County record butterflies!

Late last week I received 2 emails from local butterfly enthusiasts who had seen the butterfly gallery on my website. They mentioned that I had a couple of butterflies that had not been documented from my county (Anderson) and that I should contact the Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA) coordinator for Tennessee. I sent the photos for verification along with the link to my Butterfly gallery. I was thrilled when Steve Stedman wrote back and said he had found 7 county record butterflies on my gallery! It is good that I had documented the date and location of where I saw each of the butterflies!




Anderson Co. - Baltimore Checkerspot (left) , American Snout Butterfly, Tawny Emperor, Common Wood-Nymph and the Viceroy (right)



Cocke Co. -Mourning Cloak (left)

Sevier Co. - Wild Indigo Dusky Wing (right)

To see a list of the butterflies in Tennessee,
Link to BAMONA website (click on Map Search; then click inside outline of TN; then click inside outline of any county):
http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/
It is exciting to think my hobby of photographing butterflies could help advance the knowledge of the range of these beautiful insects! :)

On the subject of flowers --- despite the bitter cold and torrential rains we have been experiencing, I found my first Snow Crocus blooming in my yard on Jan. 18!