Butterflies – 2007 Checklist
Monarch Pair
I decided to split my 2007 Nature Checklist into 5 different categories; Butterflies & Skippers, Amphibians, Reptiles, Mammals and Birds! I would like to start this series with the Butterfly (31) and Skipper (12) species I found within Western New York State. Between high gas prices and limited time to get out to look for butterflies in 2007, I ended up seeing a lower than normal numbers of butterflies. My first butterflies was in Allegany State Park on the 21st of April with an Eastern Comma and a Mourning Cloak. My biggest butterfly day was on the 10th of June 2007 with 19 species. Ya, Ya, I have had better years!!
Red Spotted Purple
While Young Naturalist C & E were away on vacation, Adele allowed me to tag my first monarch butterfly. Then in late November I did a post on kids and butterflies. If you missed those post . . . do visit them because they were some of my fave’s of the year!
West Virginia White
Here is my list of butterflies which I have listed in taxonomic order by common name (I would be happy to send you their Latin name for any species in question):
| 1. Black Swallowtail | 17. Question Mark |
| 2. Eastern Tiger Swallowtail | 18. Eastern Comma |
| 3. West Virginia White | 19. Gray Comma |
| 4. Cabbage White | 20. Mourning Cloak |
| 5. Clouded Sulphur | 21. American Lady |
| 6. Orange Sulphur | 22. Red Admiral |
| 7. American Copper | 23. White Admiral |
| 8. Striped Hairstreak | 24. Red-spotted Purple |
| 9. Eastern Tailed Blue | 25. Viceroy |
| 10. Spring Azure | 26. Northern Pearly-eye |
| 11. Summer Azure | 27. Eyed Brown |
| 12. Great Spangled Fritillary | 28. Little Wood-satyr |
| 13. Aphrodite Fritillary | 29. Common Ringlet |
| 14. Atlantis Fritillary | 30. Common Wood-nymph |
| 15. Meadow Fritillary | 31. Monarch |
| 16. Pearl Crescent |
Long Dash Skipper Pair
Here is my list of skippers which I have listed in taxonomic order by common name (I would be happy to send you their Latin name for any species in question):
| 1. Silver-spotted Skipper | 8. Peck’s Skipper |
| 2. Dreamy Duskywing | 9. Long Dash Skipper |
| 3. Juvenal’s Duskywing | 10. Northern Broken-dash |
| 4. Wild Indigo Duskywing | 11. Hobomonk Skipper |
| 5. Least Skipper | 12. Pepper and Salt Skipper |
| 6. European Skipper | |
| 7. Leonard’s Skipper |
Hobomok Skipper
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Mon@rch's Nature Blog 
OMG Mon@rch, you have an impressive list of butterflies and skippers. I have a terrible time iding those skippers. I have wonderful field guides and a curious mind but their id often illudes me. Very Frustrating.
I usually only keep a butterfly list if we are traveling. Your lists are an inspiration to do better with a list for home and around IN.
Do you ever do the July 4th butterfly count? You would have such good information to share.
I will look forward to seeing your other annual lists.
1 January 2008 at 7:38 am
re. high gas prices.
We are paying the equivalent of $9 a gallon in the UK now. Bet you feel better now!
Happy New Year
1 January 2008 at 8:21 am
Oh Tom, you inspire me. I just never keep lists. Should I start? For 2008?…
1 January 2008 at 9:04 am
Those are some lists! Thanks for sharing so many of your adventures with us Tom.
1 January 2008 at 9:17 am
Very cool Tom!! You can make up for not seeing as many as you wanted by finding more this year! Yay!
1 January 2008 at 9:18 am
Neat photos! I’m a newbie to insects – what’s the difference between a butterfly and a skipper (I’m pretty sure I’m ok with moth vs. butterfly at this point)? And why does the song “Dog and Butterfly spring to mind?? 😉
1 January 2008 at 9:36 am
@ Lisa – Skippers are not that easy but if you know a few of their field marks, habitat,etc.. they do become easier!
@ Chris – wow, I probably would never leave my home or sell my car if gas sold for 9/gallon!
@ Jen – I sure think you should! You could do an end of the year list of Dragonflies that you have for 2007! I know you listed them!
@ Jayne – thanks and has been fun for sure!
@ Pam – I hope so but too hard to focus on so many things and then find time to write the blog!
@ Beth – thanks! Skippers have a thicker body in proportion to their wings (more like a moth), Many of them have a funny way of resting their wings (unlike Butterflies and moths), Skippers have hook antennas (unlike club butterflies and fern like in moths), etc.. those are the basic differences although there are others! Hope that helps!
1 January 2008 at 9:46 am
Happy New Year Mon@rch! May you find new lifers of all species in 2008!
