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.

Your help is needed to preserve the Auburn Trail. Information on what you can do 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
2009 FIELD TRIPS and ACTIVITIES

Our field trips 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 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.  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.

Non-members are welcome to join our activities.  All field trips by Rochester Butterfly Club except as noted.

APRIL 27	INDOOR TALK    “BUTTERFLIES OF THE WILD WEST”    *** NEW *** By Steven Daniel
Mon 7:30 pm	In the main Auditorium at Brighton Town Hall, 2300 Elmwood Avenue, west of Twelve Corners. The Auditorium is at the upper level at the front of the building, near the main entrance on Elmwood Ave.  Steven Daniel, local naturalist, will highlight the extraordinary, diverse butterflies that are found across the spectacular landscapes of western North America. The meeting is free and open to the public.
MAY - SEPT	VOLUNTEER WORK PARTIES AT MENDON PONDS PARK
	To volunteer for one or more of these, please contact us for details.
MAY 3	ROME SAND PLAINS
Sunday	This trip will take place in fair weather only Full day trip, about 2+ hours drive from Rochester. Meeting time, place, car pool and other details will be given on registration. Space is limited; priority will be given to members and their guests.   Leaders, Carol and David. For more information and to register, please contact us for details by Thursday April 30.
MAY 16	CHAUMONT BARRENS near Watertown
Saturday	This trip will take place in fair weather only. Rain dates May 17, 18 Full day trip, about 3 hours drive from Rochester. Meeting time, place, car pool and other details will be given on registration. Space is limited; priority will be given to members and their guests.  Leaders, Carol and David Southby. For more information and to register, please contact us for details by Wednesday May 13.
MAY 16	GENESEE LAND TRUST                  NATIVE PLANT SALE
Saturday 8:30 am to 2:00 pm	At the Brighton Town Hall located at 2300 Elmwood Ave., Rochester 14618 Arrive early for best selection.  For more information, email Margaret Potter at info@geneseelandtrust.org or call (585) 256-2130.
MAY 30	BURROUGHS AUDUBON NATURE CLUB                  NATIONS ROAD
Saturday 8:30 am	We are invited to join this outing to look for birds, butterflies and blossoms Then we will tour the lovely garden at Palmiter's Garden Nursery in Avon and have time to make purchases for our home gardens. Nations Road is about 45 minutes from Rochester. Meet in the NE corner of the parking lot of the Double Tree Hotel, 111 Jefferson Rd. Bring lunch.
JUNE 6	POWDER MILLS PARK and AUBURN TRAIL
Saturday 10:00 am	Meet at the Fish Hatchery parking lot on Park Road, which is off Route 96, just south of Bushnell’s Basin.  We will drive from here to explore Powder Mills Park, then continue on to the nearby Auburn Trail. Bring lunch or a snack.
JUNE 9	WESLEY HILL PRESERVE, Anna Brown Tract
Tuesday 9:00 am	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, the parking lot is on the left.  We will car pool from there, about one hour drive to Wesley Hill near Naples NY.  Afterwards we may explore other areas nearby.  Bring lunch.
JUNE 13	ADIRONDACK MOUNTAIN CLUB     OUTDOOR EXPO             MENDON PONDS PARK
Saturday 9:00 am	At the Beach Area at Hundred Acre Pond. Activities promoting many different types of outdoor related topics will take place throughout the day. Web site for more info: http://www.adk-gvc.org/expo
JUNE 20	BURROUGHS AUDUBON NATURE CLUB:     IROQUOIS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
Saturday 8:00 am	We are invited to join this outing to look for birds and butterflies. Meet at 8:00 AM near the entrance of the parking lot of Home Depot, 2361 Buffalo Road just east of I-490, exit 7A, to carpool, or meet the group at the refuge headquarters at 1101 Casey Road in Alabama, NY at 9:00 AM. Iroquois NWR is about 1 ½ hours from Rochester. Bring insect repellent and lunch.
JUNE 20	Back Yard Habitat Tour, sponsored by Genesee Land Trust (GLT)
Saturday 9:00 am to 4:00 pm	Visit gardens planted to attract butterflies and wildlife in Fairport, Pittsford, Henrietta and Brighton. Tickets go on sale in May with member discounts sold at the Land Trust office. Tickets also available at all Wegmans That’s The Ticket locations. For more information call Margaret Potter at GLT, 256-2130 or http://www.geneseelandtrust.org.
