Animal – Page 17 – Sharon Friends of Conservation

Porcelain Gray Moth – 8/16/20

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 8/16/20 Observation Time: 9:50 a.m. Observation Location: 4 Gavins Pond Rd. Common Name: Porcelain Gray Moth Scientific Name: Protoboarmia porcelaria Comments: This is a type of geometer moth. This individual was resting on my window in the morning. Moths are typically nocturnal. One way to attract moths on a summer night is to hang a white sheet and put a light behind […]

Monarch Caterpillar – 8/13/20

Observer: Rita Corey Observation Date: 8/13/20 Observation Time: 3:40 p.m. Observation Place: Mountain St. Common Name: Monarch Butterfly caterpillar Scientific Name: Danaus plexippus Comments: This monarch caterpillar was feeding on milkweed. It will soon form a chrysalis. Milkweed is poisonous. Monarch caterpillars eat milkweed to make themselves poisonous to avoid predation. Their bright coloration is a warning to predators. Eating milkweed can sometimes be fatal to the […]

Wood Nymph Butterfly – 8/13/20

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 8/13/20 Observation Time: 3:20 p.m. Observation Location: Mountain St. Common Name: Wood Nymph butterfly Scientific Name: Cercyonis pegala Comments: Despite its name the Wood Nymph butterfly prefers open areas including fields, wet meadows, salt marshes, and bogs. It also inhabits open woods and ventures along well lit woodland trails. More information: Mass Audubon Butterfly Atlas 3

Tree Cricket – 8/13/20

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 8/13/20 Observation Time: 1:52 p.m. Observation Location: Mountain St. Common Name: Tree Cricket Scientific Name: Oecanthus spp. Comments: The tree cricket is also known as poor man’s thermometer, because if you count the number of chirps in 15 seconds and add 37 you get the temperature close to the Fahrenheit temperature outdoors. More Information: Wikipedia

Scarlet Tanager – 8/6/20

Observer: Deborah Radovsky Observation Date: 8/6/20 Observation Time: 7:15 a.m. Observation Location: Rock Ridge Cemetery Common Name: Scarlet Tanager Scientific Name: Piranga olivacea Comments: Scarlet tanagers are coomon in Sharon, but seldom seen. Their woodland habitat obscures them in the leaves. To find them, learn their song and follow your ears as you wlak along trails through the woods. Check out the trail maps on this web […]

Spotted Sandpiper – 8/6/20

Observer: Deborah Radovsky Observation Date: 8/6/20 Observation Time: 7:00 a.m. Observation Location: Lake Massapoag Common Name: Spotted Sandpiper Scientific Name: Actitis macularius Comments: The Spotted Sandpiper is the most widespread breeding sandpiper in North America. Female Spotted Sandpipers sometimes practice an unusual breeding strategy called polyandry, where a female mates with up to four males, each of which then cares for a clutch of eggs. More Information: All About […]

Cedar Waxwing – 8/2/20

Observer: Deb Radovsky Observation Date: 8/2/20 Observation Time: 6:40 a.m. Observation Location: along Lake Massapoag Common Name: Cedar Waxwing Scientific Name: Bombycilla cedrorum Comments: Cedar Waxwings typically travel in groups. More Information: All About Birds

Large Lace-border Moth – 7/11/20

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 7/11/20 Observation Time: 3:40 p.m. Observation Location: along Gavins Pond Road Common Name: Large Lace-border Moth Scientific Name: Scopula limboundata Comments: Large Lace-border Moths rest with their wings flat making it easy to admire the creamy hues of its wings. There is some variety within the species. Some individuals are mostly white with faint brown waves at the edges of the […]

Widow Underwing Moth – 7/7/20

Observer: Josh Simons Observation Date: 7/7/20 Observation Time: 1:30 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill area Common Name: Widow Underwing moth Scientific Name: Catocala vidua Comments: The widow underwing (Catocala vidua) is a moth of the Erebidae family. It is found from southern Ontario, into Maine, New Hampshire and Connecticut, south at least to Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama, west to Texas and Oklahoma, and north to […]

Great Crested Flycatcher – 7/2/20

Observer: Josh Simons Observation Date: 7/2/20 Observation Time: 3:00 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill area Common Name: Great crested flycatcher Scientific Name: Myiarchus crinitus Comments: The great-crested flycatcher has a pale yellow breast. The underside of its tail is reddish brown. More Information: All About Birds

Red Fox – 6/25/20

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/25/20 Observation time: 8:45 a.m. Observation Location: 4 Gavins Pond Rd. Common Name: Red fox Scientific Name: Vulpes vulpes Comments: It was a thrill to see these three playful red foxes in our back yard. One of them seemed quite interested in the neighbor’s fluffy cat, which stood its ground. Despite its name, individual red foxes have variable coloration. The […]

Viceroy Butterfly – 6/22/20

Observer: Zahava Friedman Observation Date: 6/22/20 Observation Time: 10:40 a.m. Observation Location: near Gavins Pond Common Name: Viceroy butterfly Scientific Name: Limenitis archippus Comments: Viceroys are smaller than the famous migrating monarchs, and the black markings are different. Note the curved black line on the hind wings. Monarchs do not have this line. Viceroys are brush-footed butterflies, which have tiny, hairy forelegs that look more like brushes […]

