Something strange going on; I saw a butterfly today!

17 years ago

I don't recall EVER seeing a butterfly soooooo early in the season. Something caught my eye, fluttering like mad. I thought I was hallucinating, and kind of hoping it was a hummingbird, since one hit NJ today. For the life of me, I couldn't tell you what kind of butterfly it was, but it was black and appeared to have white tipped wings, and was heading south. It really made me want to run out to Lowes and get some flowers, even though it's techincally not the season, but I need some COLOR!!!! Only the daffs & crocuses blooming :(

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (11)

bttfly9
17 years ago
You probably saw a Mourning Cloak. They sometimes will take a flight if it is warm enough and then disappear until spring.
0
tracey_nj6
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks bttfly9. I was clicking on almost ever butterfly (of NJ) looking for a pic that would help. That must be what I had seen, based on what I just read about it. It was a nice surprise seeing it today, considering the first butterfly I ever see is a Cabbage White!
0
Related Discussions
Something strange today?
Q
Comments (16)
Joann, that is good to hear. I haven't lost or broken mine (yet.) They also told me there would be a $15 charge if there was any problem that meant they had to come out to my house. A couple weeks ago I had NO TV and a message on the screen. I've forgotten what it said, but I called and they sent a Tech out. He said it wasn't connected right and he replaced all the cable. Said there would be a $15 charge or could be as much as $95. I'm holding my breath to see what the charge will be. I will NOT pay for something that they did wrong. Sue
...See More
I saw something today that just moved me to tears
Q
Comments (27)
Cars in funeral processions here drive with their lights on and have funeral home flags attached to the cars. If a bystander turned his car lights on, I'd be confused, thinking he was part of the procession. We live near a very small military cemetery that is part of Fort Sheridan, Illinois. The graves date from the Civil War, but there are still vacant plots. There is a funeral home about two miles south. One spring day this year DH and I were driving along this stretch of two lane road when traffic came to a halt. A pair of Clydesdales approached from the opposite direction, pulling a buckboard with the flag-draped casket of a serviceman. About thirty family members walked behind, bearing flowers, and some cars of mourners followed them. I don't think there was a dry eye on the road for the 20 minutes it took the wagon to pass. There was total silence except for the sound of the horses hooves and the creak of the buckboard. Lake Michigan was grey in the near distance. We could see the large white cross at the entrance to the cemetery. The next day I called the funeral home to inquire about the deceased. He was Army, injured in Viet Nam.
...See More
'Mingo... look what I saw today!' says Stewie
Q
Comments (2)
When my sister was really young a neighbor girl had a large pet rabbit, it was a male. They were playing w/ rabbit in yard and he got away for a while couldn't find him. A month later or so we figured out were he was, with a regular wild rabbit because they wild baby rabbits looked just like him. This was probably over 30 years ago. But I remember seeing those big bunnies around my parents neighborhood for a few years.
...See More
Article I saw today....written by a FL teacher
Q
Comments (33)
I have a daughter that teaches 4th grade in a city school. She sees students that need help every school year. Sadly, the parents do not agree. She had a young boy that created havoc in the classroom every day. She tried so hard to help him. He would walk up to her face to face and say to her, “you don’t like me, do you?” She always told him yes she liked him but not some of the things he was doing in her classroom. On numerous occasions he would say to her, “kiss my ass.” Finally,after months of this she took him by the hand and went directly to the office and stood in front of the principal and said, “ he is no longer in my class, he is your problem. I have asked for help so many times and I am now done, I am finished with his disrupting my class on a daily basis.” As long as my daughter put up with it nothing was getting done. She finally ended it. The mom was contacted so many times and would not allow them to do anything with him. That is what teachers are facing. If the parents say no then you are stuck. A lot of parents don’t care these days. If someone else is willing to watch their kids they are ok with it.. parents need to wake the hell up. Teaching children right from wrong starts in infancy, not when they start to school and it becomes someone else’s problem. Guns don’t kill anyone until someone picks it up and pulls the trigger. Stricter guns laws won’t help the problem. If someone wants a gun they will get one. Legal or not. It breaks my heart to hear this happened to these families. I pray for them each and every day. I’m not sure anyone knows the answer. Let’s hope one is found.
...See More
caterwallin
17 years ago
Tracey, I saw my first butterfly of the season yesterday, a cabbage white. Are you saying that the hummingbirds are in NJ already??!! Mine usually show up the first week of May. Last year the first one was here on April 23.
Cathy
0
MissSherry
17 years ago
Congratulations!
It's looking like this is going to be a big butterfly year for us all - I'm seeing a lot more than I usually do at this time.
MissSherry
0
onafixedincome
17 years ago
Me too!! Is it cruel to net off the Aristolochia to keep them from eating it to the ground now that it's actually GROWING??

