, Eastern Tailed Blue, American Lady, Little Wood-Satyr, Juvenal’s Duskywing, Peck’s Skipper, Tawny-edged Skipper, Moths: Hummingbird Clearwing Moth (RZ- Young Farm, Newington)

6/15- Moths: Nessus Sphinx (1) (CK- North Guilford)

6/19- BANDED HAIRSTREAK (1) (LB- Winthrop Cemetery, Winthrop); SUMMER AZURE (1) (DA, LB, CT, BY- Essex)

6/20- Moths: False Crocus Geometer, Locust Underwing (BY- Guilford); Noctua pronuba (JH- Killingworth)

6/21- Moths: The Hebrew, Giant Leopard Moth, Parthenice Tiger Moth (?) (BY- Guilford); Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Clouded Sulphur, Orange Sulphur, Great Spangled Fritillary (1), Red Admiral (larvae), Southern Cloudywing (1), Least Skipper, European Skipper, Long Dash (RC- Walden Preserve, Salem)

6/22- LITTLE GLASSYWING (1), DUN SKIPPER (1) (JH- Bent-of-the-River NAS, Southbury)

6/23- Delaware Skipper (1), Moths: Nessus Sphinx (2) (JH- Madison); BOG COPPER (RC- Montville)

6/26- BALTIMORE CHECKERSPOT (HG- Old Lyme)

6/27- STRIPED HAIRSTREAK(1), Great Spangled Fritillary (numerous), Silver-spotted Skipper (1), Hoary Edge (1), Least Skipper (a few) (CT- Horse Hill Rd. powerline right-of-way, Westbrook)

6/28- Baltimore Ckeckerspot (1), Common Buckeye (1) (HG- Old Lyme)

6/29- CORAL HAIRSTREAK (1) (HG- Old Lyme); CORAL HAIRSTREAK (4), OAK HAIRSTREAK (1), APPALACHIAN BROWN (4), NORTHERN BROKEN DASH (1) (LB- Lake Wintergreen, West Rock Ridge St. Park, Hamden); EDWARDS’ HAIRSTREAK (11), HICKORY HAIRSTREAK (1), Northern Cloudywing (2) (LB-West Rock Ridge St. Park, New Haven); SILVER-BORDERED FRITILLARY (2), HACKBERRY EMPEROR (1), EYED BROWN (80+), Long Dash (1), DION SKIPPER (4) (T. Fiore, K. Wallstrom- Litchfield Co.)

6/30- NORTHERN PEARLY-EYE (1) (HG- Echo Farm State Park, East Haddam); NORTERN PEARLY-EYE (1) (HG- Connecticut River, Lyme); Banded Hairstreak (1) (HG- Old Lyme); Moths: Eastern Tent Caterpillar Moth (numerous), Forest Tent Caterpillar Moth (numerous) (JH- Killingworth); Pepper & Salt Skipper (1) (T. Fiore, K. Wallstrom- Litchfield)

7/1- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Spicebush Swallowtail, Cabbage White, Clouded Sulphur, Orange Sulphur, American Copper, Eastern Tailed Blue, Summer Azure, Great Spangled Fritillary, Baltimore Checkerspot, Red Admiral, Red-spotted Purple, Common Wood Nymph (1), Monarch (1), Silver-spotted Skipper, Southern Cloudywing, Northern Cloudywing, European Skipper, Delaware Skipper, Hobomok Skipper, Dun Skipper (RC- Southeastern CT); Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (1), Banded Hairstreak (1) (RZ- Newington)

7/2- Great Spangled Fritillary (1) (DA- Chester); Silver-spotted Skipper (1) RZ- Newington); Monarch (1) (HG- Lyme); Monarch (1) (BY- Guilford)

7/4- Common Buckeye (1), Common Wood Nymph (1), Hoary Edge (1), Dreamy Duskywing larvae, Northern Broken Dash, CROSSLINE SKIPPER (a few) (AB- Hamden); Cabbage White, Clouded Sulphur, Great Spangled Fritillary, Meadow Fritillary (1), Monarch, Silver-spotted Skipper, Crossline Skipper (RZ-Young Farm, Newington); MULBERRY WING (2) (North Farms Reservoir, Wallingford); Monarch (1) (HG- Lyme)

