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Important information about Emerald Ash Borer can be found here.

The Rochester Butterfly Club is an independent club formed to promote the study of butterflies in Western New York. We focus on habitat, environment, life cycles, education, and reporting our findings.

SAVE THE DATE: MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. BUTTERFLIES, THEIR BIOLOGY AND BEAUTY   By Jon Dombrowski

Downstairs meeting room, Brighton Town Hall, 2300 Elmwood Avenue, just west of Twelve Corners. The meeting room is on the lower level, access from back of building.

Meadow Fritillary, Jon Dombrowski

Join us for an illustrated talk by butterfly club member Jon Dombrowski as we explore a butterfly's anatomy through close up photography. Butterflies are not only beautiful creatures but also have fascinating abilities. Learn how butterflies navigate, find food, manage to eat, control their proboscis, taste with their feet and much more.
Jon says his interest in butterflies took on more significance for him when he purchased a digital camera in 2004 and discovered the fun of digital photography. This Meadow Fritillary is just one of the wonderful photographs Jon will show us!

The talk  is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be provided. For more information, contact: Carol Southby, 383-8168

 


The Rochester Butterfly Club is an independent club formed to promote the study of butterflies in Western New York. We focus on butterfly watching, habitat, environment, life cycles, education, and reporting our findings.

Field Trips

One of the best ways to learn about butterflies and where to find them is to go on a field trip with experienced leaders who will share their knowledge with you. Each year the Rochester Butterfly Club organizes at least 15 guided field trips to prime butterfly spots in the local area, including some members’ gardens. These trips take place on both weekdays and weekends. The trips are listed in our annual schedule sent out to members in the spring. We are always pleased to welcome non-members on our trips. You need only to show up at our butterfly walks as announced in the printed schedule. If you have them, bring a pair of binoculars and a butterfly identification book. (If you don’t have a book of your own, try your local library.)

 

Newsletter

Members receive our newsletter “Butterly News,” which is published 3 times a year. It includes a variety of articles and topical information about our local butterflies.

 

If you would like to become a member of the Rochester Butterfly Club, an application can be found here.

 

 

Club Officers:

 
President: Carol Southby
Vice President / Secretary: Shirley Shaw
Treasurer: Lucretia Grosshans
Statistics: Bill McCleary
Editor Norma Platt
   

For information about the Rochester Butterfly Club, contact Lucretia Crosshans.

 

 


 

ROCHESTER BUTTERFLY CLUB
2013 FIELD TRIPS and ACTIVITIES
www.rochesterbutterflyclub.org

Non-members and children accompanied by an adult are welcome to join our activities. 

Our field trips are free and will take place rain or shine, but not during thunder storms.  On cloudy or showery days, we will have a general nature walk, and look for caterpillars, hiding butterflies and plants that butterflies use.  With luck the sun will come out and with it, the butterflies.

Most of our field trips last about 2 hours. Some continue into the afternoon, especially those that are further away, shown by the driving time from Rochester.  Bring a cold drink and for the longer trips, your lunch.
***** Long pants and appropriate footgear are strongly recommended, as there is often poison ivy ***** 

We have provided contact numbers in case you would like more information about a field trip.  For most of our field trips, just come along to the meeting place listed. Also for most of our field trips, an alternative meeting place may usually be arranged, if needed, via one of the contact numbers.   A few field trips do require pre-registration, as noted.
Please bring close focusing binoculars, a field guide and your camera, but leave your butterfly nets at home, because they can injure wings, legs and antennae.

During 2012 we received several reports of deer ticks that people picked up in local areas. Because of this, we recommend you wear long pants tucked into socks, and use insect repellent.

 

APRIL 29, 2013

TALK   Butterflies – Their Biology and Beauty           ***NEW***
By Jon Dombrowski

Monday, 7:30 p.m.
Downstairs Meeting Room at Brighton Town Hall, 2300 Elmwood Avenue, just west of   
Twelve Corners in Brighton.  The room is on the lower level, access is from the back of building. Join us for an illustrated talk by butterfly club member Jon Dombrowski as we explore a butterfly's anatomy through close up photography. Butterflies are not only beautiful creatures but also have fascinating abilities. Learn how butterflies navigate, find food, manage to eat, control their proboscis, taste with their feet and much more.  Refreshments will be provided. The meeting is free and open to the public. Contact: 383-8168


 
MAY 18

GENESEE LAND TRUST                  NATIVE PLANT SALE

Saturday 8:30 a.m.
to 2:00 p.m.

