Canada & weather

[Dave Clermont]

I will back up what René Boutin told about Vanessa atlanta rubria and add
that this is one incredible year for the Red admiral here in Quebec, i have
gotten reports of sightings of the species in northern places where it is
not usually observed and there are so many around here in southern Quebec
that stinging Nettle patches are always carrying at least one larvae per sq.
ft
Louis Handfield quotes in his new book called " Le gude des papillons du
Québec", (Broquet, 1999)
that this specie is exceptionnaly abundant & that seems to occur every 10
years. Last abundant sightings have been observed in 1981 &1990, we can now
add 2000 to the references and conclude that it really has a 10 +- year
peak.

Dave Clermont



> Dear All,
>             conditions here in Quebec are about the same as in Ontario but
these
> weather conditions have brought regularly in my backyard "vanessa
atalanta"since
> the spring as begun,soon as I see one on my nettles or my flowers I try to
catch
> it and put it in my breeding enclosure.So I've been having  success
raising them
> and now I have lot of pupaes and caterpillars of all sizes and things are
going
> strong for the red admiral in this neighborhood.
>                                                                 René
Boutin
>
> Donald Davis wrote:
>
> > Dear Derrick,
> >
> > In southern Ontario, we are also experiencing unusual weather
conditions,
> > and it will be interesting to assess the impact on invertebrates. I
know,
> > for example, that one butterfly count had 6 new species and will be
> > interested in seeing if this is a trend.
> >
> > Temperature conditions are generally lower than usual and the amount of
> > rainfall has been high. Lawns that are ordinarly brown or turning brown
this
> > time of the year are still very green. In major agricultural areas such
as
> > the Holland Marsh, crops such as carrot are rotting in the fields.
Clashing
> > weather fronts have recently spawned heavy storms, with lightning and
funnel
> > clouds.
> >
> > At Presqu'ile Provincial Park near Brighton, we're gradually seeing more
egg
> > laying monarch butterflies, generally very faded. One naturalist came
across
> > a willow tree with about 100 vicroy larva.
> >
> > Don Davis
> > Toronto, ON
>

> Dear All,
>             conditions here in Quebec are about the same as in Ontario but
these
> weather conditions have brought regularly in my backyard "vanessa
atalanta"since
> the spring as begun,soon as I see one on my nettles or my flowers I try to
catch
> it and put it in my breeding enclosure.So I've been having  success
raising them
> and now I have lot of pupaes and caterpillars of all sizes and things are
going
> strong for the red admiral in this neighborhood.
>                                                                 René
Boutin
>
> Donald Davis wrote:
>
> > Dear Derrick,
> >
> > In southern Ontario, we are also experiencing unusual weather
conditions,
> > and it will be interesting to assess the impact on invertebrates. I
know,
> > for example, that one butterfly count had 6 new species and will be
> > interested in seeing if this is a trend.
> >
> > Temperature conditions are generally lower than usual and the amount of
> > rainfall has been high. Lawns that are ordinarly brown or turning brown
this
> > time of the year are still very green. In major agricultural areas such
as
> > the Holland Marsh, crops such as carrot are rotting in the fields.
Clashing
> > weather fronts have recently spawned heavy storms, with lightning and
funnel
> > clouds.
> >
> > At Presqu'ile Provincial Park near Brighton, we're gradually seeing more
egg
> > laying monarch butterflies, generally very faded. One naturalist came
across
> > a willow tree with about 100 vicroy larva.
> >
> > Don Davis
> > Toronto, ON
>