JUNE 23	WEBSTER WELL FIELD                    *** NEW ***
Tuesday 10:00 am	Meet in parking lot at St. Martin Lutheran Church, 813 Bay Road, Webster. Directions: From 104, exit at Bay Road (the first exit east of the Bay Bridge). Turn right / north on Bay Road and go a short distance past Volk Road (there is a little grocery on the corner). The next intersection is Park, where the church is on the left.  Turn left on Park to get to the entrance of the parking lot, meet near entrance.
JUNE 27	ROCHESTER AREA “4th OF JULY” COUNT (Rain Date, Sunday June 28)
Saturday 10:00 am	Several different locations, including Mendon Ponds Park, Powder Mills Park, High Acres and Thousand Acre Swamp.  We team new butterfliers with more experienced leaders.  Lots of fun and a great way to learn about butterflies. If you would like to participate, contact us for details.
JUNE 30	HI TOR AREA, near Naples
Tuesday 9:00 am	Meet at the Park and Ride parking lot by the Bushnell’s Basin Exit of Route I-490. Directions, Take 490 East to Bushnell’s Basin / route 96 exit. At light, turn left, the parking lot is on the left. We will car pool from there, about one hour drive to Hi Tor. Bring lunch.
JULY 4	LETCHWORTH STATE PARK 4th OF JULY COUNT (Rain Date, Sunday July 5)
Saturday 10:00 am	Several different locations.  We can team new butterfliers with more experienced leaders, and car pool from Rochester.  If you would like to participate, contact Douglas Bassett, Park Naturalist at 493-3625.
JULY 4	LETCHWORTH STATE PARK
Saturday 10:00 am	One of the Letchworth State Park programs.  Butterfly walk, meet at Lower Falls restaurant near south end of park.  About 1 ½ hours drive from Rochester. Contact Douglas Bassett, Park Naturalist at 493-3625.
JULY 7	BLACK CREEK PARK
Tuesday 10:00 am	Directions: Take Route 490 west to exit #4 Go south on Union Street about ½ a mile. Entrance to the park is on your right. At the T-junction, turn right and continue to parking lot. Meet near the rest rooms. About a half hour drive from Rochester. Bring lunch.
JULY 11	GANARGUA CREEK MEADOW PRESERVE
Saturday 10:00 am	Joint trip with Genesee Land Trust.  Meet at the end of Bunker Hill Drive in Macedon, about 40 minutes from Rochester.  Directions: From Route 31 in Macedon, turn south onto Route 306 (Wayneport Road). Turn east onto Wilkinson Road. At crest of hill, turn south onto Bunker Hill Drive and park at the end of Bunker Hill.  The preserve trail begins near the water tower. Wear long pants and appropriate footgear, as there is poison ivy. Bring lunch.
JULY 16	PRIVATE PROPERTY near RUSH OAK OPENINGS
Thursday 10:00 am	Meet at #677 Five Points Road. Directions: Take I-390 south to Rush exit 11, left at exit, go south on Rt. 15 about 3 miles. Turn left onto Honeoye Falls-Five Points Road.  Turn right onto Five Points Road.  Meet at # 677. About 30 minutes drive from Rochester. We will car pool from here and explore several different areas nearby.  Bring lunch.
JULY 19	RATTLESNAKE HILL WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA
Sunday 9:00 am	Meet at the Park and Ride lot at Rt. 15 and Rt. 251 off I-390, exit 11 for Rush. The area is about a one hour drive from Rush. Bring Lunch.
JULY 22	GANONDAGAN STATE HISTORIC SITE
Wednesday 10:00 am	Meet in parking lot at corner of Rte 444 and Boughton Hill Rd. Directions: Take Rt 490 East to Victor exit (last exit before Thruway). Continue east / south on Rt 96 to the light in the middle of Victor, then right on Rt 444 (East St.) up the hill to light at intersection, then right onto Boughton Hill Rd. Parking lot is on the right.  Lunch optional.
AUG 5	MENDON PONDS PARK
Wednesday 10:00 am	Meet in the Visitors Center parking lot on Pond Road just off Clover St. (Rt. 65). We will explore the butterfly garden and then car pool to explore other areas.
AUG 18	BURGER PARK
Tuesday 10:00 am	Meet in the parking lot at Braddock Bay Park, near the lodge.  Directions: Take Lake Ontario Parkway west and exit at East Manitou Road. Go north to the park entrance, then follow park road to the north.  About 30 minutes drive from Rochester.  We will car pool from here. Lunch optional.
AUG 1 thru OCT 15	MONARCH COUNT
	Keep a count list and send it to us.

