East Lake, NC ~ Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge

Orange Sulphur Butterfly

This afternoon we drove over to Roanoke Island to the Alligator River Wildlife Refuge. There is a population of Black Bears and Red Fox we hoped to see from the car.  At the first stop by Creef Cut Trail we drove into the refuge and found several species of butterflies on the roadway including Orange Sulphur and Viceroy. After lunch we continued driving along the roadways where there were Common Buckeyes, Pearl Crescents, more Orange Sulphurs, several species of Swallowtails including Palamedes.  We probably saw several hundred butterflies in this WMA.  After driving the roads we decided to walk a trails which didn't have many birds but the butterflies especially the Palamedes Swallowtails, were all around.  A sudden rain shower put a quick stop to our hiking and a fast return to the car.  A lesson learned was to never hike without a dry bag for my camera!

Palamedes Swallowtail Butterfly

Palamedes Swallowtail Butterfly

Pearl Crescent Butterflies