unidentified butterfly

[C. Steer]

Hi all:

I live in Philly, (PA) not far from a park. The numbers of different
butterflies that come every year to my yard in the city blows me away. I
keep a running record of this on my web page at:

www.qsl.net/wa3iac/butterfly  Just today, I cough an under wing moth in
the grass.

Sincerely,

Chuck

ciprit wrote:
> 
> Based on appearance alone (based on my field guide), I would have to agree with Common
> Checkered Skipper or Grizzled Skipper.  Keeping in mind I could not get a close look, I
> would say the pic. of the Grizzled Skipper is closer.  Definitely NOT the Pearly
> Crescentspot.  Could either of the other species have landed on grass for water?--as I
> mentioned I had just watered my lawn.  (Sorry if that is a silly question, I'm just a
> butterfly observer, not a lepidopterist.)
> Thanks to all,
> Christina
> 
> > I agree with the way Chris and John have provided clues that the
> > Philadelphia Mystery Story does not star wyandot. However, I had the
> > same impression about Checkered Skipper that John voiced about Grizzled
> > Skipper, namely that it is a tiny grayish, mothlike blur, and even when
> > I know that it is what I am looking for where I am looking for it, it
> > has to perch before I can identify it.  Therefore.  Moreover, at least
> > in NJ, I would never have thought of P.communis as being brownish.  It
> > is grayish to blu-ish. So my suggestion still is a Crescent---after all
> > one of the commonest yard butterflies at this season.
> >
> > MIKE GOCHFELD
> > ===========================================================
> > John Shuey wrote:
> > >
> > > Piecing clues together to say that this UFO is not Pyrgus centaurea wyandot:
> > >
> > > > "Chris J. Durden" wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > My first thought was *Pyrgus (Scelothrix) "centaureae" wyandot* - the
> > > > > WYANDOT GRIZZLED SKIPPER. Do you have any of its foodplant - the
> > > > > yellow-flowered strawberry-like *Waldsteinia fragarioides*. This species
> > > > > can be locally common in midwest Maryland, northern New Jersey, and on Long
> > > > > Island, in spring.
> > > > > .......Chris Durden
> > > >
> > > > Chris,
> > > > I have what I think is wild strawberry with yellow flowers on my lawn--forgot to
> > > > mention that in my first post.  I can't seem to find the Wyandot Grizzled
> > > > Skipper in my Audobon Field Guide.
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > > Clue 1 - most eastern populations (with the exception of Michigan) are not
> > > associated with wild strawberry - but the similar appearing Dwarf Cinquefoil ,
> > > Potentilla canadensis.
> > >
> > > Clue 2.  Pyrgus wyandot is very rare in the east, and is not a yard butterfly
> > > (Unless your yard is surrounded by natural barrens habitats maybe).
> > >
> > > >
> > > > > >>  In Philadelphia on Sun., May 7 at very approximately 2PM , I saw a
> > > > > >>  little (maybe 1-11/2" wingspan) butterfly on my lawn.  It was brownish
> > > > > >>  and whitish (maybe some other color, too) with a kind of checkered
> > > > > >>  pattern.  I couldn't get a very close look at it.  Every time I tried to
> > > > > >>  lean near it, it went fluttering through the grass and also landed it
> > > > > >>  some wet dirt (puddling?).  I had just watered some of my plants.
> > >
> > > Clue 3 - and this is a big one - no one who has ever seen P. wyandot in flight would
> > > say that it "fluttered through the grass".  Wyandot in flight is a complete blur,
> > > wings are almost invisible, and it move so fast that its hard to follow visually for
> > > more than a few seconds.
> > >
> > > --
> > > John Shuey

-- 


Sincerely,

Chuck Steer

e-mail: wa3iac at juno.com

www.qsl.net/wa3iac/

FAX: 1-505-215-0069