You're so organized, Sandy! Maybe today when I get time, I'll count the number of different species of butterflies that have been here - I don't think it'll be 63, I just get a lot of those species I get.
I think it's wonderful that you're entertaining the gardeners - hopefully, you'll gain some converts! :)
Sherry

I thought I'd sit down and type up the different types of butterflies I've seen on my property -

1. Papilio glaucus*
2. Eurytides marcellus
3. Battus philenor*
4. Papilio troilus*
5. Papilio polyxenes*
6. Papilio palamedes*
7. Papilio cresphontes*
8. Pieris rapae
9. Eurema nicippe*
10. Eurema lisa*
11. Phoebis sennae*
12. Strymon melinus
13. Calycopis cecrops
14. Atlides halesus
15. Celastrina ladon
16. Celastrina ladon neglecta
17. Zebra heliconian (Yes, once!)
18. Agraulis vanillae*
19. Euptoieta claudia*
20. Phyciodes tharos
21. Polygonia interrogationis*
22. Nymphalis antiopa (once)
23. Vanessa atalanta*
24. Vanessa virginiensis*
25. Vanessa cardui
26. Junonia coenia*
27. Limentis arthemis*
28. Limentis archippus*
29. Anaea andria*
30. Danaus plexippus*
31. Hermeuptychia sosybius
32. Epargyreus clarus
33. Achalarus lyciades
34. Urbanus proteus*
35. Erynnis juvenalis and/or e. horatius and/or e. zarucco
36. Pyrgus communis
37. Hylephila phyleus and/or Polites vibex

That's only 37 different types at a minimum. I've probably seen several of those skippers and duskywings that would increase it to about 40, still far fewer than you've had in your yard, Sandy.
I starred each type that I've raised myself, and the total comes to 20.
Sherry

Sandy -

Great idea and start. I could probably bury you in possible columes for it, but as it is your data base it should only contain the data that is important to you and your studies. Trust me though, you will refer to it as it grows, so it is a very good idea. Will be a whole bunch easier for you than weeding through my journals and SC is for me. I do weed through both fairly often since joining this forum, and it would be a PITA if it didn't bring back so many fine memories.

Sure wish home computers were around when I started, but I was already something like 23 years into leps and Bill Gates was still in knee lengths then. So I started and stayed with buying blank cloth bound journals for all my field notes and rearing studies. Did get a false start in the 80's when I started transposing my journals over to publication software on my first floppy to floppy home computer and later into my super powerful AT upgraded to 2 Meg of RAM with a 20 Meg HD and first color monitor (LOL), including scans of all my drawings and maps in the journals. The plan was to eventually have it printed and bound into a series of 10 year journals. But about a decade and a half into the journals (and untold numbers of disk's) the project just fell by the wayside. Still have those floppy disk's somewhere in storage, but haven't had a computer with a 5 1/4 floppy for 15+ years. At this late date it would be a massive undertaking for me to setup a speadsheet, so the hand written journals will have to do.

Sherry -

Impressive list and I especially like your use of taxonomy for it. Thumbs up girl - you are a Lepidopterist.

Larry

Here's my list, Sherry. You have some I haven't had in my yard. We've raised some of the same ones and some different ones. You have definitely "out raised" me when it comes to Moths! I've raised a maximum of 10 different moths.

1. Battus philenor*
2. Papilio polyxenes*
3. Papilio troilus *
4. Papilio cresphontes*
5. Papilio glaucus*
6. Pontia protodice (saw my first one today for this yr.)
7. Pieris rapae
8. Colias philodice
9. Colias eurythemje

10. Colias cesonia
11. Phoebis sennae*
12. Eurema lisa
13. Eurema nicippe
14. Dainty Sulfur
15. Atlides halesus
16. Strymon melinus
17. Calycopis cecrops
18. Hemiargus isola
19. Everes comyntas
20. Celastrina neglecta (Photographed 1st in BY yesterday!)
21. Libytheana carinenta
22. Agraulis vanillae*
23. Euptoieta claudia*
24. Speyeria cybele
25. Chlosyne lacinia
26. Chlosyne gorgone*
27. Chlosyne nycteis*
28. Phyciodes texana
29. Phyciodes phaon
30. Phyciodes tharos*
31. Polygonia interrogationis*
32. Nymphalis antiopa
33. Vanessa virginiensis*
34. Vamessa cardui*
35. Vanessa atalanta* (found a cat this week)
36. Junonia coenia*
37. Limenitis arthemis astyanax
38. Limenitis archippus
39. Anaea andria
40. Asterocampa celtis* (found a cat this week)
41. Hermeuptychia sosybius
42. Cercyonis pegala
43. Danaus plexippus*
44. Damais gilippus*
45. Epargyreus clarus
46. Achalarus lyciades
47. Thorybes bathyllus
48. Erynnis horatius
49. Erynnis funeralis
50. Pyrgus communis
51. Pholisora catullus
52. Lerema accius
53. Hylephila phyleus
54. Polites themistocles
55. Atalopedes campestris
56. Atrytone arogos
57. Anatrytone logan
58. Poanes zabulon
59. Euphyes vestris
60. Amblyscirtes nysa
61. Amblyscirtes belli
62. Lerodea eufala
63. Problema byssus
64. *Erynnis juvenalis - I have 3 larvae that match the picture in David Wagner's book. I am raising them on Oak leaves. I won't know for sure until next spring as to whether this is the correct ID. Could be E horatius. Color matches the E juvenalis, though.

