Clouded Sulphurs?

[PONDHAWK at aol.com]

I found it strange to see on CTLEPS all these reports of Clouded Sulphurs and 
none of Orange Sulphurs, so I did a little research. Well, if I got it right 
-- according to a couple of people at the New York City Butterfly Club, the 
Orange Sulphur has a fall or cold weather worm called ariadne. James A. Scott 
(1986) calls this form (or spring form?) vernalis. It is characterized by 
fine black speckling on the hind underwing which, mixed with the yellow 
ground color, gives it a somewhat greenish look. Scott citing W. Watt writes 
"the darker unh helps warm them when they bask laterally in cool spring 
days". There are also dark markings (one person called them chevron shaped) 
on the hind wing rim. I was fortunate enough to have an opportunity to 
photograph one on Sunday and the pictures can be seen on my web site 
("members.aol.com/mulberrywing"). In one picture, a bit of the upperwing 
color can be seen and appears to tend toward that of Orange Sulphur. When I 
saw it (and 2 others) in flight, however, it didn't show conspicuous orange 
flushing, but the color was not light enough for Clouded Sulphur either -- 
basically offering a confusing impression. Is this what people were seeing?

Orange Sulphur should be the more likely one to appear at this time. Our 
concept of why they make these late season appearances is that they are not 
originally native to these northern latitudes, having evolved in areas where 
such emergences do not result in genetic dead ends. Scott writes "because of 
its recent spread north, diapause is poorly adapted there, allowing ill-fated 
emergence of some adults in warm periods in late fall". This in fact may be a 
common denominator for other species that are seen at this time. A number of 
Monarchs, Buckeyes, and American Ladies were seen on Long Island this 
weekend, all species that annually move in from the south. Bucking that trend 
was the intriguing report of an American Copper at Breezy Point, Queens. We 
had no previous records even from November, but this species has been known 
to respond to warm weather in early April, several weeks ahead of its normal 
emergence time.

Steve Walter
Bayside, NY