December Leps

[Steve Walter]

Butterflies today around the Jamaica Bay area of NY: numbers of Orange
Sulphur, a Monarch, an American Lady, and a Painted Lady (first December
record; and chasing it led me into an Ash-throated Flycatcher). One of the
Orange Sulphurs was smallish and elusive. A couple of people had reported
such encounters to me in the last week, with their thoughts that they might
have had Little Yellows. Well, I think I did see a pinkish fringe on this
one as it flew (is that really possible?), and it didn't fly like a Little
Yellow, anyway. Just another confusing fall Orange Sulphur. Only one of the
dozen or so I saw today looked yellow enough for Clouded Sulphur.
Unfortunately, I didn't catch up with that one either. I got more reports of
Clouded today, but I really need to see pictures. There comes a point in the
season when things just don't come out anymore. Even Cabbage White has not
been recorded in NY in December. Despite my attempts today, that statement
remains true.

Moths today: I still managed 7 species. I would think some of these might be
December firsts in the Northeast, but who's keeping track. They were:
The Wedgeling (Noctuidae), The Gem (Geometridae), Celery Webworm Moth
(Pyralidae), Celery Leaf Tier Moth (Pyralidae), Ailanthus Webworm Moth, a
micro I've seen before but haven't identified yet, and a Crambus type
Pyralid that I couldn't catch up with.

Let's throw in a Painted Turtle basking on a log and some Spring Peepers.
Just a typical December day. Is anybody thinking about Christmas Bird
Counts?

Steve Walter