unidentified butterfly

[John Shuey]

Piecing clues together to say that this UFO is not Pyrgus centaurea wyandot:

> "Chris J. Durden" wrote:
>
> > My first thought was *Pyrgus (Scelothrix) "centaureae" wyandot* - the
> > WYANDOT GRIZZLED SKIPPER. Do you have any of its foodplant - the
> > yellow-flowered strawberry-like *Waldsteinia fragarioides*. This species
> > can be locally common in midwest Maryland, northern New Jersey, and on Long
> > Island, in spring.
> > .......Chris Durden
>
> Chris,
> I have what I think is wild strawberry with yellow flowers on my lawn--forgot to
> mention that in my first post.  I can't seem to find the Wyandot Grizzled
> Skipper in my Audobon Field Guide.
>
>

Clue 1 - most eastern populations (with the exception of Michigan) are not
associated with wild strawberry - but the similar appearing Dwarf Cinquefoil ,
Potentilla canadensis.

Clue 2.  Pyrgus wyandot is very rare in the east, and is not a yard butterfly
(Unless your yard is surrounded by natural barrens habitats maybe).

>
> > >>  In Philadelphia on Sun., May 7 at very approximately 2PM , I saw a
> > >>  little (maybe 1-11/2" wingspan) butterfly on my lawn.  It was brownish
> > >>  and whitish (maybe some other color, too) with a kind of checkered
> > >>  pattern.  I couldn't get a very close look at it.  Every time I tried to
> > >>  lean near it, it went fluttering through the grass and also landed it
> > >>  some wet dirt (puddling?).  I had just watered some of my plants.

Clue 3 - and this is a big one - no one who has ever seen P. wyandot in flight would
say that it "fluttered through the grass".  Wyandot in flight is a complete blur,
wings are almost invisible, and it move so fast that its hard to follow visually for
more than a few seconds.



--
John Shuey