Steep Rock 4/14 & 4/15
Peary Stafford
pstaff at pipeline.com
Sun Apr 15 16:28:37 EDT 2012
At the Steep Rock Preserve in Washington on Saturday there were two
Juvenal's Duskywings and an Eastern Pine Elfin trying to nectar on
Pussytoes that were barely above the level of the grass.
In Hidden Valley the Dentaria/Cardamine is nearing blossom but none
out yet. Between Saturday and Sunday I saw three Whites but none of
them stopped long enough for positive ID. From the flight and
habitat (where I have never seen Cabbage Whites) I would presume them
to be West Virginias. Interestingly, they all seemed to be headed
uphill; a fact that fits with our experience in prior years when
individuals that had finished nectaring on the Dentaria consistently
headed upslope, where I'm pretty sure there isn't any host plant.
For no good reason I associate hilltopping with the larger
butterflies like Mourning Cloaks and Swallowtails Does anyone know
if Pierids tend to do that as well? I guess that the Falcate
Orangetips at the top of West Rock would indicate that they do but
any info would be appreciated.
Also had a Tiger Swallowtail (FoY) at the Macricostas Preserve.
Peary
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