Mike Powell

There were few insects flying last Thursday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, so I was a bit surprised to encounter several Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia) butterflies. The body color of this butterfly is pretty drab, but its markings are stunning in their beauty—I especially love its multi-colored eyespots. Wow!

I do not think that Common Buckeye butterflies overwinter in my area as adults, so I wonder if the butterflies that I observed are in the process of migrating southward. If not, then they are appearing on the scene quite late in the season, when we have already had several frosty nights. Perhaps they will hang around for a little while longer—I will keep an eye out for them on my next trips to my favorite local wildlife refuge.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Many of the insects and plants that I now see show signs of the ravages of summer, like this damaged Common Buckeye butterfly (Junonia coenia) that I spotted atop an equally damaged plant during a recent visit to Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Nonetheless the beauty of the butterfly shines through and it appears to be fully functional.

Autumn is a time for harvest celebrations as we rejoice in the bounty of the growth that has taken place, but there is also a tinge of melancholy as we experience a sense of loss and the feeling that our lives our changing. Change, of course, is a constant in our lives, but most of us—and I definitely fit into this group—become creatures of habit and have trouble dealing with changes at times. Yet we eventually adapt and may even learn to appreciate the results of the change, even if the process of change is a bit uncomfortable.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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As I was wandering about Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge earlier this week, I was struck by the large number of Common Buckeye butterflies (Junonia coenia) that I observed. Not only were there a lot of them, many of them appeared to be in almost pristine condition, unlike the tattered survivors of other butterfly species that are hanging on this late in the season.

I decided to do a little research and learned from bugguide.net that Common Buckeyes have two to three broods throughout the year from May to October. I had suspected that was the case and that helps to explain the “fresh” condition of the butterflies that I observed. What was a little more surprising to learn was that, “Adults from the south’s first brood migrate north in late spring and summer to temporarily colonize most of the United States and parts of southern Canada.”

I don’t know if the Common Buckeye butterflies in my area will migrate south to avoid the freezing temperatures that will soon be upon us or if they will remain with us. In either case, I love to see these little butterflies and marvel at the way that their colors fit in with nature’s autumn color palette.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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The brightly colored summer butterflies have mostly disappeared, but Common Buckeye butterflies (Junonia coenia) still accompany me in great numbers as I walk the trails of Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The subdued, earthy shades of this beautiful butterfly seem a perfect match for the autumn season.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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