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

Patrick Foley patfoley at csus.edu
Thu Aug 24 10:35:53 EDT 2006


Slight misstatement by me. I have not seen any of these in my butterfly 
friendly yard. I have seen a couple of Lycaenids and skippers elsewhere 
in Davis, but very few.

Patick

Patrick Foley wrote:
> 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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