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| List: Carolina-Leps Date: Wed, 20 May 2026 12:17:05 -0400 From: Harry LeGrand (via carolinaleps Mailing List) <carolinaleps...> Subject: N.C. State farm butterflies, Wake Co., NC -- May 20, 2026 |
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--000000000000179d970652422125 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" The heat wave and drought continues everywhere, but the milkweed plantings at the Agro-Ecology Farm along Mid-Pines Road are in full bloom; tons of bright orange (Butterfly Milkweed) and dull pink/purple (Common Milkweed), along with yellows of poor-nectar Coreopsis of some exotic species. Nearly all of the butterflies were here, but I added a few roadside ones elsewhere along the dusty road --including one goodie. Pipevine Swallowtail 1 male seemingly a long way from any hostplants E. Tiger Swallowtail 7 Spicebush Swallowtail 3 Sleepy Orange 1 Clouded Sulphur 1 could have been more Orange Sulphur 8 at least, most rather worn CHECKERED WHITE 1 male, thankfully stopped to nectar along Mid-Pines; lots of pepperweed (Lepidium sp.) nearby; I see one about every 2 years here https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/363379913 Cabbage White 8 several seen perched, but most non-stop in flight; flies higher and faster than Checkered Gray Hairstreak 1 fresh E. Tailed-Blue 1 Monarch 5 (the main reason for the milkweed plantings) Variegated Fritillary 15 American Lady 4 PAINTED LADY 1 quickly eluded me in the plantings; my first since 2024 Common Buckeye 1 normally many more Silver-spotted Skipper 1 I typically see very few skippers on the milkweeds in May and June, and I saw none today. I usually can find a few at the end of May or early June -- such as Sachem, Fiery, Dun, or Dion. Then again, I stayed on the entrance road and scanned flowers from 5-25 feet away, so I could have overlooked some. Let's get some much needed rain tomorrow night into early next week. Raleigh is having its driest EVER year to this point. I think a few other cities and towns in the Carolinas can say the same. Harry LeGrand Raleigh --000000000000179d970652422125 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <div dir=3D"ltr"><div>The heat wave and drought continues everywhere, but t= he milkweed plantings at the Agro-Ecology Farm along Mid-Pines Road are in = full bloom; tons of bright=C2=A0orange (Butterfly Milkweed) and dull pink/p= urple (Common Milkweed), along with yellows of poor-nectar Coreopsis of som= e exotic species.=C2=A0 Nearly all of the butterflies were here, but I adde= d a few roadside ones elsewhere along the dusty road --including one goodie= .</div><div><br></div><div>Pipevine Swallowtail=C2=A0 1=C2=A0 male=C2=A0 se= emingly a long way from any hostplants</div><div>E. Tiger Swallowtail=C2=A0= 7</div><div>Spicebush Swallowtail=C2=A0 3</div><div>Sleepy Orange=C2=A0 = =C2=A01</div><div>Clouded Sulphur=C2=A0 1=C2=A0 could have been more</div><= div>Orange Sulphur=C2=A0 8=C2=A0 at least, most rather worn</div><div>CHECK= ERED WHITE=C2=A0 1=C2=A0 male, thankfully stopped to nectar along Mid-Pines= ; lots of pepperweed (Lepidium=C2=A0sp.) nearby; I see one about every 2 ye= ars here</div><div>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0<a href=3D"https://www.inaturalist.o= rg/observations/363379913" originalSrc=3D"https://www.inaturalist.org/obser= vations/363379913">https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/363379913</a></= div><div>Cabbage White=C2=A0 8=C2=A0 =C2=A0several seen perched, but most n= on-stop in flight; flies higher and faster than Checkered</div><div>Gray Ha= irstreak=C2=A0 1=C2=A0 fresh</div><div>E. Tailed-Blue=C2=A0 1</div><div>Mon= arch=C2=A0 5 (the main reason for the milkweed plantings)</div><div>Variega= ted Fritillary=C2=A0 15</div><div>American Lady=C2=A0 4</div><div>PAINTED L= ADY=C2=A0 1=C2=A0 quickly eluded me in the plantings; my first since 2024</= div><div>Common Buckeye=C2=A0 1=C2=A0 normally many more</div><div>Silver-s= potted Skipper=C2=A0 1</div><div><br></div><div>I typically see very few sk= ippers on the milkweeds in May and June, and I saw none today. I usually ca= n find a few at the end of May or early June -- such as Sachem, Fiery, Dun,= or Dion. Then again, I stayed on the entrance road and scanned flowers fro= m 5-25 feet away, so I could have overlooked some.</div><div><br></div><div= >Let's get some much needed rain tomorrow night into early next week. R= aleigh is having its driest EVER year to this point. I think a few other ci= ties and towns in the Carolinas can say the same.</div><div><br></div><div>= Harry LeGrand</div><div>Raleigh</div></div> --000000000000179d970652422125-- |
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