MBC Trip to Appleton Farms

I joined the Mass Butterfly Club trip to TTOR's Appleton Farms in Ipswich today.  The weather was less than optimal for butterfly viewing.  It was in the 30s this morning.  It was 59 degrees when I arrived at the farm at 10AM, and the sun was well hidden behind a lot of cloud cover.  Eventually, it warmed up a bit more, and the sun broke through the clouds on occasion, so we had some good luck with sightings.  It was not only about butterflies, though!

Bronze Copper

(the only one we saw all day)

 again

 Silver-Bordered Fritillary

 again 

 and again

Beautiful meadow!

 Moth - TBD

 Painted Lady

 Sweat Bee

American Copper

Clouded Sulphur

 Wooly Bear Caterpillar

 Bee Fly

Cabbage White

Monarch

(one quick view and then it flew away)

We took a lunch break and then walked at the Great Meadow.  

To get to the Great Meadow, we had to pass through a gate with a sign that said something like "Caution - Bull May Be in Meadow".  And then, over the next hill, this is what we saw giving us the evil eye.  Who knew if she'd call in the reinforcements?

We didn't see many butterflies in the Great Meadow, but we did see the following:

Garter Snake

 Praying Mantis

Eastern Bluebird

 Impulsive Apamea Moth (unconfirmed)

On the way home, I stopped at Bolton Flats but wasn't sure if it was hunting season or not.  There was a truck with hunting bumper stickers on it, which added to my concerns.  Then, as I boldly made my way in, a hunter in full camouflage with his gun came walking out with an inflatable boat on his back.  That was it.  I turned back shortly after him and headed for home.  I did stop to photograph a frog first!

 Pickerel Frog

I was taking the back way home through Southboro, and when I saw how dramatic the sky was, I had to stop and photograph the church.