Dainty Sulphur

Dainty Sulphurs are a stray visitor to Michigan. This year as been better than normal for southern strays and immigrants from the south.
Mogen C. Nielsen's book, "Michigan Butterflies and Skippers", shows Dainty Sulphurs as occuring in only 9 Michigan counties. Eight of those counties in the southern half of the lower pennisula and one county in the western UP.

This Dainty Sulphur was photographed in Ingham County on July 29,2012 at Dansville Sewage Ponds. This is my 100th Michigan lifer butterfly.

Black Swallowtail

Black Swallowtails (Papilio polyxenes) are a common sight in southern lower Michigan. Their range extends into northern lower Michigan, mainly along the western side. Black Swallowtails also occur in the upper pennisula, but on a  limited basis.

Host plants include memebers of the parsley family, such as the kind you plant in a herb garden.

                                           

                          

photographed in Ingham County - 7/25/2012



This is a Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus). If you are looking for this specie,check around stands of Sassafrass. Spicebush Swallowtails use Sassafrass as their host plant in Michigan.

Gale Rd. public accesses site, Ingham County, Michigan. July 22, 2012



                                                   

                                                             

                                                        Went out looking for butterflies on the west side of Ingham County today. Visited McNamara's Landing,     Riverbend Natural Area and Gales Rd boat launch. Did pretty well overall. Best butterfly for the day was an American Snout seen at Riverbend Natural Area.                                           

This Eastern Tailed Blue was photographed at Riverbend Natural Area - July 22, 2012. This one still has its tails.

Welcome to Michigan Butterflies

Welcome to Michigan Butterflies.
The purpose of this blog is to help amature butterfly seekers gain a better understanding of Michigan's butterflies, basically where and when to find them.  
 Like many other state lists, the actual number of butterflies that have occured in Michigan is subject to on going research and one opinion verses anothers. There are lumpers and splitters in the butterfly world just as there are in birding and other animal families. As  best as I can figure, Michigan's butterfly/skipper total is 159 species. One of these species (Southern Pearly Eye) sighting is questionable.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail - Papilio glaucus
A large butterfly distinguished by its yellow background and black tiger like striping. Seen in the southern half of the lower pennisula. The Canadian Tiger Swallowtail ( Papilio canadensis) replaces it in the northern half of the lower pennisula.

This picture was taken at Dansville SGA, Ingham County, May 13, 2012.