FW: [MassLep] Butterfly Institute Walk

[Grkovich, Alex]

Good Morning Everyone,

I just wanted to forward this memo which I sent to MA-LEPS this morning
about the two(?) "Little Wood Satyrs". I am very interested to receive
remarks and comments about this subject.

Alex

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Grkovich, Alex [SMTP:agrkovich at tmpeng.com]
> Sent:	Monday, June 25, 2001 9:42 AM
> To:	'Lesley/Bob'; MassLep
> Subject:	RE: [MassLep] Butterfly Institute Walk
> 
> Massachusetts Leps - http://mrines.com/Butterflies/MassLep/
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> Hello, all:
> 
> Note the comment below re the "Little Wood Satyrs" (1 fresh, 1 worn). As
> many of you probably are aware of, there is a strong suspicion that there
> are actually two "species" of Little Wood Satyr, which may be specifically
> distinct but are (almost?) impossible to separate by appearance alone.
> 
> I am one who suspects that this is the case. I was going to write the
> group
> this morning about my having seen what I believe is the second "brood" of
> "Little Wood Satyr" for the first time this yuear on Saturday afternoon in
> a
> heavily wooded field adjacent a deep oak woodland at the Brooksby Farm in
> Peabody, MA. Differences (very discreet of course) in the pattern of the
> dark lines below notwithstanding, a difference in behavoral pattern which
> I
> believe I have noticed between the two "broods" (or whatever they are) is
> as
> follows: It seems to me that the first "brood", which appeared the last
> week
> in May on the North Shore of Boston and which was extremely abundant this
> year: 1. Has a flight pattern of patrolling nearer the ground (up to 2
> feet
> or so above the ground);  2. Tends to occur more out in the open in fields
> and along the woods edges but not inside the woodland itself; and 3. Has a
> somewhat weaker flight. The second "brood": 1.  Has a (noticeably?)
> stronger, faster flight and is much more (at least to me) difficult to
> follow; 2.  Patrols higher above the ground (approx. 5-6 feet); 3.
> Normally
> (not occasionally as in the "first" brood) perches higher above the ground
> (I have seen them perching up to 7 feet above the ground); and 4. Is much
> less numerous than the first "brood" and does not always occur in the same
> areas (see below). Other Lepidopterists I have spoken to also suspect that
> they occur in different habitats and that the ground color of the first
> "brood" is darker above.Jeff Glassberg also states that "there is evidence
> that the two have different colored caterpillars", which he says may
> hibernate at different stages of growth.
> 
> Also, our (rather wild) backyard garden lies adjacent to small wooded
> "mountain" ridge (approx. 125 feet high) and the first brood was very
> numerous there in late May-early June this year and last, but I have not
> seen the second brood there in the 3 years we have resided at this
> address.
> I intend to keep a watch for them this summer. I have found them (in not
> great numbers) last summer in mid-late July in and around deep woods about
> 1
> mile away from our residence (at the Brooksby Farm for example). It is
> curious that the two "broods" do not seem to occur together at the same
> place.
> 
> Anyway, I wonder if anyone else has the same feeling or has had a similar
> observation. And, maybe it's just my imagination. (?) For certain, study
> is
> warranted.
> 
> Alex  
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From:	Lesley/Bob [SMTP:redpoll at neaccess.net]
> > Sent:	Saturday, June 23, 2001 9:26 PM
> > To:	MassLep
> > Subject:	[MassLep] Butterfly Institute Walk
> > 
> > Massachusetts Leps - http://mrines.com/Butterflies/MassLep/ 
> > 
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> > 
> > Sat 6/23. Sherborn Power Line.  10am-1pm.  Mostly sunny, high 70s.
> > Leader Dick Hildreth
> >  
> > 3 Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
> > 2 Dark Swallowtail sp
> > I Clouded Sulphur
> > 1 Orange Sulphur
> > 1 Banded Hairstreak, v.fresh
> > 4 Little Wood Satyr, 1 v.fresh, 1 faded
> > 1 Appalachian Brown, fresh
> > 2 Common Ringlet
> > 2 Red Admiral
> > 3 Great Spangled Frit, 1 on Dogbane
> > 6 large Frit sp.
> > 1 Eastern Comma, fresh
> > 1 Question Mark, ovipositing mode
> > 1 Lady sp
> > 1 Viceroy, fresh
> > 199 European Skipper, mostly on Cow Vetch
> > (1 Eastern Pond Hawk devouring European Skipper)
> > 2 Pecks
> > 4 Silver Spotted, v. fresh
> >  
> > Not a lot of nectar sources at present
> > Cow Vetch just coming into bloom
> > Meadow Sweet and Dogbane just beginning
> >  
> >  
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