Butterflies 2026

[riverwhy]

we had a thread on this last year and I really enjoyed hearing people’s observations. It seemed like my area Dauphin/Lancaster County had a better year than normal for the winged beauties.
So far this year I had one monarch float through around early April. I think my brother saw one in March. Starting a couple weeks ago I have been seeing both tiger swallowtails (yellow) and spicebush (black). Most of the swallowtails were crossing the roadways over the Furnace Hills. I saw the spicebush variety at my house in Hershey and at my mom’s house along Middle Creek at the bottom of the Furnace Hills. Apparently it is early but warm weather can get them moving. The Spicebush Swallowtails that have been out, wintered over in spicebush trees. Then I think there are two more waves of succeeding broods.
Has anyone else been seeing any?

 

[TroutHunter814]

I have only observed yellows here. Thsts it so far. Oh, and one small black one.

 

[pheasant tail 2]

Lots of Red-spotted Purples recently, a few weeks ago a fair number of Morning Cloaks. While fishing Laurel Hill a month ago or thereabouts I observed a large number of Tiger Swallowtails puddling along the bank.

 

[riverwhy]

I am not sure which species the dark ones I saw are. Very confusing. Even the Tigers can be dark! I need to do some reading.

 

[barrybarry]

My wife raises Butterflys. Black Swallowtails, I believe.
She plants Parsley and then harvests the very small caterpillars. She places them under netting and constantly replaces the eaten parsley plants. Then she places small sticks within the netting for the chrysalis.
The reason for the netting, and capturing the caterpillars when still very small, are parasitic wasps. We once had 5 wasps and two butterflys hatch from the same brood.
When winter rolls around, we place the netted container (with unhatched chrysalis) in our garage. This spring, we had 9 butterflies hatch from the ones in the garage.
Most of them hatch in the same summer they were laid.

 

[riverwhy]

After initially being pleased with the early numbers, I have seen very few. Maybe it take a while for the second wave? I have been prepping with some butterfly-friendly natives so I hope so.

 

[riverwhy]

I saw my first monarch since the one I saw very early in the season. It was flying around my coneflowers, black-eyed Susan’s, and Asters. They must like the smoke.
Hopefully there are more on the way. I have seen a few black and yellow swallowtails at my mom’s in Northern Lancaster County.

 

[TheDuke44]

I was late in getting my wildflowers planted this year but they're just about to bloom and it's brought in the number of butterflies I'm used to seeing.

It has been slow going this year but hopefully they'll start rolling through as the flowers chug along.

 

[lars]

i watched this one hatch last year.

 

[The Rodfather]

Ill get some photos this weekend to post. I reclaimed a 3yd×30yd stretch of land on my property that was a trash weed infested waste of space prior to us owning the land. I created a small pa-native pollinator sanctuary with the new area I had to play with.

 

[riverwhy]

Saw 2 maybe 3 monarchs today in Hershey. Saw 3
On Tuesday during my run through Milton Hershey lands. Also a
Couple yellow swallowtails which I almost never see in town. My butterfly weed is struggling and still small but I have a nice bunch of swamp milkweed, buzzing Bee Balm, Blue Lobelia, and sky high Iron Weed and Asters that still have a ways to before they bloom. Naturalized golden rod should attract some later
I’m the season. Black eyed Susan’s and Coneflowers are having there best year ever now that I have been spraying rabbit repellent. Come and get it fellas!

 

[CinnamonJoe]

This was last Sunday morning (19 July) on my acreage here in NE-central Iowa.

Joe

 

[CinnamonJoe]

Saw this little guy while going past on the tractor this afternoon (Sunday, 26 July) out here in Iowa (different milkweed patch from last week) Gross hot out here today: mid 90s, > 80 % relative humidity.

Joe

 

[barrybarry]

The downside of raising Butterflies. The amount of Parsley that we're able to save is minimal. I guess we'll be buying it at the store again this year.

 

[The Rodfather]

 

[riverwhy]

Saw a monarch and a yellow swallowtail fly through my yard this weekend. Saw 7 or 8 on a bike ride through Milton Hershey grounds, most on a large patch of zinnias they have planted. Didn’t see a single butterfly at the monarch Waystation. Hopefully it was just a bit too early in the morning.
Milton Hershey does some decent work with wildflower meadows but still way, way too much managed turf grass. I used to see more natural strips along the farm roads but now they seem to cut more frequently. They must have done it a day or two before my ride as there was cut grass lying along the road.

 

[tomgamber]

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Thats the one. Big yellow Stimmy worked.

 

[McSneek]

Butterfly weed. Lancaster, County.

 

[riverwhy]

Saw a 2 monarchs and numerous swallowtails on Willow Point trail at Middle Creek and at my mom’s house down the road. Yellows on Coneflowers and Blacks on bee balm. Joe Pye just starting to bloom which seems to be what the monarchs like.

 

[riverwhy]

Rode bike back in Milton Hershey today. 12 there but 10 were in there two fields of zinnias. I also saw 2 at my house. Numbers are increasing though I wish there were more. Only a few swallowtails over the last few weeks. They usually dominate the monarchs in numbers but not this year.
My Astors are just starting to open as is my ironweed. Butterfly weed has struggled. One flower finally opened. Blue lobelia and three zinnias are doing well. Coneflowers mixed but blackeyed Susan’s have been blooming since June.
Found this after I initially posted!