Banded hairstreak

[Lemmon]

Perhaps we don't have enough larval food plants around.  In my yard, I have
about 30 developing Red Admirals on a 7 foot wide -7 foot tall patch of
stinging nettles, Monarch caterpillars on butterfly weed, and numerous
fritillaries, as violets even grow in our lawn which we cut 3'' high as well
as most flower beds.

Carol
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dale Roberts/Bill Yule" <droberts03 at SNET.Net>
To: <Avocetfm at aol.com>; <jhimmel at mindspring.com>; <ctleps-l at lists.yale.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, July 09, 2002 9:39 AM
Subject: Re: Banded hairstreak


> Frank and all,
>        Besides what appears to be a population explosion of Great Spangled
> Fritillaries (Spereria cybele) I'd agree that the common roadside
butterfly
> fauna seems thin right now along the south central part of the state. I
> don't know if many species happen to be between broods (Pearl Crescent?)
or
> if there is another cause but Hairstreaks seem conspicuous by their
absence
> as well as Skippers.  Also, for me, a lack of Swallowtails now and very
few
> Anglewings.  Last year when we had significant invasions of the migratory
> Vannessas (Red Admirals and Painted Ladies) there seemed to be butterflies
> everywhere so many a little psych effect is occurring giving some of us
the
> feeling of "where are the butterflies?"  Then again maybe the numbers
really
> are way down.  Good reason to do "counts".   However when I do get the
> chance to get out and off the beaten track, into the fields and back in
the
> woods the numbers of butterflies seem more within normal ranges, at least
in
> terms of MY short butterfly career.
>      Of course herbicides and insecticides are always something to
consider
> and it may well be that some communities' insecticidal over-reaction to
the
> West Nile Virus scare have depleated some populations.  An interesting
> question that has been discussed with some "vigor" on some of the national
> lep listserves.
>
>                                Bill Yule----- Original Message -----
> From: <Avocetfm at aol.com>
> To: <jhimmel at mindspring.com>; <ctleps-l at lists.yale.edu>
> Sent: Tuesday, July 09, 2002 5:54 AM
> Subject: Re: Banded hairstreak
>
>
> > >From Frank & Linda Mantlik (Avocetfm at aol.com)
> > On 7/7/02, we had a Banded Hairstreak in our Stratford perennial garden.
> > Also a question:  I have been seeing very very few butterflies about in
sw
> CT
> > shoreline areas for weeks now.  Is any one else experiencing this
paucity
> as
> > well?  It makes me wonder if past spraying for mosquitoes has reduced
> > populations (though there are tons of bees and wasps in our garden).
> >
>