[leps-talk] Field Report

Anne Kilmer viceroy at gate.net
Fri Mar 8 08:20:36 EST 2002


Ron Gatrelle wrote:

> For March 7th, 73 degrees, sunny very little wind.
> Wandering around is so much fun.  Headed from Charleston west and south.  I
> stop at every Plum bush I see on the side of the road this time of year.
> The most frequent species seen was American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis).
> There was at least one on every bush.  Where a line of bushes occurred
> there would be an average of two per bush.  If one expanded this for the
> whole warmer  areas of South Crolina and North Carolina we see there are
> actually thousands of them out right now.  They were all fresh and the
> small form of spring emergers.
> 
> The season looks delayed or normal - definitely not early.  Lots of Plum
> still just with buds.  Highlights are as follows.
> 
> Along Hwy 641 near the Colleton/Bamberg SC county line
> 
> American Lady (V. virginiensis) - many
> *Common Buckeye (J. coenia) - 1
> *Tiger Swallowtail (P. glaucus) - 1
> *Falcate Orangetip (A. midea annickae) - 1m
> *Juvenal Duskywing (E. Juvenalis) 3m, 1f
> 
> Allendale County, SC
> Johnson's Landing on Savannah River
> *Eastern Cloudless Sulphur (P. sennae eubule) - 2
> *Sleepy Orange (E. nicippe) - 3
> *Snout Butterfly (L. bachmanii) - 1
> This is always expected anywhere along the Savannah River.
> *Red Banded Haristreak (C. cecrops) -1f
> 
> along Hwy. 301 just south of Allendale
> *Cabbage White (P. rapae) 1m
> *Juvenal Duskywing (E. juvenalis) several males
> *Sleepy Orange (E. nicippe) several
> 
> 
> Screven County, GA.
> Wade Plantation Rd. N. off 30l
> *Holly Azure (C. idella) -1f
> *Falcate Orangetip (A. midea annickae) - 1m
> *Sleepy Orange (E. nicippe) - 4
> *Eastern Cloudless (P. s. eubule) - 2
> *Juvenal Duskywing (E. juvenalis) -1m
> 
> River Rd. S off 30l then somewhere in the Tuckahoe Wildlife area
> *Snout Butterfly (L. bachmanii)  many
> *Pearly Crescentspot (Phyciodes tharos) - 4
> *Red Banded Hairstreak (C. cecrops)  -1m
> This looked like a perfect place for Seminole Crescentspot (Anthanassa
> texana seminole).  This species is found in Burke Co. on the Savannah River
> at a similar area.  Viola Wood Satyr (Megisto viola) should be abundant in
> this area also shortly.
> 
> The scarce Island Falcate Orangetip (A. midea midea) should be out along
> the SC and GA, NC coast at this time. Photos at
> http://tils-ttr.org/photos02.html#midea
> 
> Ron Gatrelle
> 
> 



Have y'all noticed that NABA 


www.naba.org


is "building a huge data base of butterfly sightings throughout North 
America," as described in the Winter issue of American Butterflies.

That might be a good place to post your sightings, do you reckon?
They need a bunch more photographs up there, but it looks like a good 
undertaking.

As the person spotting the bugs is cited, you can decide for yourself 
whether his "spring azure" is plausible or not.

Maybe TILS could expand this project to cover the rest of the planet, as 
we do not all live in North America. Even those that do live there have 
reason to be interested in the rest of the world's butterflies.

I am not attempting to pour oil on troubled water (then set it ablaze) 
but suggesting that if we all join in, we can help steer NABA in useful 
directions.

Much of what I'm doing in Butterflies for Peace, and the Miami Blue 
project, is spelled out or suggested in that same little magazine. Even 
the dyed Painted Ladies (tagged if possible) are right there, page 47.
(Jeff's reasons for opposing butterfly releases are outdated, but we'll 
just figure he'll catch up. And let us by all means encourage tagging or 
dyeing all released butterflies, so that the scientists have good data.)
Florida butterfly breeders are excited by the possibility of rearing 
Miami Blues, finding existing colonies and expanding their populations 
by adding larval host plants, grooming existing host plants 
appropriately, educating local residents etc.
Surely breeders everywhere would be as delighted to be able to do this 
sort of good work. Check out their web pages; they are enthusiastically 
teaching the public to plant larval host plants, stay away from 
pesticides ... if the Miami Blue project goes well, under the able 
guidance of you experts, heck, we can do this everywhere.
Some rare and endangered bugs do not lend themselves to garden habitats, 
but many do. Those, at least, we can restore in their historical habitats.

Butterfly watchers and gardeners are ignorant, perhaps, but seeking 
knowledge. It is well for scientists to make that knowledge accessible, 
and the kind assistance of you taxonomists has been most useful to this 
"novice".

Alas, I can make no claims to being a novice taxonomist; I haven't got 
the necessities. But, combining your efforts with the work of all us 
butterfly-lovers, we can create and restore habitat, get the children 
out learning about the butterflies and recording their sightings, and 
enjoy the springtime.
Cheers
Anne Kilmer
Viceroy
Butterfly Coalition






 
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