**** Please remember to send all your butterfly sightings ****

Whenever you go out butterflying or are just sitting on your back porch, keep a list of the butterflies you see and how many of each. Be sure to record the location and date of each sighting and the observers. If the town and county of the sightings are not well known, record those also. Finally, if you see any other interesting things such as caterpillars (if you can identify them) or a female butterfly laying eggs, see if you can also identify the plant and send this information along as well.
You can send your records to Bill either as you make them or at the end of the season. Send them on our standard checklist record sheets or in any other form that you prefer. You can send your records to us by contacting us via this web site.

 

Application Form

Daily Checklist

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

eNature

BugGuide.Net

Binoculars.com

Eagle Optics

Monarch Butterfly Site

Lots of information about the Monarch Butterfly

North American Butterfly Association

Greg Lasley Nature Photography

North American Insects and Spiders

Robert Michael Pyle's account of his butterfly big year in Orion Magazine.

Help preserve the Auburn Trail. Information can be found here.

 

 

Butterfly and Dragonfly Books, 2004
With notes by Norma Platt and Carol Southby

 

GIFT BOOKS AND GENERAL INTEREST

Eisner, Thomas, 2003. For Love of Insects, Belknap Publishing of Harvard University Press.
(from the coverleaf) ‘Eisner’s book makes readers participants in the grand adventure of discovery on a scale infinitesimally small and infinitely surprising.’

Halpern, Sue, 2002. Four Wings and a Prayer: Caught in the Mystery of the Monarch Butterfly, Vintage (paperback). An exploration into the life and migration of the monarch butterfly.

Pyle, Robert Michael, 1992. Handbook for Butterfly Watchers, Houghton Mifflin.
A very readable introduction to many aspects of butterfly watching and the lives of butterflies.

Pyle, Robert Michael, 1999. Chasing Monarchs: Migrating with the Butterflies of Passage, Houghton Mifflin.
A butterfly expert follows monarchs in the west as they migrate and makes some new discoveries.

Russell, Sharman Apt, 2003. An Obsession with Butterflies: Our Long Love Affair with a Singular Insect, Perseus Publishing. Interesting presentation of human and butterfly behavior and natural history.

Schappert, Phil, 2002. A World for Butterflies: their lives, behavior and future, Firefly Books.
A large format book with lots of glossy photos and fascinating information.

Stokes, Lillian and Donald, Ernest Williams, 1991. The Butterfly Book: An easy Guide to Butterfly Gardening
Identification and Behavior, Little Brown.
An inexpensive large format book with lots of color pictures. A good general introduction to butterflies.

CHILDRENS BOOKS - for children of all ages !!!

Kellerman, Holly, 2002. Farfellina and Marcel, Harper Collins. Charming story of friendship and transformation.

Sabuda, Robert, and Matthew Reinhart, 2001. Young Naturalist’s Pop-Up Handbook of Butterflies, Hyperion Books for Children. Pop-up’s and text discuss butterfly behaviors.

Sandved, Kjell. 1996. The Butterfly Alphabet, Scholastic, Inc.
Closeup photographs of Lepidoptera wings show the alphabet.

FIELD GUIDES, Butterflies

Brock, Jim P. and Kenn Kaufman, 2003. Butterflies of North America, Kaufman Focus Guides; Houghton Mifflin. If you only want to take one field guide when traveling, this would be a good choice. It includes virtually all species from North America, including many tropical strays seen near the Mexican border, in a book that is smaller than most of the Glassberg series.

