BOYD HILL ...A SUNDAY BUTTERFLY SURVEY

Tue Apr 9 10:57:32 EDT 2002

Hi,

On Sunday I went to Boyd Hill Nature Park in south St. 
Petersburg, FL to primarily plan a future Ecology Today TV production
on "Gopher Tortoise Ecology". Well the leps were flying and I did a 
survey by tram and by foot. I was assisted by C2M Intern Harry 
Hoffman and by Dave McGuire, a Friends of Boyd Hill Volunteer. While
there we, along with Ranger Greg Coston, decided that a "tour" would
make a good subject for an episode in our planned Nature Potpourri TV

Series.

THE SURVEY:

Time: 9:ooAm-3:oo PM
Sunny, 79-85 Degrees F, Breezy and of moderate humidity.

The following Species were Identified:

Spicebush Swallowtail...(18)
E. Black Swallowtail....(1)
Giant swallowtail.......(1)
Zebra Swallowtail.......(1)

Barred Sulphur..........(3)
Cloudless Giant Sulpher.(134)!
Orange-barred Sulpher...(19)
Cabbage White...........(1)!

Monarch.................(2)
Zebra Longwing..........(5)
Gulf fritillary.........(17)
Viceroy.................(14)
Phaon Crescent..........(1) !

American Painted Lady...(4) !
Fiery Skipper...........(1)

Possible Long-tailed skipper but not good enough to count 
since it is listed R on the checklist (1996). It could have been
either a Dorantes or Longtail-tailed Skipper (*Urbanus proteus*)
**********

Boyd Hill is a delightful place with many trails and quite 
a few habitats. Hammocks, Pine Flatwoods, Sand Pine Scrub, and 
Wetlands (edge of lakes, ponds, streams, marshes & swamps). It is 
remarkable in that it is owned and operated by a City. Visit if you 
have a chance.There are upcoming workshops and a count led by our own
Tim Adams. 

Bob

PS For TILS TALK, LEPS-L and Nature Potpourri:

I used a "Butterfly check List For Boyd Hill Nature Park and Lake
Maggiore" (1996). This was posted on LepsRus a neat listserve serving
Florida and flroida lepers. It has all types but is non-consumptive
in focus with no negative editorial content.

With all of the discussions we have been having with regard to
watching and collecting, subspecies, standardizing common names and
even making sure each subspecies has a common name, I have a problem.
There are hundreds of NABA counts coming up, it seems that some thing
is dead wrong! I did not take the time to check if I could have been
dealing with subspecies on this little walk and ride Sunday. If my
work is of ANY scientific value it should have included subspecies,
at least where phenotypicaly identifiable by sight! Here we have NABA
saying the counts are the # 1 way of surveying Butterflies in NA and
they do not even count (or in most cases give a common name to)
subspecies. Here you have a handful (3 or 4 of people) lead by one
man taking over the common naming of butterflies and for the most
part not recognizing subspecies. Only the newest and most navie have
a 100% dedication to his policies and agenda as barb and others have
pointed out. we need Rons work to progress with all of our feedback
to standardize common names where NABA left off (dropped the ball) We
all know that subspecies are where it is at when you are concerned
with the protection of living populations! Obviously, there is and
would be a problem if subspecies were listed as common names on a
checklist and vcounters picked that for a siting ased soley on
location. Knowing there might be opher indicators, such as behavior,
associatve plants for the most part we have to accept limitations due
to the fact that we are "watching" and not examining specimens in the
hand or in the lab. While I like Barb's philosopy in counting, I can
see that the numbers of surveys and numbers of participants can
contribut useful data. I plan to participate in at least 12 NABA
counts this season...I do not want to see us waste our time to a
certain extent. I see the need for EVERYONE to pay the dues and join
NABA and start a true dialogue on the direction pf and promotion of
Lepidoptery in this country. Leroy should run for President!!!

My point is we need to smarten up not dumb down. Glassberg and 4,000
subscribers and members can not dictate lepidoptery to many 10's of
thousands who have been scientific in their approach. No one elected
Jeff to take over the science of lepidoptery nor the hobby of and to
dictate policy to anyone. Many of, if not most of his members are
quite intelligent and see points on both sides. There should be NO
sides. Those who abuse collecting and those who trample habitat to
photograph and those who abuse the public trust can not share the
feild with me and that is no threat just a promise. He coexisted on
this planet with me until he treated the project as beneath his
dignity. He will rue that article for many yuears to come. NABA does
not need the negative feedback it is causing. I have at least 7
reporters wanting rebuttal interviews. They are coming in due time,
not out of any vindicativness, but only because the Miami Blue needs
PR for public support and no one needs there efforts or credibility
atttacked.

Jeff Glassberg, after putting the Miami Blue at risk by selfishly
sending hordes to the population deserves no place of "honor in the
Project". And Anne Kilmer's post as she got on the "big boat" went
way beyond policy on the Miami Blue Butterfly Restoration Project. To
go beyond our agreed on overtures to Glassberg personally (we are
alrady working with NABA chapters), Her Assitant Directors are
already in place and no one else is authorized at this point. It is
very nice to wax poetic and write witty prose but poems do not get
the job done. It takes work not rhetoric at some point.

When she disembarks she will have a very unpleasant surprise. Sorry
but that's the way its gotta be. We do not have puppets nor do we 
need any puppetmasters...that is Dark Humor.

=====
Bob Parcelles, Jr
Pinellas Park, FL
RJP Associates, C2M-BWPTi
rjparcelles at yahoo.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/naturepotpourri
"Change your thoughts and you change your world."
- Norman Vincent Peale

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