Category Archives: butterflies

More Insects

Posted on July 27, 2021 by the roused bear

Summer allows me to get out, sometimes for just a few minutes a day and sometimes for much longer. The critters that are out are not too rare, but can be quite spectacular never the less. These cabbage white butterflies … Continue reading →

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Another Day in the Prairie

Posted on July 5, 2021 by the roused bear

I went to Medora Prairie this morning, and did what I do–wandered around with a camera trying to find butterflies. And I found some. One of the first butterflies I saw was this coral hairstreak. It was a first-of-the year … Continue reading →

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I Love Milkweed!

Posted on June 19, 2021 by the roused bear

We have sixteen species of milkweed here in Iowa. Some are quite rare and are a special treat to find. Common milkweed, Asclepias syriaca is not rare, and is found in a lot of our degraded habitats. It often grows … Continue reading →

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A Morning in Nature

Posted on May 24, 2021 by the roused bear

I spent the morning walking around in nature today. I was mostly looking for butterflies, but it was not a good day for them. May is always a time of low butterfly numbers, and it was too cloudy for those … Continue reading →

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Retirement

Posted on May 7, 2021 by the roused bear

Last week on Monday I turned 65 and Thursday of that week was my last day of work. I am officially retired now. A few years ago I was really looking forward to retirement, but more recently I really started … Continue reading →

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Yesterday’s Bugs

Posted on April 18, 2021 by the roused bear

Yesterday I went to Elk Rock State Park in southern Iowa to do some butterfly photography. This park has good numbers of a small, seldom seen butterfly called Henry’s elfin. This butterfly is found where its caterpillar hostplant, redbud, occurs … Continue reading →

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Up Close

Posted on August 16, 2020 by the roused bear

If you want to take good butterfly photos, sometimes you have to get really close. Male pearl crescents and unidentified bees.  

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Hanging Out by the Swamp Milkweed

Posted on July 12, 2020 by the roused bear

Big Creek State Park is an artificial lake in Polk County Iowa.  On the north side of the lake is a little used boat access–mostly used by people with canoes and kayaks.  The boat ramp is gravel mixed with mud, … Continue reading →

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Photos from Yesterday and Today

Posted on June 14, 2020 by the roused bear

I was able to spend a few hours out in nature this weekend and pretty much enjoyed myself. First I went to Marietta Sand Prairie in Marshall County, looking for butterflies.  I saw a few.  Nothing rare–meadow fritillaries, viceroy, orange … Continue reading →

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Butterfly Forecast for Central Iowa–June, 2020

Posted on June 1, 2020 by the roused bear

May gave us wet, cool weather following a late spring. We had a few warm days with a surprising number of butterflies, but most days had few on the wing. I expect that to change pretty soon as the season … Continue reading →

Posted in butterflies, clouded sulfur, eastern tailed-blue, mudding, pearl crescent, Silver-spotted skipper | Tagged , | Leave a comment