Sep 22nd - Another Rare Butterfly for Rosetta!

Yesterday (Sep 21st) our friend Susan Brown showed me a few pictures on her camera of a butterfly she had photographed a little earlier in the day.  The butterfly (actually a skipper, which is somewhere between a true butterfly and a moth) was nectaring on Butterfly Bush (Buddleia) in the rose garden/butterfly garden in the north-east corner of the park.  Right when I looked at the first photo, although I have never seen one before, I said, "OMG, I think it's an Ocola Skipper."  It was eventually positively identified by expert Max Larrivée on the Ontario Butterflies Google forum.

Ocola Skippers are normally found in Central America and in the 'Gulf' states like Texas, Alabama, Florida, etc. but in the fall they for whatever reason migrate northward into states like Arkansas, DC, and West Virginia.  When winds are very favourable some will reach much further north, a few will even make it into Southern Ontario.  In 2012 one was found and photographed in High Park by Bob Yukich and another was photographed in Hamilton in 2015.  What a find, not at all the common visitor!

After seeing Susan's photos I went over to the bush that she had found it on and waited roughly an hour with no luck.  I am absolutely thrilled for Susan, she is having an amazing year of butterflying.  This is not her first 'rare for Ontario' butterfly this year.

This sighting represents our 41st butterfly species at Rosetta since Frank started taking notes back in 2002 RMG Butterfly List and it's our 28th species for our 2019 fall butterfly list.

Ocola Skipper - note the striped abdomen (Susan)

Ocola Skipper - note the long slender forewings (Susan)

Again, congratulations Susan!

Walter