July 18, 2021 – Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus)
I recorded 34 butterflies during this reporting period. The annual total is 186.
Butterfly Sightings 7/17/2021- 7/22/2021
07/18/2021 Zebra Swallowtail – Eurytides marcellus 1
07/18/2021 Eastern Tiger Swallowtail – Papilio glaucus 1
07/18/2021 Skipper sp. 10
07/18/2021 American Lady – Vanessa virginiensis 1
07/18/2021 Horace’s Duskywing – E. horatius 1
07/20/2021 Horace’s Duskywing – E. horatius 1
07/20/2021 Zebra Swallowtail – Eurytides marcellus 1
07/20/2021 Silver-spotted Skipper – Epargyreus clarus 1
07/20/2021 Fiery Skipper – Hylephila phyleus 1
07/20/2021 Common Buckeye – Junonia coenia 1
07/20/2021 Eastern Tiger Swallowtail – Papilio glaucus 1
07/20/2021 Red-banded Hairstreak – Calycopis cecrops 1
07/20/2021 American Lady – Vanessa virginiensis 1
07/21/2021 Common Buckeye – Junonia coenia 1
07/21/2021 American Lady – Vanessa virginiensis 1
07/21/2021 Fiery Skipper – Hylephila phyleus 3
07/21/2021 Horace’s Duskywing – E. horatius 2
07/21/2021 Ocola Skipper – Panoquina ocola 1
07/21/2021 Silver-spotted Skipper – Epargyreus clarus 1
07/22/2021 Silver-spotted Skipper – Epargyreus clarus 1
07/22/2021 Horace’s Duskywing – E. horatius 1
07/22/2021 Eastern Tiger Swallowtail – Papilio glaucus 1
The most thrilling butterfly moment this week: seeing a Zebra Swallowtail two days apart. (There had also been one in early June.)
July 18, 2021 – Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus)
July 18, 2021 – Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus)
July 18, 2021 – Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus)
July 20, 2021 – Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus)
Plenty of Grass Skippers (Hesperiinae), especially Fiery and Ocola, go uncounted in my unofficial survey. These insects flit from flower to flower, bump into each, dart away suddenly and land near or far, making it hard to get accurate counts. As I’m not confident of knowing these skippers by sight, it is a time-consuming effort to photograph and verify those that show up around the garden. So for them I am mostly selecting one or two to represent the group.
July 18, 2021 – Ocola Skipper (Panoquina ocola)
July 21, 2021 – Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus) 1
This year Silver-spotted Skipper and Horace’s Duskywing are regularly seen, not in huge numbers but one or two nearly every day. Common Buckeye and American Lady also are more frequent this year.
July 21, 2021 – Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)
July 21, 2021 – American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis)
July 21, 2021 – American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis)
Tuesday I photographed my first Red-banded Hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops) of the year. Previously I had seen only one in July 2014 and a second in August 2015.
July 20, 2021 – Red-banded Hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops)
Eastern Tiger Swallowtails are always a welcome sight.
July 20, 2021 – Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)
Rudbeckia laciniata (Green-Headed Coneflower) is attractive to butterflies, bees and many other insects.
July 18, 2021 – Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)
July 20, 2021 – Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)
Exploring for butterflies this summer in my garden has been a fun project.
pbmGarden 
Your photos are wonderful, Susie. Those Zebras are esp. gorgeous and how special the Hairstreak sighting is!
Thank you Eliza. It is encouraging to see the zebras again.
Your zebra swallowtails are amazing, how wonderful to have them flitting round your garden.
Pauline, the zebras are easily recognizable so I spotted them from the window. My husband is getting used to me stopping mid-sentence, grabbing the camera and rushing outdoors. I love the zebras, so graceful.
Impressive!!!
Judy, it’s been so interesting to follow these creatures around this summer. I’ve certainly seen more than I would have guessed.
I saw one Monarch yesterday and was excited beyond belief.
Oh, that’s great Judy! I share your excitement seeing the Monarch.
I am loving your journal and admire your stick to itiveness. Maybe sometime I’ll give it a try. 🙂
Thanks for reading. Glad I’ve been able to keep it up so far. The record keeping is made easier and more fun by sharing.
And it is lovely you are sharing this project Susie. Your photos are wonderful. Especially love the swallowtails! 😃
Thanks. The swallowtails win my heart too!
You have a much broader range of butterflies than we have here, Susie. The zebra swallowtail is a handsome creature. I’ve seen a few noID skippers, as well as monarchs and lots of cabbage whites but that’s about it of late. The gulf fritillaries seem to have moved on already.
Glad you’re seeing monarchs Kris. I usually see them in early autumn.
I loved seeing these, especially the Zebra Swallowtail. Butterflies are tricky to photograph too.
Susan, glad you enjoyed the butterflies. The Zebras are such graceful butterflies, like dancers.
The zebra swallowtail is fantastic! I have never seen one. I need to learn my skippers. I can id the silver spotted one but that’s about it.
When you see the Zebra Swallowtail you will just know that is what it is! Those little grass skippers are difficult.