Skunked in San Benito

[Mark Walker]

Saturday, February 23, 2002

San Benito, Texas

Still in Texas, I drove into the night on Friday so that I could wake up in
the Lower Rio Grande Valley.  The temperatures were very low as I made the
drive, and I actually used the heater in my rental car.  The weather report
was looking good, though, and I was hopeful that the fantastic lep activity
I enjoyed last weekend in San Antonio would get even better.

By 9:00 a.m. the leps were already quite active.  The Hermeuptychia sosybius
(Carolina Satyr) were plentiful, and could be found just about anywhere -
bopping up and down and in and out.  Also plentiful and distinguishable by
their lighter brown color were Cyllopsis gemma (Gemmed Satyr).  These were
the freshest I've seen them in San Benito - I usually find them missing many
scales.

The Valley is still mostly dry, with little pockets of new growth.  Very
little is flowering, but what little there is manages to support it's share
of flying insects.  There were a good number of Phyciodes phaon (Phaon
Crescentspot) at nectar, along with a few P. tharos (Pearl Crescentspot).
As I hiked through what will soon be impassable overgrowth, I started
adjusting my eyes for the little guys.  The most common little hairstreak in
these parts is Calycopis isobeon (Dusky Blue Hairstreak), though it can
sometimes be hard to find and always hard to see.  The hairstreak was
especially common on this day.  Another little guy that easily disappears in
the undergrowth is Calephelis nemesis (Fatal Metalmark), who was also common
on this day.  There could easily have been more Calephelis present, but who
can tell?  These have a more rounded forewing, so perhaps they are C. nilus
- but the literature doesn't seem to be very consistent with these guys.

While chasing a single Chlosyne lacinia (Bordered Patch) across some
particularly difficult terrain, I came face to face (?) with the hind end of
a fluffy black and white skunk.  I must have surprised it, although I can't
imagine how, and now there it was with only one defense mechanism left at
it's disposal.  I froze for a second, just looking at this impressive
orifice, and wondering just when I'd have the pleasure of getting sprayed.
After a time, the thing lowered it's tail and turned it's head back to check
me out a little closer.  Our eyes met - and I'm sure it smiled at me.  I
guess it must have perceived that I was no significant threat - for he
turned around and waddled his way into a nearby hole.  I thanked him for
sparing me, and laughed at myself for yet another strange predicament.

A particularly common lep on this day was Pyrgus oileus (Tropical Checkered
Skipper).  Males and females could be seen flittering about, with excessive
brown scaling.  There were also White Skippers flying about - both
Heliopetes laviana (Laviana White Skipper) and H. macaira (Macaira White
Skipper) were zipping along under the shade of the winter canopy.  Pholisora
catullus (Common Sootywing) was seen flying along the trail with the
Checkered Skippers, occasionally interfering with their attempted mating
ritual.  Tailed Skippers were present, though not common, and I particularly
enjoyed seeing the spectacular Chioides catillus (White Striped Longtail).
By 2:00 p.m., the activity began to slow and I decided to head north up the
valley to find a motel.

My list from Cameron County:

Battus philenor (Pipevine Swallowtail)
Papilio cresphontes (Giant Swallowtail)
Pontia protodice (Checkered White)
Colias eurytheme (Orange Sulphur)
Zerene cesonia (Southern Dogface)
Phoebis philea (Orange Barred Sulphur)
Kricogonia lyside (Lyside Sulphur)
Eurema lisa (Little Yellow)
Eurema nicippe (Sleepy Orange)
Nathalis iole (Dainty Sulphur)

Calycopis isobeon (Dusky Blue Hairstreak)
Strymon melinus (Gray Hairstreak)

Hemiargus ceraunus (Ceraunus Blue)
Hemiargus isola (Reakirt's Blue)
Calephelis nemesis (Fatal Metalmark) ?
Libytheana carinenta (Snout)
Euptoieta claudia (Variegated Fritillary)
Chlosyne lacinia (Bordered Patch)
Phyciodes tharos (Pearl Crescentspot)
Phyciodes phaon (Phaon Crescentspot)
Vanessa atalanta (Red Admiral)

Anaea ? (unidentified Leafwing)
Cyllopsis gemma (Gemmed Satyr)
Hermeuptychia sosybius (Carolina Satyr)

Chioides catillus (White Striped Longtail)
Urbanus dorantes (Dorantes Longtail)
Pholisora catullus (Sootywing)
Pyrgus oileus (Tropical Checkered Skipper)
Heliopetes laviana (Laviana White Skipper)
Heliopetes macaira (Macaira White Skipper)
Nastra iherminier (Swarthy Skipper)
Larema accius (Clouded Skipper)
Hylephila phyleus (Fiery Skipper)

Mark Walker

 
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