field reoprt

[Ron Gatrelle]

For April 24, 2001
Made it out today from noon to 4. Species continue to be few and local
population levels for many species are very low. It does look as though the
three unseasonal freezes we had here along the South Carolina coast damaged
species across the board. Temps would get up into the upper 70's for a week
and then drop to just below 30 or so for a couple nights. This occurred
three times from mid February to mid April.

On Edisto Island I  found the following.

Brephidium isophthalma insularus. (Island Pigmy Blue). 1 fresh male - Lots
of     chewing on its larval host but no larvae found.
Limenitis archippus - couple of males. We get a lot here that look like
watsoni     but that subspecies is restricted evolutionarily to the Gulf
region.
Junoina coenia - just a couple.
Phyciodes tharos - few worn first generation females.

In Colleton County near Hwy 17. In swamp forest.

Satyrodes appalachia - several to many males - all very fresh - just
emerging.
Megisto viola - many but not any where near as abundant as this usually is.
    Nearing the last part of its brood - most tattered - few fresh. This
butterfly
    flies here in the swamp forests in the hundreds to thousands. If anyone
     wants to do mtDNA on these I took a few today just in case. Just ask.
M. cymela follows close behind it but is rare by comparison (in same
areas).
    I occasionally find worn female viola still out when the fresh male
cymela
    begin to emerge about May 20.
Cyllopsis gemma - IDed a couple and were likely many about.
Hermeuptychia sosybia - many
Enodia portlandia and creola are also at this area but I did not see any
today.

RG



 
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