Early spring butterflies at Cape May NJ

[Michael Gochfeld]

This report is forwarded from another list regarding CAPE MAY, NJ

>Nature Notes: The mid-week warm weather produced a spate of butterfly
>sightings Mourning Cloak, Question Mark, and Orange Sulphur were all 
seen >at the Cape May NWR at Woodcock Lane on the Feb 16th, and six 
Orange Sulphurs >were in Burleigh NJ on the same day.

--------------------------By contrast---------------------------

There has been nothing resembling a butterfly in Central NJ although the 
first Snowdrop (a flower) bloomed a week earlier this year than last, 
even though last year was substantially warmer.  Snow cover has been 
virtually absent this year (about 4 days) while last winter there were 
only about 3 days of snow cover.  I haven't checked but I would expect 
the norm to be about 15 days.  

The microclimate at ground level (or below) where things over-winter, 
must be a delicate balance between air temperature and insulative snow 
cover. 

M. Gochfeld