7/8 Jared Elliott Preserve

[Grkovich, Alex]

Clay,
 
Klots (1951) discussed and decribed borealis as follows: "...TL Lincoln, Maine; Maritime Provinces, northern New England, Quebec and Ontario; jet, almost glossy black above, marginal spots larger, redder, forming a wider band, size larger...These poorly differentiated subspecies are really statistical gradations in a cline, and are still less noticeable because of variability..."
 
Now, Scott (1986) has an interesting discussion that I did not notice until a few days ago...He essentially points out that the Turtlehead feeding populations are more toxic to predators than plantain etc. feeding populations, and points out that specimens from the turtlehead feeding populations "...tend to fly more slowly than the others...", apparently advertising their protected status..." This makes me also wonder whether  the turtlehead feeding ("protected") populations also tend to be more brightly colored than the plantain etc. populations...i.e. thus demonstrating warning coloration...Certainly the "borealis" colony that I found near Green River, VT are very brightly colored, with extensive reddish spots...Certainly this is true of the southern populaitons (ozarkae, schausi) that occur on drier hillsides and do not use turtehead and are duller and browner and with reduced, yellow-orange spots, and also with duller and reduced white spots...
 
Anyway, I'll forward photos (if I kept them) that I have of borealis courtesy of my friend Dave Hoag of Grande Isle, VT...
 
Alex

________________________________

From: Clay Taylor [mailto:ctaylor at att.net]
Sent: Tue 7/11/2006 1:32 PM
To: Grkovich, Alex; FredNowak at comcast.net; CTLEPS-L at lists.yale.edu
Subject: Re: 7/8 Jared Elliott Preserve


Alex -
 
The blackish-ness (well, you know what I mean) of this year's Baltos at Echo Farm SP in East Haddam (probably over 1000 flying through the period) varied greatly - I could put up lots of examples from the last few weeks.   Some of that variation is undoubtedly due to wear, but a lot of the "lighter" ones appear to be freshly-hatched (no tattered edges, etc.)    My slight red-green vision deficiency makes evaluating shades of orange / red a chore, so I usually don't bother to make those distinctions.
 
Also, a digital camera's image processor may render the blacks and reds differently, depending on the camera brand (different processors treat an image differently), the camera settings (contrast, saturation, exposure compensation, white balance, etc.), and even the monitor it is viewed on.    When taking comparison photos of different ssp., it's always best to include both forms in the same image, and if they are pinned specimens preferably with a photo-industry standard 18% gray background.    That way, slight exposure and color balance changes can be returned to the baseline of the 18% gray card.
 
I'll have to read up on how to ID borealis, to see how it differs.
 
Clay Taylor
Moodus, CT
ctaylor at att.net
 
 

	----- Original Message ----- 
	From: Grkovich, Alex <mailto:agrkovich at tmpeng.com>  
	To: FredNowak at comcast.net ; CTLEPS-L at lists.yale.edu 
	Sent: Sunday, July 09, 2006 10:49 PM
	Subject: RE: 7/8 Jared Elliott Preserve

	What is intresting to me about these pics is that in S VT and northward through northern New England, the orange spots become brick red and are (much) more extensive (especially below) than in these pics...also, the black is more jet black...These features are characteristic of the northern ssp. borealis...
	 
	Anyone know if colonies consisting of the borealis phenotype are found in CT???
	 
	Also, on July 20, 2003, I apparently found both "subspecies" flying nearby in separate colonies at Green River in SW Vermont...
	 
	Alex

________________________________

	From: owner-ctleps-l at lists.yale.edu on behalf of Fred Nowak
	Sent: Sun 7/9/2006 10:17 PM
	To: CTLEPS-L at lists.yale.edu
	Subject: 7/8 Jared Elliott Preserve
	
	

	Attached are two pictures from Saturday's trip to taken by Adrian Nichols.
	


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