Georgia on My Mind

[Mark Walker]

And in my socks, and in my hair, etc.

I'm back in Atlanta for the SuperComm show, and I stole away this weekend to
do some collecting and "observing".  Mostly collecting, though };>)

Sunday, 6/4/00 - Walker County - aptly named:  Thanks to James Adams for
directing me to a few very nice spots along Taylor Ridge and Pigeon
Mountain.  I was under perpetual cloud and rain cover in what turned out to
be a very thirsty Georgia.  They're talking about water rationing (maybe
they're already doing it).  Me, I was a bit disappointed - especially when I
realized that I've been traveling all over the world and these clouds seem
to be following me...

So there I am - standing in a gravel parking lot - dismayed at the falling
raindrops.  When all of a sudden, out come the Leps!  Apparently, they were
thirsty, too.

Never have I seen Lep activity increase on account of rain (in fact, I don't
think I've ever seen Lep activity increase with falling rain).
Swallowtails, Commas, blues, and Hackberry's.  And it wasn't just a few
species - I counted over 30 different species in two locations within the
county.  The most common Lep was Papilio glaucus (Eastern Tiger
Swallowtail).  They appeared to be freshly emerged - both male and female
(yellow and black forms of the latter).  Thanks to a few key piles of horse
manure, there were also hundreds of Everes comyntas (Eastern Tailed Blue)
sipping what apparently is a delicious concoction (the rainwater was sweet,
I'm sure).

At Taylors Ridge I spotted what was surely a Yucca Skipper (Megathymus
yuccae).  I couldn't believe it - I thought I must be wrong, since the
habitat isn't right.  But then I checked the range, and it includes this
part of GA.  Hard to believe - this is dense woodland forest, with no yucca
that I can see.

I visited two local churches as well - Naomi Baptist for the morning service
(40 people), and Macedonia Baptist for the evening service (25 people).
Even if you don't believe - you truly must visit a bible belt church some
day.  Good stuff.

Today, 6/5/00, I traveled south to Pulaski County (south of Macon, east of
Perry).  Once again, I was dodging rain.  Still, plenty of butterflies on
the wing.  Plenty of biting flies on the wing, too.

So there I am, walking through the woods - when I find what looked like the
evidence of foul play.  An empty pocket book, a full set of keys, a single
photo, and the burned up contents of what must have been someone's purse.
Bummer.  After a few hours, and a torrential downpour, I found the local
Sheriff's office and handed over the remains.  If you've never walked cold
into a small town Sheriffs office in Georgia (I'm not talking about in
handcuffs), here's another experience that should be on everyone's to do
list.  But my recommendation - don't do it with the kind of story that
starts off with, "Hi - I was down at the riverbed alone swinging this
butterfly net,  when I found...".  I wish I could have snapped a photo of
the looks I received with that one...

O.K., the field reports:

Walker CO:

Papilio glaucus (Eastern Tiger Swallowtail)
Papilio cresphontes (Giant Swallowtail)
Papilio troilus (Spicebush Swallowtail)
Eurytides marcellus (Zebra Swallowtail)
Battus philenor (Pipevine Swallowtail)

Colias eurytheme (Orange Sulphur)
Eurema nicippe (Sleepy Orange)

Satyrium titus (Coral Hairstreak)
Satyrium calanus (Banded Hairstreak)
Satyrium liparops (Striped Hairstreak)
Parrhasius m-album (White M Hairstreak)
Everes comyntas (Eastern Tailed Blue)

Libytheana carinenta (American Snout)
Euptoieta claudia (Variegated Fritillary)
Speyeria cybele (Great Spangled Fritillary)
Phyciodes tharos (Pearl Crescentspot)

Polygonia interrogationis (Question Mark)
Polygonia comma (Comma)
Vanessa virginiensis (American Painted Lady)
Vanessa atalanta (Red Admiral)
Limenitis arthemis (Red Spotted Purple)
Asterocampa celtis (Hackberry Butterfly)

Enodia portlandia (Southern Pearly Eye)
Hermeuptychia hermes (Carolina Satyr)
Megisto cymela (Little Wood Satyr)
Cyllopsis gemma (Gemmed Satyr)

Danaus plexippus (Monarch)

Epargyreus clarus (Silver Spotted Skipper) common
Erynnis sp? (not juvenalis)
Capaeodes minima (Southern Skipperling)
Euphyes vestris (Dun Skipper)
Hylephila phyleus (Fiery Skipper)

Pulaski CO:

Papilio glaucus (Eastern Tiger Swallowtail)
Papilio troilus (Spicebush Swallowtail)
Battus philenor (Pipevine Swallowtail)

Pieris rapae (Cabbage White)
Phoebis sennae (Cloudless Sulpher)
Eurema nicippe (Sleepy Orange)

Calycopis cecrops (Red Banded Hairstreak)
Fixsenia favonius (Southern Oak Hairstreak)
Celastrina ladon (Spring Azure)

Libytheana carinenta (American Snout)
Euptoieta claudia (Variegated Fritillary)
Phyciodes tharos (Pearl Crescentspot)
Vanessa virginiensis (American Painted Lady)
Vanessa atalanta (Red Admiral)
Junonia coenia (Buckeye)
Limenitis archippus (Viceroy)
Enodia portlandia (Southern Pearly Eye)
Cyllopsis gemma (Gemmed Satyr)
Hermeuptychia hermes (Carolina Satyr)

Erynis juvenalis (Juvenal's Duskywing)
Pyrgus communis (Checkered Skipper)
Hylephila phyleus (Fiery Skipper)
3 other TBD grass skippers

All in all, it was a good weekend.  I'll look forward to some sunnier skies
at the end of the week.

Mark Walker
Atlanta, GA.