Sandy

I am veryyyyy impressed. I do not even know what most of them are!

I'm impressed with both of you, too! I need to start a DB for my butterflies, too, but I have to get my computer geek friend to load Excel for me.

I think if I start typing up the latin names, I'll do better at remembering them. I one of those who has to "write everything down" to remember. I'm much better with plants for some odd reason.

Hope you're feeling good, Larry! We must be about the same age. I remember the early computers (we called ours "big blue") where everything had to be "coded" in. Of course, I grew up using manual typewriters, then IBM selectrics with the ball and the ability to back space and correct errors. We thought that was a PREMIER invention then.

Susan

Hehehe! I know what you mean, Susan! When they came out with a typewriter that had the "Correct" feature, I thought typing couldn't get any better than that!
Sherry

tdr4,

That's why I usually refer to the common names! We lay people are pretty handicapped when it comes to the scientific terms. But, since our friend Larry has stressed the importance of these names, I'm beginning to use them and remember some of them. Just think of it as speaking "Butterflyese!" LOL (Sorry, Larry) If my GS can speak Lao, I can learn BSese, I meant BFese!

MissSherry, can you make a list of the moths you've raised? I'm very interested in seeing that. My list consists mostly of caterpillars that students brought to me. We would raise them to see what they turned into. I have raised very few moths deliberately. But, now that I get out into the field, I will raise a cat to see what it becomes or for documentation.

I find it truly amazing that those who raise moths on here put so much effort into it. BFs take a lot of time, but IMHO, moths take more. Their appetites are major. The gorgeous silk moths are so incredible and I enjoy reading about them and viewing the photos.

Sandy

Okay, Sandy, I'll list the moths I've raised, although the list really isn't that long. You're right, moths do take longer, especially the biggest silk moths like cecropias and regals - they take forever!
l. Manduca sexta/Carolina sphinx
2. Darapsa choerilus/azalea sphinx
3. Xylophanes tersa/tersa sphinx
4. Automeris io/io silk moth
5. Callosamia promethea/promethea silk moth
6. Hyalophora cecropia/cecropia moth
7. Citherona regalis/regal moth
8. Actias luna/luna moth
9. Estigmene acrea/saltmarsh moth

10. Acronicta longa/long-winged dagger moth (Lucy and Ricky)
    I've received a polyphemus cocoon in the mail, and a friend found an imperial moth cat wandering around looking to make its pupa, called me, I came and got it and released it as well as the polyphemus the next season, but I haven't raised any of those cats myself.
    I've been seeing a hairstreak on my property from time to time that is definitely not a red-banded or gray hairstreak, but it won't stay still long enough for me to take its picture so I can study the markings to positively ID it. I think it's a banded hairstreak, but it might be a king's - maybe one day I can add one of these to my list of butterflies.
    Sherry

I forgot to mention Tersas on another thread I posted my moths on! Whoops!

Sherry, you've raised a lot of silks and I have raised none. Mine are limited to what I actually find in the garden. But, I'd like to order some silks next year from Bill.

I have brought in other moths (inchworms, etc.) and watched them hatch. I just don't know what their latin name is. I found some small green cocoons one year, and they were some kind of geometrid - but very pretty in their own right.

I've only raised 8 different kinds of sphinx I've found in the yard. I keep hoping I'll get the pink-spotted hawkmoth, but so far, no good. Also, the white-lined sphinx.

Sherry, maybe you're seeing a Coral Hairstreak? They are similar to the Red-Banded.

Susan

You've really raised a lot of sphinx moths, Susan! There are quite a few of them that I see as adults, but I never find the cats, like walnut sphinxes, hummingbird clearwings, hog sphinxes, rustic sphinxes, etc.
Coral hairstreaks don't occur here ('wish they did), and they don't look like one anyway. They're bigger than the red-bandeds, more the size of the grays, but they're not marked the same.
Sherry

I just noticed that you said the unidentified hairstreak may possibly be a "banded" HS. Sorry bout that. We supposedly have a few Corals in Oklahoma, but not near the population of the Red-Bandeds and Grey. Never have seen a "white M" either.

Post a pic when (and if) you get one. Those HS's move VERY quickly and are hard to "sneak up on". LOL!

Susan