first field trip & spring indoor meeting

[Diane Adams]

Hi Everybody!

I'm really excited about the arrival of the sunshine.  I'm hoping it lasts at least 
until Saturday--our first field trip!!

April 19, 2003 (Saturday)
10 AM – 1PM
Butterflies and Wildflowers of the Traprock Ridge
BLUFF HEAD, Guilford
Leader: Bill Yule (203) 457-1326
 
Possibility of Falcate Orangetip, Spring Azure, and elfins among the early 
wildflowers.
 
Meet at the parking lot in the pines where the trail begins at the base of Bluff 
Head. Directions: In North Guilford from Rt 80 take Rt 77 north approximately 4 
miles to parking area on left just after Great Hill Rd.
 
* Please note that there will be some steep climbing involved. Wear appropriate 
shoes.  I've been on this trip the past two years.  You can see the hill when you 
arrive--it's big!  But after that, it's relatively flat, followed by a gradual downhill :-)

Bill adds that this trip is jointly offered through Menunkatuck
Audubon.  "One issue that we will explore on this trip is the relationship
between butterflies and their host plants and the potenial negative impact
on butterfly populations of invasive plant species that displace native
plant species. " Also, dogs owners are encouraged to leave their pets at home
but if that's not possible they must be leashed.

Also, we have just gotten the word on the CBA Spring Indoor Meeting...

CBA Spring Meeting
May 2 at 7:30 pm
at the CT Agricultural Experiment Center
Jones Auditorium
123 Huntington St., New Haven

Life history Evolution in Lycaenid (Blues) Butterflies: From Mutualism to
Parasitism

Presented by Naomi E. Pierce

This promises to be a fascinating program on the relationship between ants
and butterlies.  The remarkable variation in life history that characterizes
butterflies in the family Lycaenidae raises questions about the role of
species interactions in the group.  In particular, associations between
caterpillars and ants influence many aspects of lycaenid biology, including
survival, host plant choice, mating behavior, ecological distributions, and
population sizes. A study of groups containing species with diverse life
histories reveals that lycaenids that parasitize ants typically evolve
within groups where most species associate mutualistically with ants.
Although parasitism arises relatively frequently, it typically leads to a
dead end.
A native of Denver, Colorado, Pierce received her undergraduate degree in
Biology at Yale (where she was first encouraged to study butterflies by
Charles Remington), and her doctorate at Harvard (where she became
interested in ants while working with Edward O. Wilson and Bert Holldobler).
She returned to the Harvard as the Hessel Professor of Biology in the
Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and Curator of Lepidoptera
in the Museum of Comparative Zoology. In 1988, Pierce was awarded a
MacArthur Fellowship for her research, and she was cited in particular for
her detailed analysis of insect/plant interactions and symbioses between
different species of insects.

Directions to the  Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station:  Take I-91 to 
Willow St., exit 6.  Right onto Willow St., to end.  Right onto Whitney Ave.  Third 
left onto Huntington St.  1-1/2 blocks to Agricultural Experiment Station on right.
For more information, call (203) 488-7813

Hope to meet you all at some events!

Diane Adams
Chester

P.S.  I'm trying to keep track of who's publishing/posting our info.  I've just sent 
the spring listings to a number of newspapers and libraries.  If you see any CBA 
events advertised, I'd love to know where!  Also, if you'd like to know what's 
coming, please visit the CBA website at www.ctbutterfly.org.