Queen in NJ: what should its status be

[HpAzures at aol.com]

Mike Gochfeld wrote of the recent Queen report from New Jersey:

<<
It sounds like a reasonable thing to "imagine" that it was human assisted, but there's no reason why strong flying Danaus butterflies couldn't show up out of range. 
>>

NOTE - see: 
http://www.naba.org/sightings/queen1.jpg
http://www.naba.org/sightings/queen2.jpg
http://www.naba.org/sightings/queen3.jpg

I tend to agree with Mike.  While there has been much focus on accidental or deliberate releases of butterflies out of their known range, little credit is given to either the abilities of butterflies to stray out of their "normal" range or on the impact that the increasing numbers of observers are having on reporting.

Queens, remember, are well-known migrants in the midwest, ranging seasonally WAY up into the plains states, even the Great Lakes region.  Check out the map at:

http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/lepid/bflyusa/usa/91.htm

While east-coast Queens are not well-documented for such long-distance travels, they do apparently move north and arrive as far as N.C. during most years.  The historical east-coast north record is Martha's Vineyard, MA.  With the increasing numbers of observers nationwide, especially in the urban northeast, and with the ease of reporting (via NABA or various online discussion groups), it comes as no surprise that such observations are being reported.  

Recent Gulf Fritillary reports in the northeast have also been suspect as releases, but there have been several historical records from New York City and Long Island (ref: Shapiro's "Butterflies and Skippers of New York").

I did feel suspicious about the perceived fingerprint on the Queen's wing, but I have seen such markings as the result of light reflections off wings or from other causes.  I would think that if anyone held the butterfly by the middle of the outer part of the forewing, there would have been considerable wing damage.

An internet post last year theorized the odds of an observer coming across an individual butterfly that was released (even one of many from a mass-release).  The odds are apparently astronomical.  It would stand to reason that if an observer chanced upon a representative individual of a natural mass-movement, then there must be many thousands actually moving northward.

My vote?  Keep the record to see if a trend develops either this year or over time.

Which brings about the topic of deliberate releases: If people are going to release butterflies, I would like to suggest that suppliers ought to PLEASE tag or mark their butterflies (at least those being shipped out of their "normal" range) with an obvious mark so at least the first-generation releasees are identifiable as such.  

Harry Pavulaan

 
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