Queens in Washington, DC

[Grkovich, Alex]

That the Queen is a butterfly subjected to migrating tendencies is well
noted. I saw numerous specimens migrating (I came to this conclusion because
every specimen I saw, about a dozen, was observed flying steadily in a west
or southwestery direction) in eastern Arizona last December. Two specimens
have recently been found in southern Michigan.  So there is no reason to
doubt that the species could be found near Washington DC.

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Ron Gatrelle [SMTP:gatrelle at tils-ttr.org]
> Sent:	Thursday, August 30, 2001 3:07 AM
> To:	rhilton at CSA.com; Leps-l
> Subject:	Re: Queens in Washington, DC
> 
> Queens are an annual thing here in coastal SC. They show up fairly early
> and may actually breed here on the islands some years. I am writing this
> to
> let those in the northeast know that Queens don't have to go all the way
> from Florida to get to where you are. John Burns did a paper on this many
> years ago in the Lep. Soc. but I can't seem to locate it.
> Ron
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Hilton, Rob" <rhilton at CSA.com>
> To: <LEPS-L at lists.yale.edu>
> Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2001 3:54 PM
> Subject: Queens in Washington, DC
> 
> 
> > On Monday, August 27, while assisting on a marsh bird survey along the
> > Anacostia River in northeast Washington, DC, I saw a female Queen
> > (Danaus gilippus) at near point blank range at around 1:13 pm.  I first
> > noticed the butterfly when it was about 2 feet from my right knee at a
> > spot along the edge of the river, at the Langston Golf Course.  The
> > butterfly came closer, perhaps 8 inches from my knee, before finally
> > drifting away into binocular range.  It made several stops at various
> > Polygonum flowers.  For two months earlier this summer I had been a
> > volunteer docent at the Wings of Fancy Butterfly Show at Brookside
> > Gardens, Wheaton, Maryland, where there were from one half to three
> > dozen Queens on each of my visits.  I became quite familiar with the
> > appearence of the species as a result.
> >
> > Its behavior was the same as the several Monarchs we saw along the edge
> > of the river: flying slowly downriver with frequent stops at Polygonum
> > and other flowers.  It was in view for 4 or 5 minutes before it
> > disappeared behind a bunch of Polygonum.  It was a fresh, bright, intact
> > butterfly.
> >
> > This sighting was a complete surprise to me!  I know about the one
> > sighted ?this month in New Jersey, as I see the LEPS-L list at an
> > archive site, but I never expected to see one myself.  But even more
> > surprising was the sighting of a (another?  the same??) female Queen at
> > the National Arboretum on Saturday, August 25, posted on the
> > Virginia/Maryland/Delaware 'bugs' list.  The Arboretum is less than a
> > mile upriver from the spot where I saw my Queen.  I understand that
> > there have been still other sightings in the northeast this summer, so
> > something seems to be going on.
> >
> > Newly resubscribed to the LEPS-L list and on "nomail".
> >
> > Rob Hilton
> > rhilton at csa.com
> > Silver Spring, Md.
> >
> >
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> 
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