Swallowtails in New York c1950s

[Michael Gochfeld]

I wrote a short note on the disappearance of swallowtails in northern 
Westchester which coincided with the intensive suburban mosquito 
spraying of the early 1950's. 

I began collecting butterflies in summer, 1951 and did fairly well until 
about 1954, after which there was virtually nothing to collect.  The 
fogging occurred each week from mid-June (sometimes as early as Memorial 
Day) until Labor Day.  Butterflies were conspicuous by absence, but 
sweep samples of bushes and night-lighting (very amateurish by today's 
standards) also came up empty.  

The spraying was with DDT.  It was pretty effective against mosquitoes, 
but deadly for LEPS. 

By the time I graduated High School, insect study was pretty frustrating 
so I shifted to fungi. They proved easy to collect, except when insects 
ate them. 

Mike Gochfeld


 
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