At the Brighton Town Hall located at 2300 Elmwood Ave., Rochester 14618 For more information,   www.geneseelandtrust.org – Events and Activities – Special Events.

   
June 8 GENESEE LAND TRUST                  NATIVE PLANT SALE
Saturday 9:00 a.m.
to 4:00p.m.

At the Brighton Town Hall located at 2300 Elmwood Ave., Rochester 14618 Arrive early for best selection.  For more information, www.geneseelandtrust.org or e-mail Margaret Potter at info@geneseelandtrust.org or call (585) 256-2130.

   
JUNE 11 WESLEY HILL PRESERVE, Anna Brown Tract
Tues. 9:00 a.m.

Meet at the Park and Ride parking lot by the Bushnell’s Basin Exit of Route I-490.
Directions, take I-490 East to Bushnell’s Basin / route 96 exit. At exit light, turn left, parking
lot is on the left.  We will car pool from there, a one hour drive to Wesley Hill, near Naples, NY.
Bring lunch. Contact:  425-2380

   
JUNE 22 ROCHESTER AREA “4th OF JULY” COUNT (Rain Date, Sunday June 23)
Saturday from 10:00 a.m.

Several different locations, including Mendon Ponds Park, Powder Mills Park, High Acres Nature Area and Thousand Acre Swamp.
If you would like to help, contact us before June 20

   
JUNE 22 Genesee Land Trust          BACK YARD HABITAT TOUR
Saturday 9:00 a.m.
to 4:00 p.m.

www.geneseelandtrust.org – Events and Activities – Special Events.

   
JUNE 26 BLACK CREEK PARK

Wednesday 10:00 a.m.

Meet outside Byrne Dairy just south of exit #4 from Route 1-490 west, at southeast corner of intersection of Union Street (Rt 259) and Chili Ave. ( Rt 33A). We will car pool from there to a nearby area of the park.  Bring lunch, if the weather is good we may visit another part of the park in the afternoon.   Contact: 385-4725

   
July 2 PRIVATE PROPERTY in Alleghany County
Tuesday Lovely property near Keaney Swamp. The area is a 1 ½ hour drive from Rochester. Pot luck lunch. Registration required. To register and for more details contact us before June 28
   
JULY 6 LETCHWORTH STATE PARK 4th OF JULY COUNT (Rain Date, Sunday July 7)
Saturday from 10:00 a.m. Several different locations and car pooling available from Rochester.  If you would like to participate, contact Douglas Bassett, Park Naturalist at 493-3625.
   
JULY 9 MENDON AREA MYSTERY TOUR
Tuesday 10:00 a.m.

Meet in the Visitors Center / Wild Wings parking lot on Pond Road just off Clover St. (Rt. 65). After we check out the butterfly garden, we will car pool to other areas of the park or to other nearby areas to the best butterfly spots we have found.  Optionally, bring lunch.
Contact: 425-2380

   
JULY 13  PRIVATE PROPERTY RUSH:  SUMMER HABITAT WALK
Saturday 10:00 a.m. Joint trip with Genesee Land Trust. For detail see www.geneseelandtrust.org – events and activities – walks and talks
 

 

JULY  22 LITTLE LAKES MYSTERY TOUR
Monday 9:00 a.m.

Meet at Rush Park and Ride to explore areas near Canadice and Hemlock Lakes. Directions: Rush Park and Ride lot is at Rt. 15 and Rt. 251 off I-390, exit 11 for Rush. Lakes area is about a half hour drive from Rush. Bring lunch.
Contact: 385-3907

   
JULY 28 CHRISTINE SEVILLA WETLANDS PRESERVE
Sunday 10 a.m.

