Hummingbird clearwing Hemaris thysbe, also known as Hummingbird moth, is out in the gardens and fields sipping nectar during the day and often at dusk. People sometimes confuse Hummingbird clearwings with a real hummingbird due to its habit of hovering while feeding with its long proboscis. Host plants include honeysuckle, hawthorns, plums, cherries and snowberries. Note the difference in the two species above and below. Snowberry clearwing Hemaris diffinis is more black but its … [Read more...] about Flower Hill Farm BUTTERFLIES OF 2011 – OTHER LEPIDOPTERA FAVORITES
Flower Hill Farm BUTTERFLIES OF 2011 ~ Favorite Skippers
Skippers are feisty little butterflies of the Skippers Hesperiidae Family. Flower Hill Farm has residents from both the Subfamily: Grass Skippers and Spread-wing Skippers. I truly cannot be certain of these tiny creatures but guess this one to be a Black Dash. I am hoping for help from others and then will add the facts about this tiny adorable Skipper later.Peck's Skipper Polites peckius, may be sighted in the hundreds during one of their flight periods. They are most likely to … [Read more...] about Flower Hill Farm BUTTERFLIES OF 2011 ~ Favorite Skippers
Flower Hill Farm BUTTERFLIES OF 2011 ~ Favorite Skippers
Skippers are feisty little butterflies of the Skippers Hesperiidae Family. Flower Hill Farm has residents from both the Subfamily: Grass Skippers and Spread-wing Skippers. I truly cannot be certain of these tiny creatures but guess this one to be a Black Dash. I am hoping for help from others and then will add the facts about this tiny adorable Skipper later. Peck's Skipper Polites peckius, may be sighted in the hundreds during one of their flight periods. They are most likely to be … [Read more...] about Flower Hill Farm BUTTERFLIES OF 2011 ~ Favorite Skippers
Flower Hill Farm BUTTERFLIES OF 2011 ~ Sulphurs and Whites
Orange Sulphur on AsterWe now enter the family Pieridae, of fluttering Whites and Sulphurs, found in the gardens and fields here at Flower Hill Farm over the last few years. Orange sulphur Colias eurytheme and Clouded Sulphur Colias philodice, can be confusing to identify, but not to the female Orange sulphur butterflies, who are attracted to the ultraviolet in the male Orange sulphur upper wings. I enjoy these bright buttery and paler butterflies mostly in mid to late summer and … [Read more...] about Flower Hill Farm BUTTERFLIES OF 2011 ~ Sulphurs and Whites
Flower Hill Farm BUTTERFLIES OF 2011 ~ Sulphurs and Whites
Orange Sulphur on Aster We now enter the family Pieridae, of fluttering Whites and Sulphurs, found in the gardens and fields here at Flower Hill Farm over the last few years. Orange sulphur Colias eurytheme and Clouded Sulphur Colias philodice, can be confusing to identify, but not to the female Orange sulphur butterflies, who are attracted to the ultraviolet in the male Orange sulphur upper wings. I enjoy these bright buttery and paler butterflies mostly in mid to late summer and fall, … [Read more...] about Flower Hill Farm BUTTERFLIES OF 2011 ~ Sulphurs and Whites