Glassberg, Jeffrey, 1993. Butterflies through Binoculars: a field guide to butterflies in the Boston, New York, Washington region, Oxford University Press. For our area, this is still the easiest one to use in the field. It includes nearly all the species in western New York without too many extra ones to deal with. Not usually in stores, so needs to be special-ordered.
If you are traveling further afield, the following three books also by Jeffrey Glassberg are very useful.
Glassberg, Jeffrey (all through Oxford University Press)
1999. Butterflies through Binoculars: the East.
2001. Butterflies through Binoculars: the West : a field guide to the butterflies of western North America.
With Marc C. Minno and John V. Calhoun, 2000. Butterflies through Binoculars: Florida.

Holland W.J. 2003. The Field Guide to Butterflies, Main Street.
An updated version of a classic. Includes most of the common species from our area. The photographs in the book were taken by Rochester Butterfly Club members Steven Daniel and Carol and David Southby.

BUTTERFLY GARDENING

Tekulsky, Mathew, 1985. The Butterfly Garden: Turning your garden, window box or backyard into a beautiful home for butterflies, Harvard Common Press.
An excellent introduction to the subject of butterfly gardening and about butterflies too.

Xerces Society/Smithsonian Institution, 1990. Butterfly Gardening: Creating summer magic in your garden, Sierra Club Books. Each chapter is written by a different butterfly specialist. This book will entertain, with information about lives of butterflies and moths as well as helpful information on butterfly gardening.

CATERPILLARS

Allen, Thomas J., James P. Brock and Jeffrey Glassberg, due out in 2005. A Field Guide to Caterpillars (Butterflies Through Binoculars Series), Oxford University Press.

Wagner, David L., Valerie Giles, Richard C. Reardon and Michael L. McManus, 1997. Caterpillars of Eastern Forests, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service, Publication # FHTET-96-34.
Over 130 species of the eastern region's most frequently encountered species in color.
Single copies can be obtained free of charge from the following phone number, (970) 295-5839
Or order online; http://www.fs.fed.us/foresthealth/technology/order.shtml. And specify order no. FHTET-96-34

Wright, Amy Bartlett, 1992. Caterpillars: Peterson First Guides, Houghton Mifflin.
A small but useful book with illustrations of caterpillar, adult, and some eggs and pupae of common butterflies and moths of North America.

 

DRAGONFLIES, Field Guides

Dunkle, Sidney W., 2000. Dragonflies through Binoculars, A Field Guide to Dragonflies of North America, Oxford University Press. Includes photographs, range maps and descriptions of dragonflies (no damselflies) from all of North America. The large number of species and rather small photos can make identification difficult.

Legler, Karl and Dorothy, and Dave Westover, revised 2003. Common Dragonflies of Wisconsin, Published by the author. An easy to use guide that includes many species from our area. Lots of photos and good text.
To obtain this book, contact Karl Legler, 429 Franklin St., Sauk City WI 53583 Phone (608) 643-4926. website (with order form) http://userpages.chorus.net/karlndot/

Nikula, Blair, Jackie Sones, and Donald and Lillian Stokes, 2002. Beginner’s Guide to Dragonflies, Little, Brown and Company.
This also covers damselflies. A handy guide to many of the common dragonflies and damselflies in our area.

DRAGONFLIES, Gift books

Brooks, Steve, 2003. Dragonflies, Smithsonian Books.
Lots of glossy photos of dragonflies and damselflies. A good introduction to the lives of these creatures.

Silsby, Jill, 2001. Dragonflies of the World, Smithsonian Institution Press.
A large format book with lots of glossy photos and fascinating information. Covers families of damselflies and dragonflies and detailed information about their lives and behavior.

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 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 Southern Cloudywing 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)

 

 

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: Rochester Butterfly Club members only.

Please limit your photos to around 100kb or less as we have very limited space on the server.

The best way to upload and resize your photos is to use the "Upload Applet". Make sure that the "Resize pictures before upload" is checked. When you start the upload for the first time you will get a popup warning about Imagemagic not being found. Check the "Don't display this warning again" and click "OK". You will then get another popup warning. Check "Don't display this warning again" and click "Resize in GR". This will automatically resize the photos for you. As long as you checked "Don't display this warning again", you sould not get the popups again.

 

 

To get to the gallery, click here.