Category: Insects & Spiders

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 […]

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

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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

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

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 […]

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/2/20 Observation Time: 1:30 p.m. Observation Location: Near tennis courts at outbound train station Common Name: Schlaeger’s fruitworm moth Scientific Name: Antaeotricha schlaegeri Comments: The Schlaeger’s fruitworm moth is found in north-eastern North America, south to North Carolina and west to Kansas and Texas. Adults resemble a bird-dropping. The wingspan is 21–30 mm. The larvae feed on white oak and related species. […]

Observer: Lonnie Friedman Observation Date: 5/31/20 Observation Time: 1:50 p.m. Observation Location: In our yard (Gavins Pond Road) Common Name: Tiger Swallowtail butterfly Scientific Name: Papilio glaucus Comments: This striking, large butterfly is fairly common. More Information: Butterflies and Moths of North America

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 […]

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/20/20 Observation Time: 5:15 p.m. Observation Location: under high tension wires across the street from Ward’s Berry Farm Common Name: Yellow-washed metarranthis moth Scientific Name: Metarranthis obfirmaria Comments: I spotted this brown moth on the dirt road under the high tension wires. Moths typically have bigger antennae than butterflies. They can be hard to identify. I got help with identification of this specimen at […]