7/5- Monarch (3) (HG- Lyme); Coral Hairstreak (2), Eastern Tailed Blue (1), Great Spangled Fritillary (a few), Pearl Crescent (1), Silver-spotted Skipper (a few), BROAD-WINGED SKIPPER (1), Dun Skipper (1) (HG- Old Lyme); Black Swallowtail, Cabbage White, Clouded Sulphur, Orange Sulphur, American Copper, ACADIAN HAIRSTREAK (1), Eastern Tailed Blue, Summer Azure, Great Spangled Fritillary, APHRODITE FRITILLARY (1), Pearl Crescent, Little Wood Satyr, Common Wood Nymph, Silver-spotted Skipper, Least Skipper, European Skipper, Northern Broken Dash (RC- Flaherty Field Trial Area, East Windsor); Northern Pearly Eye (2) (HG- Pleasant Valley Preserve, Lyme)

7/6- Great Spangled Fritillary (1), Common Wood Nymph (2) (RZ- Newington); European Skipper (2) (LB- Fresh Meadows Sanctuary, Cheshire)

7/7- Banded Hairstreak (numerous), Northern Pearly Eye (1) (JH- Guilford); Coral Hairstreak (numerous) (JH- Killingworth); BLACK DASH (1) (T. Fiore, K. Wallstrom, S. Walter- Northwestern Litchfield Co.); American Snout (1), Broad-winged Skipper (18) (RM- Milford); Banded Hairstreak (1) (FM- Stratford)

7/8- Hobomok Skipper (1) (T. Fiore- Litchfield)

7/9- Hickory Hairstreak (1) (JH- Killingworth); Cabbage White, Clouded Sulphur, Orange Sulphur, Hairstreak sp. (1), Eastern Tailed Blue (10), Baltimore Checkerspot (4), Viceroy, Appalachian Brown, Common Wood Nymph (10), European Skipper (GH- Burnt Hill, West Hartford- Farmington line)

7/10- Pearl Crescent (numerous), Common Buckeye (2) (JH- Killingworth); ATLANTIS FRITILLARY (2) (D. Wagner- Northwestern Litchfield Co.); COLUMBINE DUSKYWING (1) (RC, CT- Northwestern Litchfield Co.); Baltimore Checkerspot (40) (LB- Northwestern Litchfield Co.)

7/11- Northern Pearly Eye (1), Appalachian Brown (6+) (HG- Lyme)

7/13- Gray Hairstreak (1), Monarch larva (1) (JH- Bauer Park, Madison); Pearl Crescent (a few) (RZ- Young Farm, Newington); Bog Copper (3) (LB, CT- Mt. Parnassus Skating Rink, East Haddam); Southern Cloudywing (2) (LB, CT- Haddam); Northern Pearly Eye (5), Little Wood Satyr (2) (HG, LB- Babcock WMA, Colchester)

7/14- Black Swallowtail, Cabbage White, Clouded Sulphur, Orange Sulphur, American Copper, Gray Hairstreak, Eastern Tailed Blue, Great Spangled Fritillary, Pearl Crescent, Red Admiral, Monarch, Silver-spotted Skipper, Delaware Skipper, Mulberry Wing, Black Dash, Dun Skipper (BY- Bauer Park, Madison); Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (1), Question Mark (1) (RZ- Newington)

7/16- Variegated Fritillary (3) (RC, HG- Waterford Airport, Waterford)

7/17- Black Swallowtail (1), Great Spangled Fritillary (a few), Common Buckeye (1), Monarch (1), Southern Cloudywing (1), Northern Broken Dash (2), Crossline Skipper (3), Delaware Skipper (2), Broad-winged Skipper (1), Dun Skipper (5+) (CT- Echo Farms, St. Park, East Haddam); Black Swallowtail (2), Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (1), Cabbage White (a few), Clouded Sulphur (a few), Orange Sulphur (a few), American Copper (1), Acadian Hairstreak (1), Great Spangled Fritillary (1), Silver Bordered Fritillary (1), Pearl Crescent (numerous), Red-spotted Purple (1), Viceroy (1), Little Wood-Satyr (a few), Common Wood Nymph (numerous), Monarch (1), Mulberry Wing (2) (LR, et al.- Flaherty Field Trial Area, East Windsor); Edwards’ Hairstreak (2), Eyed Brown (200+), Columbine Duskywing (5), Dion Skipper (5) ( T. Fiore- Litchfield)

