Cloudless Sulfur

[Michael Gochfeld]

The Cloudless Sulfur (Phoebis sennae) is fairly common (dozens/day) in
southern NJ (Cape May) and can be fairly common northward on the coastal
plain to Sandy Hook and Long Island, in some years.  It is pretty rare
anywhere inland (more than 10 miles/16 km) from the coast. 

In 22 years I've only seen it in Somerset/Middlesex Counties on 3 prior
occasions.  One was flying on our campus in Piscataway, yesterday,
perhaps an echo of the "good numbers" being reported now from Cape May
and further south. 

The Sachem (Atalopedes campestris) is having a banner year, reflecting a
more or less continuous increase over the past five years.  This
southern species used to show up occasionally in Sept in numbers less
than a dozen.  The last 2-3 years we've been seeing them in spring, and
often in large numbers on the July 4th counts.  This August-Sept they've
been really abundant in many parts of NJ.  We are running 20-50 at any
time in our garden, and a walk through weedy fields can yield hundreds. 
Must be global warming?

Mike Gochfeld

 
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