Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/26/19 Observation Time: 1:15 p.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 visiting a mud puddle, but […]
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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 […]
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/25/19 Observation Time: 8:15 a.m. Observation Location: 4 Gavins Pond Road (kitchen window) Common Name: Tan Jumping Spider Scientific Name: Platycryptus undatus Comments: A member of Salticidae, this spider jumps to ambush its prey in lieu of creating webs to ensnare it. It is a fast runner and it pounces on top of the insect it plans to eat. As the […]
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/21/19 Observation Time: 12:15 p.m. Observation Location: 4 Gavins Pond Road Common Name: Painted Skimmer dragonfly Scientific Name: Libellula semifasciata Comments: Painted Skimmers live up to their name, and the wings especially glow with color. A rich brown, the thorax has two whitish to yellow diagonal stripes on each side. The abdomen has yellow edges and a jagged black central stripe on […]
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/19/19 Observation Time: 3:08 p.m. Observation Location: Billings Loop Botanical Trail Common Name: Red Admiral butterfly Scientific Name: Vanessa atalanta Comments: Mating usually occurs in late fall or early winter following collective migration to southern regions with a warmer climate. The red admiral’s main host plant, stinging nettle, is most abundant during this migration. Larval development proceeds through winter and […]
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/19/19 Observation Time: 8:00 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Common Name: Harlequin Darner dragonfly Scientific Name: Gomphaeschna furcillata Comments: The Harlequin Darner is a member of the Aeshnidae family of dragonflies. The species occurs across much of the eastern United States and parts of southeast Canada. Its range extends to eastern Texas. I encountered this specimen by chance on the […]
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/11/19 Observation Time: 11:00 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Common Name: Spring Azure butterfly Scientific Name: Celastrina spp. Comments: Spring azures are small butterflies that emerge in early spring. The wings are blue on top and white with dark specks on the underside. It’s hard to get a photo of the beautiful blue on the upper side of […]
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Observer: Richard Mandell Observation Date: November, 2018 Observation Time: N/A Observation Location: 280 Mountain Street Common Name: Bald-faced Hornet Scientific Name: Dolichovespula maculata Comments: The bald-faced hornet is related to yellowjacket wasps, and is not a true hornet. Its colloquial names include bald hornet, white-faced hornet, white-tailed hornet, spruce wasp, blackjacket, and bull wasp. Bald-faced hornets are social insects and are most active during the […]
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 8/31/18 Observation Time: 4:10 p.m. Observation Location: Borderland State Park Common Name: Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (4th instar) Scientific Name: Halyomorpha Halys Comments: Stink bugs molt several times before reaching maturity. Each phase is referred to as an instar. More Information: Wikipedia
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 8/31/18 Observation Time: 4:00 p.m. Observation Location: Borderland State Park Common Name: Locust borer beetle Scientific Name: Megacyllene robiniae Comments: The locust borer only attacks black locust trees. It’s a native insect and was first found in the eastern part of the United States in natural stands of black locust trees. The locust borer caused problems in colonial times by […]
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 8/15/18 Observation Time: 1:15 p.m. Observation Place: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Common Name: Monarch Butterfly caterpillar and chrysalis Scientific Name: Danaus plexippus Comments: This caterpillar was feeding on milkweed. It will soon form a chrysalis, as others nearby had already done. Monarchs make an epic, multi-generational migration. Check it out at the link below. More Information: National Geographic Monarch chrysalis:
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 8/15/18 Observation Time: 1:15 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Common Name: White-faced Meadowhawk dragonfly (male) Scientific Name: Sympetrum obtrusum Comments: Juveniles and females have yellow abdomens. Males are red. Similar to Ruby Meadowhawk and Cherry-faced Meadowhawk, but white-faced meadowhawks have a distinctive white face. More Information: Wikipedia
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 7/7/18 Observation Time: 2:40 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR) Common Name: Great Spangled Fritillary Scientific Name: Speyeria cybele Comments: Easily confused with Aphrodite Fritillary – see: http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabambc/frames-2species.asp?sp1=Speyeria-cybele&sp2=Speyeria-aphrodite More Information: Butterflies and Moths of North America and USDA
