Dr. Wagner's lecture

Clay Taylor CTaylor at worldnet.att.net
Thu May 9 12:12:51 EDT 2002


Dang -

    If I had known, I would have taped it for you.

    Wags (oops..Dr. Wagner) covered approx. 25 butterfly species that have historically been present in CT and used the CT Butterfly Atlas Project data to re-define their range maps in the state.  There were 12 species that are in critical decline or have vanished, and an additional 13 that are showing declines.

    Many of them were species connected with pine barrens / sandy soil plants OR grasslands / wet meadows.  Both of these habitat types are less common now in the state, either due to fragmentation by development or the abandonment of widespread agriculture and the inevitable plant succession that follows.

    Pine barrens species included Hoary Elfin and Persius Duskywing, and meadow species included Harris' and Silvery Checkerspot.   Of these, the Elfin and Silvery C. were unrecorded by the CBAP.   

    He also touched on species that are limited by restricted ranges of larval host plants, like Columbine Duskywing and Appalachian Azure, or butterfly species that use a normally widespread host plant under special conditions, like Northern Metalmarks around limestone formations.

    Regal Fritillary disappeared from the Northeast probably due to the loss of large-scale agriculture and the fragmentation of those grasslands.   

    Harvesters may be declining because the woolly aphids that the Harv larv feed on are being bogarted by the European ladybug species that was released into our region as a "control agent" for some other crop pest.

    Some of the declines are not easily explained - we are missing the connection.

    Some species have moved in or are expanding in range - Common Ringlet came in the 80's, and Silvery Blue is on its way into the state.

    Dave's main message is that to be aware of the changes in our lep populations we should be looking at the factors that are contributing to those changes (habitat destruction, predators, invasive species, etc.), and then see what can be done to counter the negative influences.

    The CBA's push a few years ago to plant Hackberry trees across the state resulted in over 1000 saplings being sold to members, groups and schools statewide.  This year's CBA Field Day on June 8 at the Kellog Environmental Education Center in Derby will focus on the Swallowtails, with aristolochia plants for sale to try and boost our populations of Pipevine Swallowtails.

    It was a great program, and it was good to see everyone last night.

Clay Taylor

PS - Dave - If I goofed anything up from last night' program, I apologize, but I think I got the main topics right.  CT
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Anthony Zemba 
  To: ctleps-l at lists.yale.edu 
  Sent: Thursday, May 09, 2002 10:40 AM
  Subject: Dr. Wagner's lecture


  Fellow Lepsters:
   
  Would anyone be willing to give me a general synopsis of Dr. Wagner's lecture last night. Due to work obligations I was not able to attend his lecture and the meeting last night. I was terribly disappointed since I had been looking forward to it for quite a while, and noone else at work could cover for me.  
   
  I'd appreciate it. Thanks.
   
  Anthony 
   
  Anthony J. Zemba
  Senior Environmental Scientist
  Maguire Group, Inc.
  One Court Street
  New Britain, CT
  06051


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