Boston butterflies

John jhimmel at comcast.net
Sun Jul 6 10:11:22 EDT 2003


Hi lepsters -

My wife and I just got back from a couple days in Boston(my favorite city!)
where we spent some time in the Common Gardens there.  They really do a nice
job and I was hoping to get some good "City Butterflies".  For the most
part, butterfly-wise, it was lousy!  Even though they had a section of
blooming buddleias - already in need for some drastic deadheading.  All they
hosted was a Silver-spotted Skipper.  A Tiger Swallowtail dashed by, and of
course there were the ever present Cabbage Whites.

However, as we were crossing the bridge over the Swan Pond, I noticed some
orangey butterflies dashing out from a tree and zipping around the people's
heads as they walked by.  As it turned out, it was a Hackberry tree!  And
the butterflies, of course, where its Emperors.  Amazingly, not a single
person noticed them.  Here we had some of the most behaviorally interesting
adult butterflies in the Northeast and it was lost on the hundreds who
passed by.  I was waiting to see if someone would say, "Hey, check out those
Emperors!", or at least "Jesus!  What the hell is wrong with those bugs?".
Nothing.

I was glad that at least we were there to show them some appreciation. 

On the homefront - the G-spangled Frits are racing all over the place.  An
American Lady was puddling in a bare spot in my meadow.  And my trees are
COVERED with HUNDREDS of fungus-melted Gypsy Moth caterpillars! 

Also - added a new prominent to the moth site this morning -
www.connecticutmoths.com

Happy lepping -

John


<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
John Himmelman
Killingworth, CT
jhimmel at comcast.net
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

JUST OUT FALL 2002!  "Discovering Moths, Nighttime Jewels in Your Own Yard"
Go to: http://booksandnature.homestead.com/DiscoveringMothspage.html
 
Visit my other websites at:
  www.johnhimmelman.com
  www.connecticutmoths.com
  www.ctamphibians.com 
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