Ouch, every summer, just when you think you have learned (or re-learned) the local flyers’ field marks, they show up ratty and chipped.
Here are four for your viewing (dis)pleasure so worse for wear that they seem good puzzles.
If you can ID any, please “Leave A Reply” below to let us know what you think and why. Others of us will learn from your analysis.
Photo by Jesse Amesbury in Cape May Courthouse 6/26/15.
Photo’d by Jack Miller on a powerline in Cumberland County on 7-7-15.
Also by Jack Miller, same date/same powerline as above, but a different individual.
Yikes, not only is this one worn but the photo is out of focus! The photographer hopes to remain anonymous although he confesses he took this photo in a Port Republic garden, 7/5/15.
1. Northern cloudywing
2 & 3 look like banded hairstreaks
2 as it doesn’t look like the blue extends in far enough, although the HW cell end bars do align and this is typical of Hickory…but I think you need the blue to extend inward more.
3 doesn’t show the blue but there is no alignment of HW cell end bars.
4. is tough as it is so worn and need some description of size. Was it small like a swarthy? then could be swarthy. If larger could be several others, such as tawny, sachem,
I agree with Chris!
Identifying Cloudywings by their dorsal FW dots is not conclusive. For a positive I.D. the face and palps should be seen. Also while this image does not show the antenna club bend flash, it may be lost in the digital image. Fill flash can also add this bend flash where it does not exist. A quick guess with this look in the field would suggest Northern, but I would record it as Cloudywing sp. The Hairstreaks are Banded. The skipper I.D. is purely a guess.
I agree with Chris that number 1 is N. cloudywing. It is interesting how often there are regional differences even when those regions are not far apart. The dorsal FW spots look like the ones on the N. cloudywings around here where we have an abundance of both S. and N. cloudywings. I appreciate Dave’s comment about fill flash; this photo looks as there was a flash used. I believe both of the hairstreaks are banded. I love the photo of the skipper! I think one would have to ask the skipper.