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One of the most memorable experiences I have had in the field. To enjoy the breathtaking mountain views and rolling forest-blanketed valleys from atop the roof of Connecticut alongside this docile, deadly black beast was about as good as it gets.

3-4 individuals at this particular location; two dark morphs seen well and either one or two yellow morphs, much more secretive. All images are digibins. Seen and heard rattling, also observed tongue flicking, crawling, etc. One of the most exciting field experiences of my young life.

At least 13-15 individuals. Habitat was a sizable cranberry bog in New London County approximately 3.5 acres in size, protected by a band of very dense mountain laurel swamp (not fun to bushwhack through) within wider classic eastern Connecticut deciduous forest with very thick understory. This may represent a new site for Bog Copper in CT. The substrate was uniformly cranberry-sphagnum moss; white-and-pink cranberry flowers and young green berries were everywhere. Above the bog floor grew copious rushes; patches of a Rhododendron sp. (no pics, sorry, the butterflies were a little consuming) were interspersed. Other plants associated with this acid bog habitat such as sundews, pitcher plants, or rose pogonias were conspicuously absent.

The coppers were concentrated in a relatively small area within and identical to the wider bog. We observed both males and females (contrary to what is displayed in photos, there were more males; our photographic bias was to the lovely golden females.) There was little interaction between individuals. We were overjoyed to see so many (13-15), both to see this threatened species thriving at this isolated site and because the conditions (75 degrees, extremely humid, wet post-drizzle, overcast) weren’t classic for butterflies.

This sighting represents the first record of Bog Copper for Connecticut on iNaturalist. If you would like to contact me about these threatened butterflies, please email me at willschenck22@gmail.com.

First iNat suggestion. In a very large, healthy, mangrove forest in the lower Florida Keys. I’m not versed in Panoquina id so criticism and discussion very welcome! There were many of these skippers around. I didn’t count but probably saw 8-10 on my long walk down the dirt road into the mangrove forest.