I have not taken any long trips this week but I have added a couple of species.
On Monday I conducted my first butterfly survey of the season for the Iowa Butterfly Survey Network. I found this gorgone checkerspot at Swede Point Park near Madrid, Iowa.
This morning as I was getting ready to leave, I saw a silver-spotted skipper out on my deck. I did not have my camera, so I snapped a photo with my cell phone. The photograph was shot through the sliding glass door and screen door.
Neither photo is up to the standards of quality that I am trying to achieve. However, in both cases I can identify the butterfly to species. That puts the butterfly big year list at 15 species.
I have seen orange sulfurs and monarchs, but have not photographed either one yet this year.
I have not planned my next out-of-state trip yet. Maybe it will be Illinois. The project seems to be going slower than I had hoped, but the in-state butterflies should really pick up within a couple of weeks. We shall see…
The roused bear 