Raccoon – 6/19/20

Observer: Josh Simons Observation Date: 6/19/20 Observation Time: 3:30 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill area Common Name: Raccoon Scientific Name: Procyon lotor Comments: Raccoons are mainly nocturnal, but this family was out foraging during the day. Raccoons are smart and quite capable of defending themselves against dogs or anything else that might try to harass them. More Information: National Geographic

Raccoon and Gray Fox – 6/16/20

Observer: Kurt Buermann Observation Date: 6/16/20 Observation Time: 8:20 p.m. Observation Location: Furnace Street Common Name: Raccoon and Gray Fox Scientific Name: Procyon lotor and Urocyon cinereoargenteus Comments: This raccoon and gray fox – both of which are predators – were feeding peacefully together on the porch. More Information: Wikipedia and Nature Works Here’s a link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BX-v4iZD_j4

Grape Leaffolder Moth – 6/14/20

Observer: Josh Simons Observation Date: 6/14/20 Observation Time: 6:00 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill area Common Name: Grape Leaffolder Moth Scientific Name: Desmia funeralis Comments: This moth is called a grape leaffolder because its larvae folds the leaves of muscadine grape vines and keeps them folded using bands of silk thread. This interferes with the plant’s ability to photosynthesize, and weakens it, resulting in a decreased grape harvest the […]

Eastern Kingbird – 6/14/20

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/14/20 Observation Time: 4:40 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR) Common Name: Eastern Kingbird Scientific Name: Tyrannus tyrannus Comments: Kingbirds are members of the flycatcher family. The tip of the tail looks like it was dipped in white paint. Their call has been likened to the sound of arcing electricity. In summer kingbirds eat mostly flying insects. Pairs maintain a […]

Red-spotted Admiral – 6/14/20

Observer: Josh Simons Observation Date: 6/14/20 Observation Time: 4:00 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill area Common Name: Red-spotted Admiral (or red-spotted purple) butterfly Scientific Name: Limenitis arthemis astyanax Comments: The red-spotted purple butterfly is the same species as the white admiral butterfly. It is a North American species in the genus Limenitis. It has been studied for its evolution of mimicry, and for the several stable […]

Common Pondhawk Dragonfly (female) – 6/14/20

Observer: Josh Simons Observation Date: 6/14/20 Observation Time: 1:15 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill area Common Name: Common Pondhawk (or Eastern Pondhawk) dragonfly (female) Scientific Name: Erythemis simplicicollis Comments: Pondhawk dragonflies are voracious hunters, but they are completely harmless to humans. Females are green. Males are blue. Females oviposit in flight, hovering low over the water and repeatedly dipping their abdomens into the water to release […]

Slaty Skimmer Dragonfly (female) – 6/14/20

Observer: Josh Simons Observation Date: 6/14/20 Observation Time: 11:30 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill area Common Name: Slaty Skimmer dragonfly (female) Scientific Name: Libellula incesta Comments: Watch this video of the slaty skimmer dragonfly as it oviposits at Gavins Pond. More Photos: Odonata.bogfoot.net

Lilypad Forktail Damselfly 6-9-20

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/9/20 Observation Time: 3:45 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond dam Common Name: Lilypad forktail damselfly Scientific Name: Ischnura kellicotti Comments: A southern species that appears to have increased in Massachusetts lately. This specimen is the red form of the female. There is also a blue form. Males are bright blue. More Information: Wisconsin Odonata Survey

Dusted Skipper Butterfly – 6/9/20

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/9/20 Observation Time: 3:20 p.m. Observation Location: meadow near Gavins Pond Common Name: Dusted Skipper Butterfly Scientific Name: Atrytonopsis hianna Comments: Note the proboscis extended to gather nectar. Also note the finely banded antennae. More Information: Wisconsin Butterflies

Frosted Elfin Butterfly – 6/9/20

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/9/20 Observation Time: 3:15 p.m. Observation Location: undisclosed location in Sharon Common Name: Frosted Elfin Butterfly Scientific Name: Callophrys irus Comments: Frosted elfins are listed as rare by the Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program (NHESP). More Information: Species Status Assessment Report

Common Ringlet Butterfly – 6/9/20

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/9/20 Observation Time: 3:00 p.m. Observation Location: meadow near Gavins Pond dam Common Name: Common Ringlet butterfly Scientific Name: Coenonympha tullia Comments: Ringlets can be found in a variety of grassy habitats, including roadsides, woodland edges and clearings, prairies, bogs, and arctic and alpine taiga and tundra. It is an erratic flyer. It is a holarctic species found in northern Europe […]

Spittlebug – 6/9/20

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/9/20 Observation Time: 1:50 p.m. Observation Location: beside soccer parking area on Gavins Pond Rd Common Name: Spittlebug Scientific Name: Philaenus spumarius Comments: Spittlebugs are known for the frothy spittle mass they produce while feeding on plants. More Information: University of Minnesota Extension

House Wren – 6/9/20

Observer: Josh Simons Observation Date: 6/9/20 Observation Time: 9:30 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill area Common Name: House Wren Scientific Name: Troglodytes aedon Comments: House wrens often fill bluebird nesting boxes chock full of twigs, presumably to prevent other birds from nesting in their territory. They have a harsh, jumbled scolding call. Learn it and you will find them around town. More Information: All About Birds

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