7/18- Coral Hairstreak (1) (AB- Broken Arrow Nursery, Hamden); MEADOW FRITILLARY (3) (JH-Bent of the River NAS, Southbury); American Lady (1) (BY- North Guilford); Sulphur sp. (a few), Monarch (numerous) (TB- Bluff Point St. Park); WILD INDIGO DUSKYWING (1) (LB- Fresh Meadows Sanctuary, Cheshire)

7/19- Orange Sulphur, Coral Hairstreak, Banded Hairstreak, Juniper Hairstreak, Gray Hairstreak, Eastern Tailed Blue, Great Spangled Fritillary, Pearl Crescent, American Lady, Common Wood Nymph, Silver-spotted Skipper, Northern Broken Dash, Dun Skipper (HG- Pleasant Valley, Lyme); Hoary Edge (1) (T. Fiore, K. Wallstrom- Litchfield)

7/22- Variegated Fritillary (TH- Pleaant Valley, Lyme)

7/23- Moths: Catocala ultronia (1) (BY- Guilford); Juniper Hairstreak (1) (HG- Pleasant Valley Preserve, Lyme); Pipevine Swallowtail (1) (RM- Milford); Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (1), Spicebush Swallowtail (1), Summer Azure (1), Pearl Crescent (1), Skipper sp. (1) (DA- Chester)

7/24- Pipevine Swallowtail (1) (RM- Milford); Black Swallowtail, Spicebush Swallowtail, Cabbage White, Orange Sulphur, American Copper, Summer Azure, Great Spangled Fritillary, Viceroy, Red Admiral, Northern Pearly-Eye, Little Wood-Satyr, Common Wood-Nymph, Crossline Skipper (CT, JT- Echo Farm State Park, East Haddam)

7/25- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Spicebush Swallowtail (a few), Clouded Sulphur, Orange Sulphur, American Copper, Great Spangled Fritillary (numerous), Pearl Crescent (abundant), Monarch (1), Silver-spotted Skipper (2), Peck’s Skipper (a few), Northern Broken Dash (a few), Little Glassywing (2), Black Dash (a few), Moths: Orange-collared Scape Moth, Squash Borer Moth (BY- Guilford); Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (5), Striped Hairstreak (1), Acadian Hairstreak (1), Eastern Tailed Blue (1),Great Spangled Fritillary (a few), Pearl Crescent (a few), Monarch (1), Silver-spotted Skipper (1), Northern Broken Dash (numerous), Little Glassywing (1), Delaware Skipper (1), Dun Skipper (numerous) (JH- Killingworth)

7/27- Striped Hairstreak (1), Little Glassywing (1), (LB- Flaherty Field Trail Area, East Windsor)

7/29- Eastern Tailed Blue, Common Wood Nymph, Peck’s Skipper, Crossline Skipper (RZ- Newington); Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (1), Spicebush Swallowtail (6), Clouded Sulpur (1), Great Spangled Fritillary (1), Question Mark (1), Red-spotted Purple (1), Silver-spotted Skipper (1), Peck’s Skipper (2) (HG, TH- Old Lyme)

7/30- Common Buckeye (1) (RM- Milford)

7/31- Galium Sphinx Moth (1) (BY- North Guilford)

Contributors: DA- Diane Adams, AB- Andy Brand, LB- Lenny Brown, RC- Rich Chyinski, HG- Hank Golet, GH- Greg Hanisek, TH- Ted Hendrickson, JH- John Himmelman, CK- Cindy Kobak, FM- Frank Mantlik, RM- Robert Muller, LR - Laura Rogers-Castro, CT- Clay Taylor, JT- Jonathan Taylor, BY- Bill Yule, RZ- Roy Zartarian

Please post your reports to CTLEPS-L or send them to:

Lenny Brown

5 Vumbaco Drive

Wallingford, CT 06492

E-mail: Epmanshell@aol.com