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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
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 7/7/18 Observation Time: 1:45 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR) Common Name: Thick-headed Fly Scientific Name: Physocephala tibialis Comments: This family of flies is a parasite of solitary bees, and sometimes wasps. The female grabs the host while in flight and forces an egg between the bee’s abdominal segments. More Information: NatureSearch
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 7/7/18 Observation Time: 1:45 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR) Common Name: Weevil Wasp Scientific Name: Cerceris Comments: Members of the genus Cerceris hunt weevils and other beetles. Females dig nests in the ground along roads or in areas with loose sand or soil like baseball fields, parks and beaches. They compact the material and create cells where they lay […]
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 7/7/18 Observation Time: 12:35 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR) Common Name: Twelve-spotted Skimmer dragonfly (female) Scientific Name: Libellula pulchella Comments: This species of dragonfly is relatively large. Lots of different species of dragonflies live in Sharon. Can you find one that’s not already recorded on this web site? More Information: Ecobirder
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 7/7/18 Observation Time: 12:00 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (The Trustees of Reservations) 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 More Information: Butterflies and Moths of North America
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/23/18 Observation Time: 8:50 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR) Common Name: Flower Fly Scientific Name: Helophilus fasciatus Comments: Flower Flies (also known as “hover flies” because of their tendency to hover in mid-air for long periods), are especially interesting insects. They are overlooked by nearly everybody but farmers, who recognize them as one of the most important groups of insects […]
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Observer: Faith Berkland Observation Date: 10/8/17 Observation Time: 5:00 p.m. Observation Location: Transmission line path between Bird Road, Mansfield Street and Willow Street in Foxboro Common Name: Eastern Buck Moth Scientific Name: Hemileuca maia Comments: This large moth (about 1 inch long by 1 1/2 inches wide) was flying toward me. Wide head, white & fuzzy. Above low-lying shrubbery, it quickly disappeared when it saw me. I […]
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 8/4/17 Observation Time: 1:55 p.m. Observation Location: 4 Gavins Pond Road Common Name: White-faced Meadowhawk dragonfly Scientific Name: Sympetrum obtrusum Comments: Juveniles and females have yellow abdomens. Males are red. Similar to Ruby Meadowhawk and Cherry-faced Meadowhawk, but white-faced meadowhawks have a distinctive white face. More Information: Wikipedia
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 8/4/17 Observation Time: 1:45 p.m. Observation Location: 4 Gavins Pond Rd. (back yard) Common Name: Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly Scientific Name: Papilio troilus Comments: The butterfly bush I planted in our back yard attracts beautiful butterflies like this one. Note the blue “comet” marking on its hind wing, which differentiates spicebush swallowtails from black swallowtails. More Information: Butterflies and Moths of North America
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Observer: Kurt Buermann Observation Date: 7/28/17 Observation Time: N/A Observation Location: In our yard (Furnace Street) on a spicebush shrub Common Name: Tiger Swallowtail butterfly Scientific Name: Papilio glaucus Comments: fairly common large butterfly More Information: Butterflies and Moths of North America
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Observer: Sherry Berlingo Observation Dates: Spicebush Swallowtail Caterpillar – Found on playground in Sharon 09/20/16 Spicebush Swallowtail Chrysalis – Formed chrysalis on 09/22/16 Overwintered in outdoor shed Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly – Emerged on 06/01/17, released on 06/02/17 Observation Location: The Childrens Center, Sharon Public School Common Name: Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly Scientific Name: Papilio troilus Comments: This large black butterfly is more common in Sharon than the similar […]
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Observer: Kathy Farrell Observation Date: January 11, 2017 Observation Time: N/A Observation Location: my back yard Common Name: Snow Flea Scientific Name: Hypogastrura harveyi or Hypogastrura nivicol Comments: At close examination, perhaps in melting snow around the base of a tree, tiny black flecks might be found sprinkled in the snow. They probably look like bits of dirt at first glance, but they are actually tiny soil […]
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