Directions: From Rte. 282, west of Scottsville, go south on Wheatland Ctr. Rd. Turn left onto Iroquois Rd (Co Rd 21). Park along side of road at 3799 Iroquois Rd in the town of Caledonia.  Please be punctual, once we leave the cars to follow the access easement, we will not be visible from the road. Wear waterproof boots or footwear you do not mind getting muddy and wet. Lunch optional. Contact: 425-2380

 

 

AUGUST 8 MONTOUR FALLS area, near Watkins Glen
Thursday 9:00 a.m.

Full day outing, about 2 hours drive from Rochester.  We will car pool from Rochester area.
For more information and to register,
Contact: 385-4725   no later than Monday August 5

   
AUGUST 20-21 FORT DRUM NEAR WATERTOWN
Thurs. 10 a.m.

Access to Fort Drum requires permit available instantly online – see below.        
Two day trip, about 3 hours drive from Rochester, with overnight stay in Watertown. Space is limited; priority will be given to members and their guests. . If enough people are interested, we will try to get a group rate for the hotel.
For more information and to register, contact: 385-3907 as soon as possible. 
Final deadline to register is Monday August 12, earlier is much appreciated

   
 

Fort Drum Recreation Access Passes are now available as an Easy on-line permit and there is no wait! 
You do need to have your car license plate number handy. Go to the link below and fill out a form on-line.  Then you IMMEDIATELY get a pass to print out.

 

 

AUGUST 24

GANARGUA CREEK MEADOW PRESERVE

Saturday 10:00 a.m.

Joint trip with Genesee Land Trust.  Meet at the Creek-side entrance near the intersection of Wilkinson and Victor Rd. in Wayne County, about 40 minutes from Rochester.  Directions: From Route 31 in Macedon, turn south onto Route 306 (Wayneport Road). Turn east onto Wilkinson Road and drive to the parking lot on the right, just before T intersection with Victor Road.
Wear long pants and appropriate footgear, as there is poison ivy. Bring lunch and folding chair.
Contact: 383-8168

   
AUGUUST 1
thru OCTOBER  15
 MONARCH COUNT
 

 

Please send your Monarch counts and all your other butterfly sightings during the season to Bill McCleary,

wmccleary@rochester.rr.com

 

 

 

Application Form

Daily Checklist

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Butterfly and Dragonfly Books

 

If you would like to download this list for printing, you can find it here.


Butterfly Books for Children

 

If you would like to download this list for printing, you can find it here.


Dragonfly and Damselfly Books

 

If you would like to download this list for printing, you can find it here.

 

 

 

 

 


Black Swallowtail
Giant Swallowtail
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Spicebush Swallowtail
West Virginia White
Cabbage White
Clouded Sulphur
Orange Sulphur
Harvester
American Copper
Bronze Copper
Coral Hairstreak
Acadian Hairstreak
Banded Hairstreak
Hickory Hairstreak
Striped Hairstreak
Eastern Pine Elfin
Gray Hairstreak
Eastern-tailed Blue
Azure, Spring/Summer
American Snout
Variegated Fritillary
Great Spangled Fritillary
Aphrodite Fritillary
Atlantis Fritillary
Silver-bordered Fritillary
Meadow Fritillary
Harris' Checkerspot
Pearl Crescent
Northern Crescent
Baltimore Checkerspot
Question Mark
Eastern Comma
Gray Comma
Compton Tortoiseshell
Mourning Cloak
Milbert's Tortoiseshell
American Lady


Painted Lady
Red Admiral
Common Buckeye
Red-spotted Purple
White Admiral
Viceroy
Hackberry Emperor
Tawny Emperor
Northern Pearly Eye
Eyed Brown
Appalachian Brown
Little Wood Satyr
Common Ringlet
Common Wood Nymph
Monarch
Silver-spotted Skipper
Hoary Edge
Northern Cloudywing
Dreamy Duskywing
Juvenal's Duskywing
Wild Indigo Duskywing
Common Checkered Skipper
Arctic Skipper
Least Skipper
European Skipper
Fiery Skipper
Leonard's Skipper
Peck's Skipper
Tawny-edged Skipper
Crossline Skipper
Long Dash
Northern Broken Dash
Little Glassywing
Delaware Skipper
Hobomok Skipper
Broad-winged Skipper
Dion Skipper
Dun Skipper

