Regal Indeed

[Mark Walker]

Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota - 7/20/00

I didn't know where I was going, but I knew I needed to find something other
than cultivated fields.  Not much of this habitat left, but there are
amazingly a few patches remaining out here in this part of MN.  When I saw
my first Speyeria idalia, I cannot express the excitement that I
experienced.  This is truly a wonderful insect.  I found them in tall grass
- with small nectar sources stuffed down and growing up in between the
grasses.  The Regals could be spotted flying above the grass, bopping up and
down and disappearing for a few minutes at a time down in the grass.

Once perched, they would often rest with their wings spread, with forewings
partially obscuring the hindwings.  Talk about incredible color.  Both
females and males were on the wing, with the males appearing a tad bit more
worn.  When they display themselves like this, it takes your breath away.
Truly a shame that we don't leave more of this native grassland alone so
that more of the country can enjoy this bug.

The four most common butterflies in this habitat were the Monarch (Danaus
plexippus), the Regal Fritillary (Speyeria idalia), the Eastern Tailed Blue
(Everes comyntas), and the Common Wood Nymph (Cercyonis pegala).  Also seen
here were the Delaware Skipper (Anatrytone logan), the Orange Sulphur
(Colias eurytheme), the Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), the Mourning Cloak
(Nymphalis antiopa), and the Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus).  One Regal
was found down in the grass right next to an Aphrodite (Speyeria aphrodite).
I didn't expect to see this species way out here.

Well, no outrageous anecdotes to pass on - I was pretty much in heaven after
this find.  I did manage to get a speeding ticket on my way back to
Minneapolis.  I couldn't hardly explain to the officer that I was too busy
daydreaming about butterflies.  Oh well, I'd better not rent bright red
mid-size coups any more.  Too easy to let 'em get away from you.

mark Walker.