Few butterflies this year

[Cris Guppy & Aud Fischer]

Numbers seem to be greatly down in central British Columbia this year,
probably due to a very long cold spring and early summer. Northern BC and
southern Yukon populations seemed to be normal or perhaps higher, but with
very delayed flight periods due to the cold weather. Norbert Kondla might be
able to add more for BC.

-----Original Message-----
From: George B. Lutman <gbl at atomic.net>
To: LEPS-L at lists.yale.edu <LEPS-L at lists.yale.edu>
Date: August 15, 1999 8:57 AM
Subject: Few butterflies this year


>Being given the title "Butterfly Lady" at the N.C. Zoological Park, I am
>in a unique position to speak to visitors from many states.
>
>Visitors from MO, VA, GA, AL, and over all of NC note the reduced
>numbers of butterflies this year. The July 4th Ashe County (NC)
>butterfly count recorded no Painted Lady this year for the first time.
>
>18 species of butterflies have been attracted to my own perennial patch
>and we have identified 8 woodland species. Yet, this year, we have seen
>very few, if any, of the butterflies common to our garden.
>
>Is this just a low count due to a natural cycling? I would appreciate
>any comments from readers about the low numbers of butterflies this
>year.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Loretta Lutman
>
>--
>gbl at atomic.net
>
>