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Summer › Butterflies & Moths

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Summer is butterfly season in full swing. Although unlike years past, 2013 was lackluster for sightings. In fact, I didn't add a single butterfly shot to the collection in 2013, and it wasn't for lack of trying. The individuals I did see were quite tattered, and few and far between. Unfortunately, the monarch crash of 2013 is reportedly going to continue in 2014. We'll see what this summer brings.
More on monarch crash at MinnesotaSeasons.com blog

Baltimore Checkerspot

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Black Swallowtail

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Cabbage White

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Chickweed Geometer Moth

Common Buckeye

Common Ringlet

Common Wood Nymph

Coral Hairstreak

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Crocus Geometer Moth

Eastern Comma

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Eastern Comma VS Question Mark

Also known as anglewings, the eastern comma and question mark are very similar at first glance. Look for differences in the mark on the underside hindwings and black spots on the inside forewings.

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Eastern Tailed-blue

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Eastern Tailed-blue : Female

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Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

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Eastern Tiger Swallowtail : Female

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Great-spangled Fritillary

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Hackberry Emperor

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Hummingbird Clearwing Moth

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Leafy Spurge Hawkmoth : Caterpillar

Monarch

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Monarch : Male

The male Monarch can be easily distinguished from the female by noting the highly visible black spots on the hindwings and the thinner black webbing within the wings.

Mourning Cloak

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Nessus Tiger Sphinx Moth

Northern Crescent

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Northern Pearly Eye

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Orange Sulphur

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Painted Lady

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Question Mark

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Red Admiral

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Red-spotted Purple

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Skipper : Family

These are all in the skipper family, but not specifically identified here. Skipper family members are numerous and include; Dakota, Tawny-edged, Lesser, Least, Powesheik, Silver-spotted, Golden-banded and more.

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Summer Azure

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Viceroy

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Viceroy VS Monarch

The monarch and the viceroy are very similar in appearance and often mistaken for each other. The viceroy is smaller, and viceroy flight is faster and more erratic. Monarch flight is float-like in comparison, with its characteristic "flap, flap, glide" pattern.

The easiest way to distinguish a viceroy from a monarch in the field, is by noting the difference in the hindwing.

Another interesting fact is that the monarch is toxic to predators, due to its diet of milkweed, while the viceroy is non-toxic. Because they are so similar, a predator often mistakes one for the other and avoids both since it assumes they are poisonous. In this case, the viceroy is known as the “mimic;” while the viceroy is not poisonous, it benefits from looking like the monarch and is able to avoid predators.