Yesterday morning I found an interesting skipper in the lavender plants by our front porch. When I saw it I immediately knew that it wasn't anything I had ever seen before. The first thing that came to mind was Ocola Skipper, but I wasn't sure. I took a bunch of pictures and then went inside to check it out. Turns out, it was indeed an Ocola! This is the first Kansas record and also the first record from the genus
Panoquina! Joseph came over after school and managed to see it, but unfortunately it was gone when Bryant and I got home a little later.
 |
| Ocola Skipper |
 |
| Ocola Skipper |
 |
| Ocola Skipper |
While Bryant and I were trying to refind it, we did found this Skipperling. It appears to just be a Orange Skipperling, but the upperwings look similar to a Southern Skipperling, which would be another first state record!
 |
| Skipperling sp. |
 |
| Skipperling sp. |
The strong south winds around here for the last couple of days probably brought many stray butterflies up here. Joseph also had a Texan Crescent and a Bordered Patch at his place this evening, both southern butterflies. Hopefully all the southern stuff hangs around for several days.
I also had two Common Redpolls in the yard about two weeks ago. They were lifers, but unfortunately I didn't get any good pictures. They were also the earliest seen in Kansas by a week! All in all, it has been a good fall!
Andrew
You may now die in peace.
ReplyDeleteI know. Finally I found a good Butterfly!
ReplyDeletePlease plan to die in peace, but not just yet. Did you report this butterfly find to the appropriate official recordkeepers? I'm happy for your success!
ReplyDeleteI submitted a report to BAMONA, but I haven't heard back yet.
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos and find, I only moved to Kansas a couple of years ago and came across your blog from the KOS Listserve, love the info and reports.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I really enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteWhy isn't your Ocola Skipper a Purple-washed. The purple sheen, sub terminal row of spots and the little spot anterior to the big spot on the forewing all say Purple-washed to me. We've had a lot of both in the Rio Grande Valley this fall and there was a Purple-washed recorded much farther north in Texas.
ReplyDeleteWow, I hadn't considered that species very thoroughly! I think you may be right, pretty much everything I know about panoquinas I've learned from reading your blog anyway. That little spot did bother me, but I didn't think to check Purple-washed. I never got a great look (and no photos) at the upperside, so I'll check if Andrew has any better shots. We've had a pretty amazing year for southern strays here and this would be a big addition to the list!
DeleteThe only thing that doesn't look quite right is the upperwing. Shouldn't the Purple-washed have an elongated white spot on the forewing cell? I really don't know much about them, so I easily could be wrong.
ReplyDelete