Butterfly host plants:

Butterfly Species Caterpillar Plants      
Trees and Shrubs
Tiger Swallowtail American hornbeam ash tulip tree wild cherry
Spicebush Swallowtail sassafras spicebush
Harvester woolly aphids on alder   
Coral Hairstreak black cherry choke cherry 
Acadian Hairstreak small willows
Banded Hairstreak oaks
Hickory Hairstreak hickory  
Striped Hairstreak American hornbeam black chokeberry hawthorn
Spring Azure flowering dogwood  maple-leaf viburnum  New Jersey tea shrubby dogwoods 
Question Mark elm (and herbaceous)
Eastern Comma elm (and herbaceous)
Compton Tortoiseshell birch
Mourning Cloak elm poplar willow
White Admiral American hornbeam black cherry cottonwood oak
Red-spotted Purple American hornbeam black cherry cottonwood oak
Viceroy small poplars small willows
Hackberry Emperor hackberry
Tawny Emperor hackberry
Silver-spotted Skipper black locust
Dreamy Duskywing birch poplar
Juvenal's Duskywing oaks
Butterfly Species Caterpillar Plants      
Herbaceous
Black Swallowtail dill fennel parsley Queen Anne's Lace
West Virginia White toothwort
Cabbage White cabbage family
Clouded Sulphur clovers
Orange Sulphur alfalfa
American Copper sheep sorrel
Bronze Copper swamp dock
Eastern-tailed Blue pea family
Great Spangled Fritillary violets
Aphrodite Fritillary violets
Atlantis Fritillary violets
Silver-bordered Fritillary violets
Meadow Fritillary violets
Butterfly Species Caterpillar Plants      
Herbaceous
Harris' Checkerspot flat topped aster
Pearl Crescent asters
Baltimore Checkerspot English plantain white turtlehead
Question Mark hops nettle species
Eastern Comma nettle species
Milbert's Tortoiseshell nettle species
American Lady pearly everlasting sweet everlasting 
Painted Lady bull thistle nodding thistle
Red Admiral nettle species
Monarch common milkweed swamp milkweed butterflyweed
Hoary-edge Skipper tick trefoils (Desmodium)
Southern Cloudywing tick trefoils (Desmodium)
Northern Cloudywing bush clovers (Lespedeza) tick trefoils (Desmodium)
Wild Indigo Duskywing wild indigo (Baptisia)
Common Checkered Skipper mallow family
Butterfly Species Caterpillar Plants      
Grasses and Sedges
Northern Pearly Eye grasses
Eyed Brown sedges (Carex)
Appalachian Brown sedges (Carex)
Little Wood Satyr grasses
Common Ringlet grasses
Common Wood Nymph grasses
Arctic Skipper grasses
Least Skipper grasses 
European Skipper Timothy grass
Leonard's Skipper grasses
Peck's Skipper grasses
Tawny-edged Skipper grasses
Crossline Skipper grasses
Long Dash grasses
Northern Broken Dash grasses
Little Glassywing grasses
Delaware Skipper grasses
Hobomok Skipper grasses
Dion Skipper sedges (Carex)
Broad-winged Skipper Phragmites
Dun Skipper sedges (Carex)

 

 

Bill's Blog can be found here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

Home of the Rochester Butterfly Club photo gallery. Members of the Rochester Butterfly Club can register and post their pictures of butterflies, and other related things, after their gallery is set up.

Right now I'm in the testing stage. If you're willing to help with the testing, just go the gallery and register. Then email the webmaster and let me know that you are willing to help with the test. I will then create your album and you can start uploading your photos (jpegs only).

Note: This photo gallery is for Rochester Butterfly Club members only.

There is no need to worry about the size of your image. It will downsized to around 100kB when you upload it.

 

Please note:

By clicking on the link below you are agreeing that you will not post any specific information about the location of any butterfly or moth. You are free to post the date, time and county, but nothing more specific.

The gallery can be found here.