Think I'll put out a mash plate for the MC...saw one today!

PA
0
susanlynne48
17 years ago
PA, probably not cruel if you don't have enough of it to feed a brood. IMHO, it would be more cruel to have a lot of cats and not enough food for them.

Mourning Cloaks stay around in Oklahoma all winter. They come out in spring, but then as the weather warms up they fly north. You may have them year-round in New Jersey, but we see them in the early spring, late fall, and winter. They don't like hot weather.

Oh, MissSherry, I hope it is a wonderful butterfly year for everyone on the forums. We've had so much rain lately, though, that obviously the butterflies have taken shelter. Today is supposed to be really nice, so I will be able to get out and pot up some of my milkweeds.

Susan
0
linda_centralokzn6
17 years ago
Congrats Tracey. Must mean that Spring is near for you.
0
mboston_gw
17 years ago
I know what you mean about the Pipevine. For several years, DH and I picked off eggs daily so that I would have enough to feed a limited number of cats. I am lucky now to have lots of it (elegans type, just waiting for the butterflies now!
0
megan_anne
17 years ago
It's shaping up to be a GREAT year here! As I posted on another thread, we've had a GREAT showing of Tigers this season so far! I've been seeing a good number of Monarchs, Gulf Frits (they're laying already-- and I had one pupate on my fence last week!!), BST's, MC's and Checkerspots. Some of the Sulphurs are showing up, and now that the Bluebonnets are up, the Tailed-Blues are out in force. I've had Silver-spotted Skippers on the Salvia, and Gray Hairstreaks on the Verbena. So, yeah-- we're pretty much in full swing. We had some good rains finally so there's plenty of food and nectar available. I expect a fine show if it keeps on like it is. I wish everyone the same!

Megan
:)
0
christie_sw_mo
17 years ago
I've seen one Monarch, one Tiger Swallowtail, and one Black Swallowtail of some sort this week. Hope they know what they're doing. We're supposed to get at least a couple frosts now. Where do they go? I'm also waiting on three Giant Swallowtails to emerge, so I figure it will be my luck to have a freeze in the forecast when they emerge.
0
susanlynne48
17 years ago
Ooh, I hope not, Christie! But, it is supposed to dip into the high 30's at night for a couple of nights here - no freeze, just brrr cold. I'm glad you guys are seeing the butterflies in Missouri now.

I cannot believe the pearl crescents I'm seeing! And the Goatweed Leafwings are still around, too, as well as the Tigers. Saw a few CWs, too. I wonder what is drawing the PCs, other than the dandelions. I have very little to nectar on yet. Just the wild violets (I think it is sororia), dandelions (they like those), and the big viburnum that belongs to my neighbor but leans into my yard. It seems to draw the butterflies, too. My Rues are ready to support the BSTs and GSTs when they show up, too.

Milkweed is the only thing I'm lacking for the time being. Hopefully next year it will be up and growing by the time the Monarchs get here.

Susan
0

Something strange going on; I saw a butterfly today!

Comments (11)

bttfly9

tracey_nj6
Original Author

Related Discussions

caterwallin

MissSherry

onafixedincome

susanlynne48

linda_centralokzn6

mboston_gw

megan_anne

christie_sw_mo

susanlynne48

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Something strange going on; I saw a butterfly today!

Comments (11)

tracey_nj6Original Author

Related Discussions

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

tracey_nj6
Original Author