This spring continues to be the warmest I’ve seen, with new early emergence records rolling in each week. Today in Bear Creek I found Erynnis telemachus, the Rocky Mountain duskywing, usually not seen until the second week of April, and Celastrina lucia, the spring azure blue, which usually starts flight around April 5th. Pussy willows in full bloom draw in large numbers of butterflies if you stop and look closely. All of the following are early records in 2017.
Erynnis telemachus, a surprise, especially because another species, E. brizo, usually flies first, and it hasn’t been seen yet.
Celastrina lucia, the spring azure blue.
Pieris rapae, the European cabbage butterfly, an import– in some parts of North America, the most abundant butterfly.
Nymphalis milberti, Milbert’s tortoise shell
Archiearis infans, the Infant moth, photographed in the net and released.
mountainbreakfast 