[RachAnn in NW Okla]

I pulled up at school yesterday about 11am-ish....the tree I parked beside had a swarm of butterflies or moths fly away from it....I thought it was a fluke that so many were by the tree

Today when I again parked by this tree I realizes that the insects were actually "roosting" on the tree....after school I got to my car and there was an area on the tree about the size of a salad plate that looked like a clump of brown/gray leaves.....as I walked closeby, the 'leaves' all flew away....

they are about 2 inches across and orange on the tops of the wings and a grayish brown on the underside.....

I will get a picture tomorrow...any ideas???

Rachel

 

[buspete]

When we come across a bug we don't know, we always go and look for it at www.whatsthatbug.com

 

[jen74145]

Painted ladies are what swarms on my peach trees, and sounds like your description. I usually notice a few Red Admirals sprinkled in, too. Any of these what you saw?

http://piccies.flybywire.org.uk/ButterfliesMoths/index2003.html

 

[Danaus29]

One of these maybe:
http://www.public.iastate.edu/~mariposa/homepage.html

 

[Bfly Farmer]

Could it be a comma? In OK there are two types: eastern and gray.

 

[tinknal]

For future reference, butterfly antenna look like an upside down explanation point. Moth antenna look like a feather.

 

[Shinsan]

Also, when butterflies alight they fold their wings up vertically, whereas moths rest with their wings spread out horizontaly.

 

[RachAnn in NW Okla]

I really thought it was a butterfly....

sorry I havent checked back in....this first week of school has me feeling like I have been hit with a mack truck

the butterflies have antenna that have a 'bulb' on the end....they rest with their wings folded together....

I DID get pictures mostly with the wings folded but as I snapped one of the resting ones, it opened its wings and I got a full picture of the open wings....

I will try to post the pictures after school today!

after looking at the link given by JEN74145...I think they are painted lady butterflies

every day I am amazed by them!

Rachel