Butterflies from Summers Past on a Winter Day

The coldest temperatures of the winter descended upon the Mountain State this weekend. Morgantown saw a morning temperature of -2 degrees F at sunrise today. Six inches of snow already blankets the ground and more snow is forecast for tonight. I'm sorry to say that it sure looks like Punxsutawney Phil may have botched his prediction of an early spring.

In any event, I spent some time today actually trying to compile a comprehensive list of butterfly species that I have seen in West Virginia. At least for awhile, my mind abandoned the cold present to revisit springs and summers gone by with their fluttering butterflies and colorful fields of blooming flowers. I had never before really put much thought into listing butterflies and I certainly had never specifically seeked them out just to add them to a list. Somewhat surprisingly, when the tallying was done, I found that I have seen a modest 34 species of butterflies in West Virginia. That leaves me with 100 or so additional species that I have not yet seen in the state.

In the interest of spreading the illusion that spring has arrived, here are some photographs that I added to my WV Pan-species Lists today.        

Atlantis Fritillary photographed high atop Spruce Knob

European Skipper is a non-native species know as Essex Skipper in the UK.

A Red Admiral can help brighten any winter day.

This Northern Pearly-eye was trying to hide on the forest floor.

I spotted this Pearl Crescent last summer while birding at Stonewall Jackson Lake.