Spring returns to southwest Oregon

[Erik Runquist]

Hi all,
  What a difference a few days can make!  For five consecutive days last 
week, at least some snow accumulated at my house (2500’), including over two 
inches on both Saturday and Sunday.  At higher elevations, the total 
snowfall was measured in feet, and the low at my house on Monday morning was 
a chilly 23 degrees.  Today however, it was sunny and warm (highs in the 
upper 50s) and I saw three (maybe four) Pieris rapae and caught a male 
Anthocharis sara!  These are the first pupal hibernating butterflies of the 
year (I saw three Nymphalis californica on Feb 26), and by my standards, 
spring has officially begun in southwest Oregon.  Sara has now begun flying 
within one day of the vernal equinox each of the last two years.
  Of course, the drawback (or is it?) is that I have several winter projects 
left to finish and now must neglect some of them to chase the leps!
  Infected with spring fever,
Erik Runquist
Ashland, OR.


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