Sightings – Butterflies & Moths
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 8/15/26
Observation Time: 2:00 p.m.
Observation Location: 4 Gavins Pond Rd (butterfly bush in my back yard)
Common Name: American Lady butterfly
Scientific Name: Vanessa virginiensis
Comments: American Lady butterflies look a lot like Painted Lady butterflies. The American Lady has two large spots on the undersides of its trailing wings. The Painted Lady has four smaller spots instead.
More Information: Wisconsin Butterflies and Butterflies and Moths of North America
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 8/18/20
Observation Time: 11:40 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (formerly the Kendall Estate)
Common Name: American Lady butterfly
Scientific Name: Vanessa virginiensis
Comments: American Lady butterflies look a lot like Painted Lady butterflies. The American Lady has two large spots on the undersides of its trailing wings. The Painted Lady has four smaller spots instead. This Amerian Lady was feeding on a blossom of a Joe Pye weed.
More Information: Butterflies and Moths of North America
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/19/13
Observation Time: 4:50 p.m.
Observation Location: Gavins Pond area
Common Name: Appalachian Brown Butterfly
Scientific Name: Satyrodes appalachia
Comments: Easily confused with Eyed Brown Butterfly (Satyrodes eurydice). See: http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabambc/frames-2species.asp?sp1=Satyrodes-eurydice&sp2=Satyrodes-appalachia
More Information: Mass Audubon
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/25/15
Observation Time: 2:00 p.m.
Observation Location: Town-owned land at Morse and Lakeview Streets
Common Name: Baltimore Checkerspot butterfly
Scientific Name: Euphydryas phaeton
Comments: This field experienced a population explosion of Baltimore Checkerspot butterflies. All phases could be found at the same time: eggs, caterpillars, chrysalises and adults.
More Information: Massachusetts Butterfly Club
Eggs:
Caterpillar:
Caterpillar weaving cocoon:
Chrysalis:
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 7/7/18
Observation Time: 2:35 p.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR)
Common Name: Baltimore Checkerspot butterfly
Scientific Name: Euphydryas phaeton
Comments: I saw just one Baltimore checkerspot among other butterfly species feeding on dogbane blossoms.
More Information: Massachusetts Butterfly Club
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/26/15
Observation Time: 4:30 p.m.
Observation Location: Town-owned land at Morse and Lakeview Streets
Common Name: Banded Hairstreak butterfly
Scientific Name: Satyrium calanus
Comments: This small butterfly was feeding on milkweed blossoms. Banded hairstreaks are very similar to striped hairstreaks. The blue marginal spot on the hind wing is capped with orange in the striped hairstreak but not in the banded hairstreak.
More Information: Massachusetts Butterfly Club
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/30/20
Observation Time: 2:25 p.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (The Trustees of Reservations)
Common Name: Black Swallowtail butterfly
Scientific Name: Papilio polyxenes
Comments: The big pasture at Moose Hill Farm is a good place to find black swallowtail butterflies (and other butterfly species as well). You can sometimes find bobolinks there as well.
Black swallowtail butterflies look a lot like spicebush swallowtail butterflies. You can learn how to tell the difference between a black swallowtail and a spicebush swallowtail at: http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabambc/frames-2species.asp?sp1=Papilio-polyxenes&sp2=Papilio-troilus
There is also a good discussion of how to tell the differences among four black butterfly species at: http://louisiananaturalist.blogspot.com/2009/06/four-dark-swallowtails.html
More Information: Butterflies and Moths of North America
I took this photo the following day in the same location:
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/6/23
Observation Time: 9:45 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Black Swallowtail butterfly
Scientific Name: Papilio polyxenes
Comments: I was surprised to see this black swallowtail butterfly so early in the season. It was feeding on the blossoms of a flowering tree near the barn on the Billings Loop.
Black swallowtail butterflies look a lot like spicebush swallowtail butterflies. You can learn how to tell the difference between a black swallowtail and a spicebush swallowtail at: http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabambc/frames-2species.asp?sp1=Papilio-polyxenes&sp2=Papilio-troilus
There is also a good discussion of how to tell the differences among four black butterfly species at: http://louisiananaturalist.blogspot.com/2009/06/four-dark-swallowtails.html
More Information: Butterflies and Moths of North America
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/26/19
Observation Time: 12:20 p.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (The Trustees of Reservations)
Common Name: Black Swallowtail butterfly
Scientific Name: Papilio polyxenes
Comments: The big meadow at Moose Hill Farm was alive with pairs of black swallowtails chasing each other on this glorious spring day. Black swallowtail butterflies look a lot like spicebush swallowtail butterflies. You can learn how to tell the difference between a black swallowtail and a spicebush swallowtail at: http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabambc/frames-2species.asp?sp1=Papilio-polyxenes&sp2=Papilio-troilus
There is also a good discussion of how to tell the differences among four black butterfly species at: http://louisiananaturalist.blogspot.com/2009/06/four-dark-swallowtails.html
More Information: Butterflies and Moths of North America
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/28/23
Observation Time: 11:10 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR)
Common Name: Black Swallowtail butterfly
Scientific Name: Papilio polyxenes
Comments: Black swallowtail butterflies look a lot like spicebush swallowtail butterflies. You can learn how to tell the difference between a black swallowtail and a spicebush swallowtail at: http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabambc/frames-2species.asp?sp1=Papilio-polyxenes&sp2=Papilio-troilus
There is also a good discussion of how to tell the differences among four black butterfly species at: http://louisiananaturalist.blogspot.com/2009/06/four-dark-swallowtails.html
More Information: Butterflies and Moths of North America
