Betty's Bugs

[Anne Kilmer]

   Clay Taylor wrote:

> All -
> 
>     Personally, I think "Betty" is a nom-de-plume (nom-de-keyboard?) from
> someone who simply wanted to get a rise out of the regulars.  Boy, did it
> work!  It made much more fun reading than the usual Monarch Wars or
> Collectors-vs-NABA.
> 

Regulars is the word. I think we all enjoyed the exercise, and I 
particularly enjoyed Paul's contribution. I don't know about Betty, but 
I think Titti is no lady.


>     However, I'm looking forward to seeing actual field reports of real
> leps - it's warming up here in CT, but where are the reports from the
> warm-weather guys?
> 
> Clay Taylor
> Moodus, CT
> 


Well, I was hoping some more of you guys would speed down to the Keys 
and look for Miami Blues, Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri, as I hope the 
Keys are bedazzled by their numbers.
Seriously, we don't even have any seeds yet, and I'm tempted to throw 
some Cardiospermum halicacabum out back, among the other politically 
incorrect vines that festoon the politically incorrect trees that were 
there when I moved in 40 years ago, and God will just have to forgive me 
because I ain't gonna kill them.

As for my own back yard, yesterday I saw my first Ruddy Daggerwing of 
the year, Marpesia petreus, and there are scads of Zebra Longwings, 
Heliconius charitonius. A very fresh Giant Swallowtail, Papilio 
Cresphontes, zipping about. Long-tailed skipper, Urbanus proteus. Three 
Cassius Blues, Leptotes cassius. A Monarch, Danaus plexippus.

There should be whites and sulphurs; peppergrass is blooming nicely and 
Spanish Needle is wildly flowering all along I-95. I've seen them at the 
Mounts Botanical Garden, but I really don't have much action here yet.
Coots are still here in the lake, by the way, so I don't know how much 
you can rely on your notion that spring is finally here.
Plenty of warblers going through. Female redstarts, mostly, at the moment.
I'm going out to play, ha ha ha ha.
Anne Kilmer
Viceroy
Butterfly Coalition


 
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