<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>The abundance of late season butterflies continues. At Cove Island Park in Stamford, a coastal site close to the NY state line, 8 species:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Cabbage White 15+<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Orange Sulphur 12 <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Cloudless Sulphur 1<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Painted Lady 10<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Common Buckeye 25+<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Monarch 30<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Fiery Skipper 25+ (both sexes)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Ocola Skipper 1<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Monarch numbers were declining, as a Chinese Mantis (<i>Tenodera sinensis</i>) sat near a flowerhead, lunging at them as they landed, then devouring them (I saw one Monarch escape after being attacked, but others were not so lucky). <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Chinese Mantises have often been observed preying on Monarchs. They aren’t deterred by the toxins (leap at the Monarchs the moment they land), and from the way they chow away at the butterfly, top to bottom like a buzzsaw (as with other hapless victims), it doesn’t appear as if they are avoiding toxic areas, although maybe they keep to the insides and avoid the exoskeletons. There is evidence that these mantises avoid eating the guts of Monarch caterpillars, possibly as a means of avoiding toxins [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28300580], but I’m not sure the full story is known concerning adults. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Anyway, hope the good run of late butterflies continues.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rick Cech, Emily Peyton & Peter Joost<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>P.S. I’m hearing stories of fresh Juniper Hairstreaks and late swallowtail broods (several species) in recent days. What’s next?<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>