1 January 2008 at 10:04 am
Happy New Year. Great lists in the last two posts. I am waiting for the coyote story. Someone took a picture of 4 of them below the hospital on a trail I frequent and my husband is worrying about my safety. I need you to say, “no big deal!”
1 January 2008 at 10:16 am
I love the softness of the photo on the long dash skipper pair. Still trying to work out the feed for you. I did something on feedburner that will automatically ping other readers instead of them having to sort out finding new posts. Happy butterfly hunting in 2008. A monarch just bounced past my front window, probably on its way to some butterfly weed in the yard!
1 January 2008 at 10:42 am
What an impressive list and amazingly beautiful, photos, Tom! Happy New Year, my friend! xxoo
1 January 2008 at 10:49 am
I’ve kept birdy year lists before, but never for other critters. I’ll have to try that for this year! Of course half the entries will probably read, “brownish skipper I couldn’t identify”… 🙂
Hmm maybe a plant list too! Or at least a wildflower list.
1 January 2008 at 11:33 am
I’m always learning when I come here. I thought skippers were moths. It seems like forever since I have seen a butterfly. I can’t wait to see them again. I’ll be paying more attention to identifying them in the coming year. Thanks for such a great blog.
1 January 2008 at 12:05 pm
@ Birdfreak – Thanks and I just want to break 200 for the year!
@ Ruth – Thanks and you will see that with the Mammal discussion! Not really much to it though! But just be aware . . that’s the biggest thing!
@ Misti – thanks and it was a fave of mine for sure! Will be watching for your feeds! Thanks
@ Lisa – thanks and is was an alright butterfly year!
@ Rurality – I probably should keep other list but we only have soo much time! LOL with Little Brown Skipper Species! I might have a few of them also!
@ Erie – Nope, more closely related to butterflies than moths! Thanks!
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!
1 January 2008 at 12:10 pm
Amazing, wonderful list!
And Happy New Year to you and yours!
1 January 2008 at 12:13 pm
Happy New Year . And I am so impressed by your list! I hope you have a wonderful new year, and get to do many wonderful things this year that you want to do. ~nita~
1 January 2008 at 2:58 pm
Wow! I will be back to look in further detail…and to share with my son, who finds all things in nature fascinating:)
Susan
http://www.organicsyes.wordpress.com
1 January 2008 at 3:48 pm
Good list of butterflies – I’ll have to see if I have the records enough to see what was there for us this year. I do know that except for Texas, this was a very slow butterfly year in S. Jersey.
1 January 2008 at 5:16 pm
I’ve probably said this already, but the idea returns. Your posts inspire me to look more closely at everything I see in nature. This is an impressive list.
1 January 2008 at 6:29 pm
Hey Mon@rch, do you see most of these butterflies and skippers in the course of your workday? I’m jealous of your job that gives you the opportunity to see all the beauty of nature and also share it with everyone else.
1 January 2008 at 8:41 pm
Well, I guess I’ve seen less than one tenth of your list. Wow. You amaze me and make me want to see more.
1 January 2008 at 9:07 pm
Enjoyed your post today. Young Naturalist D has been working on identifing and mounting the butterflies, moths, and skippers she got last summer at Allegany and here at home in Michigan. She had to get some books out of the library yesterday to help…but do wish you lived next door. Do you have a favorite field guide that we should think about getting her?
1 January 2008 at 9:12 pm
@ Threecollie – thanks and Happy New Years to you also!
@ Nita – thanks and Happy New Year to you too!
@ organicsyes – I have many videos on here that he would enjoy also!
@ Marty – thanks and we did have an alright year with many migrants! But, I was just too busy doing all my other things!
@ Caroline – So glad that you are taking the time to look at things closer! It is really important with keeping us happy!
@ Ruthie – Nope, these all are done on my off time! I might see one or two during work but when I am butterflying, it is normally on a weekend or after work!
@ Mary – once you start listing them, I bet you would be amazed at what you have seen!
@ Sara – I suggest the Peterson’s Guide for moths but for Butterflies you should get Kenn Kaufmans guide! He’s field guide is the best around!
1 January 2008 at 10:08 pm
Tom, great list of butterflies. I try to make all our local Audubon outings as they always include butterfly, plant and odonate experts and we take time to examine the whole palette of nature – not just the birds. I’ve learned so much from both of you!
2 January 2008 at 5:51 pm
I’m very impressed with your butterfly sightings, and even more impressed that you can identify the skippers. I had a few this year and never did figure out what they were other than some type of skipper. You’ve inspired me to keep better records for 2008. I will definitely be planting things to attract more to the garden.
2 January 2008 at 8:03 pm
@ TR – thanks and I love going out looking for many other things besides birds!
@ Robin – thanks and skippers are not that bad! Field guide helps with the ID’s! Planting helps but just going out looking at the wildflowers is all you really need to do!
2 January 2008 at 8:24 pm