California Sees worst Butterfly Season in 35 years Butterfly Season in 35 years

[Patrick Foley]

Paul,

I live in Davis and talk to people in Davis. There is no doubt that this 
continues to be the worst local butterfly year in anyone's memory. 
Normally during this late summer season the flights of whites and 
sulfurs are much greater. We also are seeing very few other butterflies.

For example, I have not seen any Lady of any species this spring or 
summer in Davis. Nor have I seen a Lycaenid or a skipper here. I am sure 
they exist. THey are just uncommonly rare.

Patrick Foley

Paul Cherubini wrote:
> In early May this year in various newspaper articles 
> Dr. Art Shapiro of Davis, California said Cabbage White butterflies 
> were among the butterflies that were very scarce due to the
> prolonged rainy spring weather in the Sacramento Valley.
>
> Well now look at how abundant Cabbage butterflies are in
> Davis: http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/cabb.jpg
>
> And back in 1999, Shapiro was worried about the crash in 
> the Orange Sulfur population in the Sacramento Valley: 
> http://tinyurl.com/njly6
>
> Specificially, Shapiro wrote: "Some of the species that crashed 
> are typically among the most common," said Shapiro, including 
> orange sulphurs, a vibrant yellow, medium-sized butterfly
> that usually swarms over the Sacramento Valley's abundant 
> alfalfa fields.  "In all candor, I don't understand this," said 
> Shapiro,  "Many more species are down than up. If this 
> were the stock market, investors would be worried."
>
> Well now look at how abundant Orange Sulfurs are
> in Davis:
> http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/osulf.jpg
>
> Paul Cherubini
> El Dorado, Calif.
>
>  
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