Butterflies of Poricy Park, Monmouth County, New Jersey

DIRECTIONS: Poricy Park is located on Oak Hill Road, Middletown, NJ, just west of Route 35. There are directional signs posted on Route 35 and at the Garden State Parkway exits. From the north, take the Garden State Parkway to Exit 114 (Holmdel-Middleton). At the light at the end of the ramp, make a left onto Red Hill Road. Make right at the second light onto Dwight Road and stay on this road for 1.5 miles to the first light. At the light, turn left onto Middletown-Lincroft Road. Continue for 1/4 mile, past the Poricy Park Fossil Bed area, and turn right at the first light onto Oak Hill Road. The Nature Center is on the right immediately before the second set of railroad tracks. From the south get off at the Garden State Parkway Exit 114, make a right at the light at the end of the ramp. At the next light turn right onto Dwight Road. Then follow the rest of the directions listed above.

HABITAT: 250-acre wildlife preserve consisting of early successional fields that are manged to control invasive shrubs, mature and second-growth uplands, upland thickets, and wetland woods, meadows, and open water habitats associated with Poricy Brook and Pond.

BUTTERFLY LIST:

Abbreviations are:
A, abundant, likely to see more than 20 individuals per visit to the right spot at the right time
C, common, likely to see 4-20 individuals per visit to the right spot at the right time
U, uncommon, likely to see 0-3 individuals per visit to the right spot at the right time
R, rare, unlikely to see any individuals even at the right spots at the right time
S, stray, vagrant, normally rare but can been common some years

E, early in month
M, middle of month
L, late in month

Numbers refer to months. For example, the first species, Black Swallowtail, is uncommon from May through September.

BEST TIME AND SPOTS TO VISIT: From May to September

SPECIALTIES: Common Sootywing, Broad-winged Skipper

NOTES: