ALERT UPDATE 2001

LEPIDOPTERA ALERT #2001.030 dated 07 November 2001

Your assistance is requested to keep your colleagues informed!
More to come as notification is provided to Owen A. Perkins at:

lepalert@home.com 

17 September 2001 REPORT from Linda Koning to: "Mogens C Nielsen" who forwarded it to Owen:
Greetings!
    I just want you to know our exciting butterfly sighting this weekend 9-15-01on our West Michigan Butterfly Association Field trip. Well over 50 and possibly even 100 Dainty Sulphurs Nathalis iole were seen in Sycamore Nature Preserve near Ravana in Muskegon County. It was a lifer for me and to see so many was awesome.  A few were nectaring on Hoary Alyssum Berteroa incana and on Pink Knotweed Polygonum pensylvanicum however I am uncertain whether they were actually sitting on the buds or nectaring.  Most were on the sand and on plants just basking in the sun. Many were Mating. I took several pictures and have a specimen.
    My husband (Bob) went back yesterday Sunday afternoon and saw them again and also saw a Checkered White. I will send you pictures or a specimen if you need them. Mike Moran in Muskegon has taken pictures too at the Muskegon Wastewater and he might have given them to Chip Francke already. Any way we will make sure that you will have records for Muskegon.
    Keep in touch!!    Linda Koning

Note from Owen:  Nathalis iole and Pontia protodice are both county records for Muskegon County!

The following photographs were taken 15 September 2001 by LINDA KONING at the Muskegon Wastewater:

Nathalis iole (Dainty Sulphur)

Pontia protodice (Checkered White)

With cold and almost constantly rainy weather closing in early October in southeast Michigan it looked like there would be an early end to butterfly season. However I checked Crosswinds Marsh October 13 and despite the mostly cloudy afternoon that looked like rain any moment, I still was able to see 10 species of butterflies. The best finds of the day were two Limenitis archippus (very late date), two Lycaena hyllus (one a beautifully perfect male), and two Vanessa cardui. Large numbers of both Colias species patrolled weedy areas near the marsh. 

Lists of butterflies seen at each site:
Crosswinds Marsh 9/30
=====================
Colias philodice      150+
Colias eurytheme      150+
Pieris rapae           25+
Nymphalis antiopa       8
Erynnis baptisiae       1
Limenitis archippus    25+
Phyciodes tharos       50+
Hylephilia phyleus      2
Danaus plexippus        4
Speyeria cybele         1
Lycaena hyllus         12
Eurema lisa             9
Nathalis iole           1
Papilio troilus         2
Lycaena phlaeas        14
Everes comyntas        13
Junonia coenia          2
Vanessa atalanta        1
Vanessa cardui          1
19 species


Petersburg State Game Area 10/2
===============================
Colias philodice       25+
Colias eurytheme       30+
Nymphalis antiopa       2
Epargyreus clarus       8
Everes comyntas        10+
Pieris rapae           15+
Lycaena helloides       1
Danaus plexippus        5
Phyciodes tharos       20+
Strymon melinus         1
Lycaena phlaeas        25+
Papilio troilus         3
Speyeris cybele         1
Limenitis archippus    15+
Polygonia comma         1
Vanessa atalanta        1
Polites peckius         1
Junonia coenia          1
Vanessa virgiensis      1
19 species


Crosswinds Marsh 10/13
======================
Colias philodice       75+
Colias eurytheme       75+
Nymphalis antiopa       1
Everes comyntas         1
Pieris rapae            5
Danaus plexippus        8
Phyciodes tharos        3
Limenitis archippus     2
Lycaena hyllus          2
Vanessa cardui          2

First, let me fill you in on my trip to Berrien, Cass and St. Joseph Co's this past Sat./Sun. The days were beautiful-great butterfly weather! In the two days (mostly Sat.), I recorded 17 species in Berrien and Cass counties.
                1-Papilio troilus-one very fresh male;
                2-P. rapae;
                3-C. philodice-hundreds!
                4-C. eurytheme;
                5-E. comyntas;
                6-E. claudia;
                7-P. tharos;
                8-N. antiopa;
                9-P. comma;
               10-V. virginensis;
               11-V. atalanta;
               12-J. coenia;
               13-D. plexippus;
               14-E. clarus;
               15-Erynnis sp.-either a horatius or zarucco female!?;
               16-E. baptisiae;
               17-H. phyleus-several at Vervain sp. flowers.

        I looked for N. iole, but saw none. I hung eight bait traps, used two UV traps, plus my MV/UV/sheet/generator set-up!! It wasn't too bad a day for the above species but LOUSY for moths 
(37.3 at 8AM Sun. at Bill's)! It should continue to be good until wet weather arrives, especially at Petersburg SGA, Metro Lake Erie Park, etc. If you and Harry can connect,  I'd say "GO FOR IT"!!! ha.                                      Cheers, 'Mo'

Variegated Fritillary 
Euptoiepia claudia (Cramer) 
Salt Lake, Chippewa Co MI, 4 September 2001
photograph by Mogens C. "Mo" Nielsen © 2001

While surveying for lepidoptera, Mo Nielsen, Owen A. Perkins and
Paul O. Perkins observed a Cow Moose at Crego Lake, Chippewa Co, MI,
6 September 2001.  A photograph by Mogens C. "Mo" Nielsen,
may be viewed in the section labeled Photo Gallery.

Monarch Butterfly Migration Update: September 27, 2001 
& This Week's Migration Map
Monarch Butterfly Migration Updates will be posted on THURSDAYS:
Aug. 30, Sept. 6, 13, 20, 27, Oct. 4, 11, 18, 25, Nov. 1... or until the monarchs reach Mexico!

Today's Report Includes:
* Highlights Along the Migration Trail
* Monarchs Meet Spiders Along the Way
* How High Do Monarchs Fly? Contributed by Dr. Bill Calvert
* Challenge Questions #8 and #9
* Discussion of Challenge Question #4: Changing Ecological Niche
* Discussion of Challenge Question #5: Mariposa Means...
* Symbolic Monarch Migration: Please Include Your Picture!
* This Week's Migration Data

This Week's Migration Map:
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/images/graphics/monarch/monarch_map092701.html
[Note from OAP: 
Here is the map so you can see what you are able to obtain from the above website, but in large form and enhanced with further information!!!.]

Today's Report is Also Available on the Journey North Web Site
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/fall2001/monarch/index.html

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Highlights Along the Migration Trail
All last week, waves of monarchs were reported from Missouri and Kansas. As today's comments show, the migration is now moving across the skies of Oklahoma, Arkansas, and into Texas.

Meanwhile in the East, Dr. Brower reported a "butterfly bonanza" in Virginia. "My impression is that large numbers came through on the cold front last week and have been in a holding pattern while nectaring heavily." After the passage of another cold front they moved on, their numbers dropping to only a tenth what they were. Here are comments from observers:

The 2nd Grade class at Jenks Southeast Elementary in Jenks, Oklahoma, saw 40 monarchs in 20 minutes yesterday morning, and 73 in 20 minutes in the afternoon!

Also yesterday while on the school playground at Oologah Elementary School in Oologah, Oklahoma, Mrs. Helvick's first grade class counted 106 monarch butterflies flying south from 12:10 - 1:00 p.m.

About 200 monarchs were at overnight roost in Chelsea, OK on Monday the 24th. "Today was the first large increase in monarchs," said Mr. Henderson. "Right now, in my Monarch Sleeping Tree there about 3,000 Monarchs curled up for the night.  They have not reached peak, because when they do we see about 10,000 an hour!" said Diane Mcgowen of Plainview Elementary in Ardmore, OK on Sunday, September 23rd. The same evening in Hammon, OK, "Thousands of Monarchs were roosting in Elm trees this evening. This is the first migration noticed in this area this year," said Ms. Christian of Hammon Elementary.

Writing from Winters, Texas on Tuesday, the 25th: "Large number (thousands!) of monarchs arrived in town this evening. There is also a cold front moving through."

On Wednesday, Sept. 26th, 220 monarchs were sighted in south Abilene, Texas by Nick, a second grade student at Austin Elementary. "There have been many sightings all over the city.  We had a cold front hit Abilene Sat. Sept. 22nd," his teacher Ms. Perry reports.

Far to the east on the same day, a wave of monarchs passed over Greer, South Carolina, according to 6th grade homeschool student Lauren Smith. "We went on a short drive around this noon and kept seeing many monarchs. So we went back home and my Mom sat in our backyard and watched dozens of monarchs fly overhead. She counted them all and came up with 105 monarchs in about 1 hour and 10 minutes. I was with her and it was fascinating. The monarchs went in waves, sometimes the rate being at least 3 a minute and other times 1 a minute. The wind was great and almost every monarch was heading west or slightly southwest."

Writing from Riner, Virginia, Auburn Middle School reports, "Over the weekend, 85 sixth graders reported seeing 471 monarchs. Large numbers were seen at butterfly bushes."

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Monarchs Meet Spiders Along the Way
In an ecosystem, the flow of energy, the recycling of nutrients, and the interaction between species are all linked together, and sometimes in surprising ways! Keep a list this year of all the different plant and animal species with which monarchs interact. For each species, note whether the interaction affects monarchs in a positive or negative way. Here's perhaps an unexpected invertebrate for the top of your list, thanks to Elizabeth Brown of Kansas City, Missouri:

"Something happened today that I had not noticed before, a flying 'hazard' to the butterflies. There is a type of spider that spins a long silken thread that it casts out into the air so it can 'ride' the winds. My fences, yard, trees and even the power lines were glittering with these fine silken threads like Christmas tinsel, glowing in the late afternoon sunshine! It was then, while I was counting the Monarchs going over, that I noticed at least 5 butterflies had some of these threads attached to their bodies. They had flown into the silk lines that were floating in the air and now some threads were trailing along behind them!"

We asked spider expert Dr. Linda Rayor of Cornell University what happens to butterflies caught in spider webs.  Would a spider eat a monarch?

"My guess is that the silk was from orb weavers that were either attempting to balloon (in which case the spiders were small, and attempting to disperse) or more likely putting out strands of silk to start an orb web.  The silk is released into the wind, then as it entangles on something the spider gingerly walks over on it, attaches it carefully, adds more lines, and then uses it as a supporting frameline for her orb. 

"In the greenhouse where we rear monarchs I often get orb weavers, particularly the primarily nocturnally active Araneus diadematus. We have monarch escapes, and the spiders do not have the slightest problem catching them.  Mostly, they do seem to get eaten by the spiders."

Incidentally, Dr. Rayor is one of the Cornell University investigators whose May, 1999, publication first raised questions about the possible link between Bt corn and monarch larvae mortality. You can read about her research interests and work at Cornell:

Dr. Linda Rayor, Cornell Entomology
http://www.cals.cornell.edu/dept/entomology/Faculty_Staff/Rayor/default.htm

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How High Do Monarchs Fly?
How high do monarch butterflies fly during fall migration? Do they go as high as the clouds? Higher than the naked eye can see? And why do they fly at such high altitudes? We posed these questions to Dr. Bill Calvert, who's now watching the big skies of Texas for one of the most spectacular migrations in years:

How High Do Monarchs Fly? Contributed by Dr. Bill Calvert
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/monarch/HeightFallFlight.html

Read Dr. Calvert's comments, then answer these questions:

Challenge Question #8:
"If glider pilots have seen monarchs flying 11,000 feet in the air, how high is that in miles?  In kilometers?"

Challenge Question #9:
"At what distance do monarchs disappear from view?  Try the experiment Dr. Calvert suggests and send us your results!"

(To respond to these questions, please follow the instructions below.)

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Discussion of Challenge Question #4: Changing Ecological Niche
Challenge Question #4 asked you to, "Define the term 'niche.' Then describe how a field mouse is like a monarch caterpillar, and a hummingbird is like an adult monarch."

In the science of ecology, the word "niche" is defined as: "The role an organism plays in a community. How it interacts with the environment and other organisms." More simply put, an organism's habitat is its home, and its niche is its job.

Dr. Brower says that the monarch "changes its ecological niche entirely" when it transforms from a caterpillar to an adult butterfly. Students from South Shades Crest Elementary in Birmingham, Alabama and Shannon, a 5th Grader in  Greensboro, North Carolina, took a close look at the "jobs" of these organisms and found:

Similarities between a mouse and a monarch caterpillar:
* Both eat plants (vegetation)
* Both are always hungry and always eating
* Both grow fast and go to the bathroom a lot

Similarities between a hummingbird and an adult monarch butterfly:
* Both eat nectar
* Both drink nectar with a long beak or proboscis
* Both are colorful
* They both fly
* Fifth generation monarchs migrate south like the hummingbirds

Here Dr. Brower contrasts the monarch's ecological niche as a caterpillar and as an adult butterfly:

"As a caterpillar, the monarch is a relatively sedentary, herbaceous, leaf-eating machine that's storing energy and building up biomass. As an adult it's a highly mobile, nectivorous, flower orienting-organism. The ecological function of the adult butterfly is to disperse, flying around and laying eggs (or in the case of males, mating with females who do). Just think: In the spring a female returning from Mexico may spread her eggs across 1,000 miles!  In contrast, a caterpillar may spend its entire time in the space of a few meters, interacting only with its immediate surroundings."

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Discussion of Challenge Question #5
Congratulations to Ashley, Gareth, and Jonathon from Miss Bailey's Third Grade Class in Vero Beach, FL who figured out that "mariposa" means butterfly in Spanish. "So Mariposa Elementary is a great name for a school where the students study butterflies!" they agreed.

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Symbolic Migration: Please Include Your Picture! 
Only 9 days remain before the October 5th postmark deadline. Here are a few of the questions people have asked recently:

Q. "May we glue one small student photo on one wing of each monarch?!"
A. Yes, please do!! Mexican students love to see pictures of the children who made their butterflies. In past years, we've received butterflies with photos for faces. (See Web.)

Q. "Is it OK to cut out our butterflies or do you want full piece of paper?"
A. Yes again! Please cut your butterflies so they're shaped like real butterflies. These make a more festive display, and are also lighter and easier to pack. 

Q. "May we laminate our Ambassador Monarchs?"
A. Oh please don't!  Try to minimize your use of resources, and use recycled/recyclable materials whenever possible.

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This Week's Migration Data
Use the data below to make your own migration map, or print and analyze our map:
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/images/graphics/monarch/monarch_map092701.html

Date       Town                St/Pr  Lat (N)   Long (W)
09/25/01   Winters               TX    31.97     -99.90
09/25/01   Winfield              KS    37.25     -96.93
09/25/01   Mountainburg          AR    35.63     -94.09
09/24/01   Oklahoma City         OK    35.43     -97.52
09/24/01   Riner                 VA    37.02     -80.44
09/24/01   Woodbridge            NJ    40.55     -74.29
09/24/01   Ardmore               OK    34.21     -97.17
09/24/01   Chelsea               OK    36.55     -95.49
09/24/01   Olney                 TX    33.33     -98.66
09/24/01   McLean                VA    38.94     -77.17
09/23/01   Toronto               ON    43.72     -79.41
09/23/01   Sweet Briar           VA    37.57     -79.06
09/23/01   Hammon                OK    35.69     -99.47
09/23/01   Muskogee              OK    35.67     -95.31
09/22/01   Richmond              KS    38.42     -95.26
09/22/01   Hyde Park             NY    41.93     -73.87
09/22/01   Kansas City           MO    39.10     -94.60
09/22/01   Sweet Briar           VA    37.57     -79.06
09/22/01   Hallsville            MO    39.10     -92.23
09/22/01   Jefferson City        MO    38.50     -92.15
09/22/01   Pretty Prairie        KS    37.78     -97.95
09/22/01   Clinton               MO    38.37     -93.77
09/21/01   Warsaw                KS    38.24     -93.38
09/20/01   Bolivar               MO    37.61     -93.41
09/20/01   Pekin                 IL    40.54     -89.61
09/20/01   Camdenton             MO    37.99     -92.77
09/20/01   Shawnee               KS    39.04     -94.72
09/18/01   Lincoln               NE    40.82     -96.71
09/15/01   Bethany               MO    40.25     -93.97
09/12/01   York                  NE    40.84     -97.54
09/12/01   Jefferson Hills       PA    40.28     -79.93
09/08/01   Fairborn              OH    39.81     -84.00

Printing Tip: The columns above will print properly if you set the font of your e-mail software to a "fixed width" font (such as Courier, New Courier, Monaco, or any other fixed-width font).
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How to Respond to Today's Monarch Challenge Questions:

IMPORTANT:  Please answer ONLY ONE question in each e-mail message!

1. Address an e-mail message to: jn-challenge-monarch@learner.org
2. In the Subject Line of each message write: Challenge Question #8 (or #9)
3. In the body of the message, answer ONE of the questions above.

The Next Monarch Migration Update Will Be Posted on October 4, 2001.

20 September 2001 REPORT from Roger Kuhlman to Owen:

A week ago last Saturday (September 8) I was butterflying at Crosswinds Marsh when I met and briefly talked to a man and a woman searching for dragonflies. Seeing that they also had binoculars, I asked them if they were interested in birds and they said they were. I told them about some rare birds (Water Pipits) I had seen on the mudflats at Crosswinds Marsh. At the time I did not know that the woman was Julie Craves. I only subsequently learned that fact when I read a posting on a birding mailing list where she reported the Pipits and the dragonfly search she had been doing that day. I am interested that she collected B. bellona at Oakwoods Metropark. It would
be nice to know where in the park the butterfly was found. 
Over the past two weeks I have had a number of interesting sightings. On September 8 and 9, I found two Pontia protodice. The first Checkered White was out on the middle causeway at Point Mouillee in NE Monroe County. Also along the dikes were at least 15 Hylephila phyleus. The Fiery Skippers were landing mainly on the dirt path on the dikes. Painted Lady numbers there had fallen off drastically from recent weeks and I only found two butterflies.

The second Checkered White was found (and vouchered) on September 9 on state game lands off of Sharon Valley road in SW Washtenaw county. As with the first protodice, it was a well-marked female. After finding a Checkered
White the previous day, I was actively searching for others on that Sunday.  I only found that one female but wonder if there might have been a few male Checkered Whites mixed in amongst many Pieris rapae. In flight, I think they
may be very hard to detect because I noticed that even the two female heavily marked Checkered Whites did not jump distinctively out for easy identification when they were flying. They only looked slightly odd in flight maybe possessing a little more black on the wings than Cabbage Whites should have.

Some other good butterflies I found on Sunday September 9 included two Euptoieta claudia (Sharon Valley road state game lands), two Lycaena helloides (fen-marsh habitat on Sharon Valley road), two Junonia coenia and one Pieris napi on State game lands off of Rank Road in western Washtenaw county. The Mustard White was the first I have ever found at this site. 

On September 15 at Crosswinds Marsh I had two Junonia coenia, four Eurema lisa, four Hesperia leonardus, and one Strymon melinus. The Gray Hairstreak was 11th one I have spotted this year in the Greater Washtenaw county area and that seems to me to be an amazing total for the year.

On September 16 in the Park Lyndon North/Embury road area of NW Washtenaw county, I had eight Pieris napi and four Polygonia progne. A few miles away on Waterloo road I had a late Papilio cresphontes and on Bush Road in front of the Waterloo Recreation Area Discovery Center I had a Lycaena helloides.  It was the first Purplish Copper for this location and third site I have ever found Purplish Copper in the Waterloo recreation area.  The butterfly I keep hoping to find in the greater Washtenaw county area Pyrgus communis keeps eluding me. The last one that was positively sighted in our survey was in 1996. I don't know why we are not finding it here. Do you know if P. communis has been seen in many places in Michigan this year?

[Note from OAP: I am not aware of any observations P. communis, however, I will communicate with some other Lepidopterists to ascertain if they have had any encounters and report the results in a later LepAlertUpdate.]

Just wanted to comment about Julie Craves' observation of E. lisa at Crosswinds Marsh in western Wayne county. This species has been breeding there at least since at least 1998. I have many observations of it (150+ butterflies over the four years). The butterfly is apparently using Partridge Pea (Cassia fasciculata) as a larval host plant. Over the years I have even found a number of white form female lisas.

Note from Owen:  Nathalis iole and Pontia protodice are both county records for Muskegon County!

I collected a female Eurema lisa (Little Yellow) at Crosswinds Marsh, Wayne Co. on 8 Sep 2001.
I collected a Bolloria bellona (Meadow Fritillary) at Oakwoods Metropark, Wayne Co. on 16 Sep 2001. 
These are the first records I've had for these 2 species in the county.
[Note from Owen: Roger Kuhlman's site does not show Eurema lisa as being previously collected at Crosswinds Marsh.]

THANK YOU Julie!

Fermenting fruit bait trapping by Mogens C. "Mo" Nielsen and Owen A. Perkins during the period of 4 September through 7 September produced the following results:
Most specimens were capture and release, some voucher specimens were obtained.
23 traps were situated in Chippewa, Luce and Mackinac counties.
During the period of 4 - 7 September the following results were tabulated (see 17 August Report for comparison; as the number of Red Admirals were similar, a large influx of Mourning Cloaks, much fewer Compton Tortoise Shells, similar Green Commas and the presence during this period of the Hop Merchant and the Gray Comma):
152 Vanessa atalanta rubria (Red Admiral)
144 Nymphalis antiopa (Mourning Cloak)
  12 Nymphalis vau-album j-album (Compton Tortoise Shell)
  3 Polygonia faunus (Green Comma)
  3 Polygonia comma (Hop Merchant or Comma)
  2 Polygonia interrogationis (Question Mark)
  1 Polygonia progne (Gray Comma)
as well as, Limenitis arthemis arthemis (White Admiral), Cercyonis pegala nephele (Wood Nymph), Vanessa virginiensis (American Painted Lady) [a unique capture in a fermenting fruit bait trap] as well as various moths including Catocala plus noctuids and geometrids) were attracted to the bait and trapped, a vast majority released.
Two nights with a MC/UV/sheet, and two UV traps, produced a variety of species.

The UV and Mercury Vapor light-sheet and UV light trap produced:
Catocala coelebs, antinympha, reisis, relicta (prevalent), concumbens (prevalent), unijugea, sordida and praeclara.
hylea lineata (Morning or White Line Sphinx)
lithophone and xylene nupera as well as a host of other noctuids and millions of geodes.
The Cranberry Looper was abundant!

The following 18 butterflies and skippers were encountered:
P. protodice [county record for Luce County by Mogens C. Nielsen]
P. rapae
C. eurytheme
L. p. americana
E. claudia
P.. interrogationis
P. comma
P. faunus
P. progne
N. vau-album j-album
N. antiopa
V. virginiensis
V. atalanta rubria
J. coenia
L. a. arthemis
C. p. nephele
D. plexippus
A. numitor [county record for Luce County by Owen A. Perkins]

The weather was near perfect for butterflies (high in the low 80's), less so for moths as the moon was near full.  The nectar source of spotted knapweed was on the wane.

Polygonia satyrus and Polygonia gracilis were not encountered, much to our disappointment.
It may be possible that we were on the leading edge of the emergence of the Polygonias as P. interrogationis, faunus, comma and progne were encountered but not in any significant numbers.

Fermenting fruit bait trap used on September 4 - 7 for Polygonias and other butterflies and moths 
which may be attracted to fermenting fruit bait.  Mourning Cloaks may be see inside trap.

2 days were spent by Owen A. Perkins, Mogens C. "Mo" Nielsen and Paul O. Perkins surveying Chippewa and Luce counties for sites conducive as the habitat for Boloria titania grandis and a subsequent search for B. titania.  1 day was spent by Owen and "Mo" in Luce and Chippewa counties.  1 day was spent by Owen and "Mo" and Martin Andree in Chippewa county and also on Drummond Island in Chippewa county.  1 day was spent by Robert D. Kriegel and Martin in Chippewa county and other locations.  1 day was spent by Owen and "Mo" in Mackinac, Chippewa and Luce counties.  Several potential locations were located in Mackinac and Chippewa counties.  

The weather was near perfect for butterflies (high in the 80's), less so for moths.  Many 'butterflies' were nectaring on spotted knapweed - a ubiquitous invasive plant through - these counties.  In addition to the above, a large cow moose was seen and photographed by "Mo" feeding at the shore of a small lake in Chippewa county.

A GREAT time was had by all!

The year of 2001 will long be remembered as the year of the RED ADMIRAL 

Vanessa atalanta rubria (Fruhstorfer)

and a year of substantial numbers of butterflies in general!

Nymphalis vau-album j-album were fresh and it appeared that they were beginning their emergence on or about August 9 when the BE degree day accumulation for Newberry, Luce county, was 1226 and by August 15 had accumulated to 1307.  

Nymphalis vau-album j-album (Boisduval & LeConte)

The beginning of the emergence of  P. faunus was also during this time frame and subsequent degree days.

Polygonia faunus (W. H. Edwards)

N. antiopa were also fresh and just beginning their emergence, as well as P. interrogationis.  

Nymphalis antiopa (Linnaeus)

Polygonia interrogationis (Fabricius)

No P. comma, P. progne, P. satyrus or P. gracilis were seen or attracted to the bait traps and thus the conjecture is that their emergence will soon take place.

The following 35 species were observed during the period of 11 August through 15 August in Luce and Chippewa counties:
P. polyxenes asterius (Drummond Island distribution record by Martin Andree)
P. napi oleracea
P. rapae
C. philodice
C. eurytheme
C. interior
L. phlaeas americana
L. dorcas
S. liparops strigosum
E. comyntas (Drummond Island distribution record by Mogens C. "Mo" Nielsen)
E. claudia (numerous at Salt Lake, Chippewa county)
S. cybele krautwurmi
S. aphrodite
S. atlantis
B. selene atrocostalis
P. selenis
P. interrogationis
P. faunus
N. vau-album j-album
N. antiopa
N. milberti
V. virginiensis
V. cardui
V. atalanta rubria
L. arthemis arthemis
L. archippus
E. anthedon
S. eurydice
C. pegla nephele
D. plexippus (large numbers observed)
T. lineola
H. comma laurentina
H. leonardus
P. themistocles (Drummond Island distribution record by Mogens C. "Mo" Nielsen, verified by OAP)
E. vestris metacomet

Ronald J. Priest, 5464 Jo Pass, East Lansing MI 48823-7225; 
[corrected phone numbers!] 517-349-7407 (home) & 517-355-1803 (office MWF); is leading a Summer Field Day.
on Saturday, August 11 starting at 10:00 A.M..
Site: West side of McKenzie Street along the Dowagiac Creek in the park area, property of Bill Westrate, 21406 McKenzie Street.  The habitat will include forested to fen!  
Ron expects to survey, collect etc. that day and possibly that night, weather permitting.

Contact Ron if you are interested.

Bill Westrate's house is about where the K in McKenzie is located on map.

ALERT 

to any and all Lepidopterists !

Expedition to locate 
Boloria titania grandis
in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan

read below

04 August 2001 REPORT by Owen A. Perkins

EMAIL message from Robert D. Kriegel to Owen and others (edited by OAP):

[Robert D. Kriegel is known affectionately to Owen and the rest of the Bog Boloria contingent of the Michigan Lepidoptera Survey as Boloria bob, Perkins, 1997]

for his dedicated efforts to analyze the soil, flora and other fauna of the habitats of the bog obligate species of Boloria found in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and to relate these to the BE degree day accumulations for the flight periods of these unique species, i.e., Boloria freija, Boloria frigga saga, Boloria eunomia dawsoni, Boloria selene atrocostalis and ultimately, Boloria titania grandis (Barnes & McDonnough, 1916) !  

His message read in part:

Hello all,

I just received an email from Ann Swengel that Boloria titania grandis was flying in Douglas County, Wisconsin last week Wednesday July 25th, in good numbers.  Most individuals were seen at flowers along the road, but there were a few in the bog.

Happy titania hunting,
Bob

       Boloria titania grandis (Barnes & McDunnough) photographs by Robert D. Kriegel

Several expeditions to the Upper Peninsula are being planned by committee members 
of the Michigan Lepidoptera Survey of the Michigan Entomological Society in the coming weeks.  
One expedition will be headed up by Owen A. Perkins.
If you are interested in participating with the MI Lep Survey in one of the expeditions, 
you may contact Owen A. Perkins at lepalert@home.com .

Boloria titania grandis (Barnes & McDunnough, 1916) copulating.
Natural History Photographs by Cor Zonnevald, Amstelveen, The Netherlands.

     From: http://www.bio.vu.nl/thb/users/cor/butterfly.html

Queen Titania

King of the fairies, Oberon, had as his wife, Titania,  
in A Midsummer Night's Dream 
by William Shakespeare.

A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare

ACT I

SCENE I. Athens. The palace of THESEUS.

Fairy

And here my mistress. Would that he were gone!

Enter, from one side, OBERON, with his train; from the other, TITANIA, with hers

Ill met by moonlight, proud Titania.

What, jealous Oberon! Fairies, skip hence:
I have forsworn his bed and company.

. . .

TITANIA

First, rehearse your song by rote
To each word a warbling note:
Hand in hand, with fairy grace,
Will we sing, and bless this place.

The next day (Saturday, 04 August 2001), after spending most of the AM retrieving lots of 'cats' from our traps, plus the UV traps, we collected butterflies in two nearby wetlands on exposed muck soils. It was HOT, but we netted P. napi, a few B. selene, one B. bellona, L. helloides, hyllus, A. numitor, H. leonardus, P.themistolcles, E. metacomet. We saw a few C. interior and Speyeria sp. zipping by!
Our Catocala trapping/lighting yielded 14 species, including lots of mint antinympha, coelebs, relicta, ultronia, some concumbens, unijuga, semirelicta, briseis, blandula, praeclara and sordida. The first night was the best night for underwings-low temps of 55. The large, beautiful Garden Tiger Moth, Arctia caja americana made an impressive showing each night at lights-early in the AM!
Also, we collected three Pawpaw Sphinx, Dolba hyloeus, at lights!!

       

Mark Churchill called last night; he collected C. mutica in the Lost Nations SGA last Sat. I am not sure if he was at the site I discovered years ago? Andree is there today, based on directions I sent to him  last Fri. They both teamed up this past Fri night in the Russ Forest, Cass Co. and collected a good series of Callosamia augulifera-the Tulip-tree Silkmoth! They are two 'gungho lepidopterists'!!

Boloria titania survey trip will be featured later.

Snout Butterfly - my first of the season - seen briefly but well - ID was certain, lit on bare ground not 10 feet from me.
Hickory Hairstreak - captured and in my refrigerator - will be released tomorrow afternoon unless someone wants it.
Monarch - singleton - twice visited my row of butterflyweeds
Orange Sulphur (1)
American Painted Lady (1)
Hackberry Butterfly (2) - one trapped - will be tagged and released
tomorrow
European Skipper (2)
Tiger Swallowtail (2)
Mourning Cloak (1)  teased around trap entrance, but didn't enter
Clouded Sulphur (5)
Eastern Comma (2) - one trapped - will be tagged and released tomorrow
Silver-spotted Skipper (1)
Giant Swallowtail (1)
Cabbage White (8)
Red Admiral (52) - 8 trapped - will be tagged and released tomorrow
Note:  Of 12 Red Admirals, 3 Hackberry Butterflies, 2 Eastern Commas, and 2 Question Marks caught, tagged, and released beginning Tuesday, 6/19/01, NONE have been recaptured.  I did see a previously tagged E. Comma lit on the trap's netting today, but it was not recaptured.  I plan to continue the practice of "catch, tag, and release," but intend to further refine my records to include release times, trap location, and prevailing wind direction for each day.  I can provide more information about my materials and methods if anyone is interested.  I'm also keeping notes on nectaring butterflies.  These record the numbers of separate visits made by the same or different members of a given species upon blossoms of the various flower species in my yard.

Fair day for butterflies at my place yesterday (June 18):
1 Little Yellow
1 Tiger Swallowtail
2 Question Mark*
2 Eastern Comma*
4 Red Admiral **(ee)
4 Hackberry Butterfly **
1 Silver-spotted Skipper
1 Cabbage White
3 Spring/summer? Azure

* Trapped (Owen Perkins' trap), tagged, and released (6/19/01)
ee = Trapped, but subsequently escaped

Two more Hackberry Butterflies today (simultaneously one inside, one outside, but on trap).  May be same ones as yesterday, since I released all but the first, which I WILL save for you.

Hello all,
I just returned from four days (5/29-6/1) of sampling Lepidoptera in the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan with Mogens Nielsen, Owen Perkins and Martin Andree.  We observed the following species:

Papilio canadensis -- present in large numbers, lots of tippling observed
Colias philodice
Pieris napi
Colias eurytheme -- a few females
Callophrys augustinus -- still common, but on the decline
Callophrys niphon
Callophrys eryphon -- observed at several locations
Erora laetus - I was very fortunate to take one male on a sunny two-track in beech maple forest -- W O W !
Celastrina lucia - large numbers, many individuals are worn
Glaucopsyche lygdamus -- two individuals nectaring on lilacs, Luce county record
Boloria frigga - beginning of emergence in the eastern UP
Boloria freija -- tail end of flight, a significant number of individuals were observed at one of our reference localities but they are very worn and will be gone soon
Polygonia interrogationis
Polygonia faunus
Polygonia satyrus
Vanessa virginiensis -- still very common
Vanessa atalanta
Oeneis jutta -- flight has just begun but they are not uncommon in patches of black spruce in/near bogs
Danaus plexippus -- common, in very good condition; mating, oviposition and eggs observed in Mackinac, Chippewa and Luce counties
Erynnis icelus -- common
Erynnis juvenalis
Carterocephalus palaemon -- common, observed along sandy trails at many localities
Poanes hobomok -- common
Amblyscirtes hegon -- common at one beech maple forest locality
Amblyscirtes vialis

The following moths of note were also observed:

Actias luna -- common in northern hardwoods
Hemaris thysbe -- nectaring at lilacs
Hemaris diffinis -- nectaring at lilacs
Heliothis borealis -- Mo Nielsen finally took an individual of this species on a sandy two-track through sphagnum heath bog.  Mo has been stalking this ellusive creature for 50 years.  Congratulations Mo!

I have never seen such large numbers of male canadian tiger swallowtails tippling in Michigan before.  Perhaps this has something to do with the weather.  Six days of cold rainy weather coincided with the emergence of large numbers of P. canadensis adults.  We were fortunate to time our trip during the first warm sunny weather following the departure of this stalled low pressure over the Great Lakes.  We observed as many as 100 males
tippling together on sandy roads.  In general, we observed an unusually high level of butterfly activity for all species.  Perhaps this is also related to the weather pattern.

The early hairstreak (E. laetus) was flying with large numbers of Celastrina lucia, Amblyscirtes hegon and a few hobomok skippers in beech maple forest in Chippewa County.  It was a nice day, but not unusually hot.  Strawberry was in bloom and there was a copious amount of honeydew, source unknown, on understory trees and shrubs.  Rubus was not yet in flower.  The individual was taken sitting on a sunny, sandy two-track.  Mo Nielsen observed E. laetus at a different location the following day in Luce County.  This appears to be an outstanding year for the early hairstreak in Michigan.  Four individuals have been observed in three counties (all
county records) by four different lepidopterists, including Owen Perkins 10 year old grandson, since May 19th.

Lilacs are in bloom throughout the eastern UP and fashion conscious lepidopterists are sporting long handled, extendible nets as they are on the lookout for sightings of the yellow-banded day sphinx, Proserpenis flavofasciata.  First emergence of Boloria selene atrocostalis and Boloria eunomia dawsoni is expected in the next 7-10 days.

So far, this is a VERY good year for Michigan Lepidoptera!  Bob Kriegel, Bath, MI 

On my web site www.lepalert.org I had previously indicated that I was interested in obtaining a voucher for B. freija, B. frigga, and O. jutta for my upcoming trip to the Upper Peninsula. I returned yesterday (1 June 2001) from above the bridge where I did voucher those three species, all on the same date.

Erora laetus (W. H. Edwards) 1X dorsal  © 2001

Erora laetus (W. H. Edwards) 1X ventral  © 2001

"Mo" states:  Here is a publication you should obtain re: E. laetus: "Studies of North American Erora (Scudder)(Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae)", by Alexander B. Klots and Cyril F. dos Passos, 1981. Journal of the New York Entomological Society, Vol. LXXXIX(4), pp 295-331. I read it this weekend, now that we have more MI data/experiences.

25 May 2001 REPORT from Caron Mosey to Owen:

I was shocked to see these two large moths on my fence in Flushing, Michigan today - May 25, 2001.  The wingspan on these moths looks to be about 4+ inches!  Do you have any idea what kind they might be?  It also looked to me as if they were mating.  You most certainly may use the photos on your website.  I'd be thrilled!  Please let me know when you put them on.  I'd like to show my second grade class!  Thanks for the identification! [The moths were The Cecropia Moth, Samia cecropia, in copulation.]
Caron Mosey
P.S.  I found your website... that's where I found your email address!  Thanks!  I thought the Luna moth was the largest.  My class hatched a luna last spring.  It was exciting!
See photographs by Caron Mosey in PHOTO GALLERY section.

Over the weekend (5/19-20) I saw the following at home around Bath, MI.  Red admirals were EVERYWHERE.  Most were very fresh and the nettles showed lots of feeding signs, so I'm wondering if these weren't our first local spring adults.  Adults of Phyciodes tharos were also present in large numbers.  The last few first generation Boloria bellona were almost gone. Saw a few Papilio polyxenes, glaucus and one troilus.  Other species present included Vanessa virginiensis, Polygonia interrogationis, Danaus plexippus, Epargyreus clarus and Poanes hobomok.  I also saw the first wood nymphs, I think they were Cercyonis pegala, but I didn't get a good look.  The small 'White-marked Black' (Covvel's common name) that I mentioned in an earlier post was flying in large numbers in shady woodland.  Sorry, I don't remember the scientific name offhand and I don't have Covell's book handy.

The report that follows this one and supplied by Mogens C. "Mo" Nielsen gives an excellent account of the Upper Peninsula bog trip planned by Robert D. Kriegel ["Boloria Bob"] and concluded by "Mo", Terry Herig, Martin J. Andree and myself, Owen A. Perkins.  I add a few additional notes of interest.

P. gracilis and E. laetus were not encountered, however some new potential sites were discovered in Beech-Maple hardwoods
.
David K. Parshall and Jim Davidson from Ohio were encountered at Seney and we exchanged information on sites.  Some excellent nourishment was consumed by Mo, Terry and Owen, i.e., Root-beer floats.  Several photos were taken of the five of us, David, Jim, Mo, Terry and Owen.  Photos taken during the entire trip will be displayed in the PHOTO section of this website after they are developed.

Martin J. Andree had his initiation in searching for B. freija and E. discoidalis.  He was "really spoiled" since he didn't have the opportunity to have to chase them thorough the hummocks in the Channing Bog.  He was able to see large numbers of them by just walking on "the road/trail."  

On Tuesday, 15 May, it rained.  Mo, Terry, Martin and Owen visited bog sites in Iron County discovered previously by Bob and Owen as well as several historic bog sites, one being the original Mastadon site discovered by Belyea/Nielsen and the other the M69/Crystal Falls site of John Perona.  The next day, Wednesday, 16 May, the sky was blue with the sun producing a temperature reaching 83 degrees F. in the late afternoon along a private road/trail in a private property bog site suggested by Owen to be explored.  The BE-50 Degree Day accumulation was approximately 170 for 16 May at the Stambaugh station.  E. discoidalis was sighted about every ten (10) feet on the road/trail and B. freija was there in almost the same numbers.   There were probably approximately 200 E. discoidalis per acre and conservatively about 120,000 in one unique bog [an approximation by OAP and not based on statistical analysis].  Bob Kreigel had already left the MI Lep Survey crew on Tuesday, but had provided the impetus to search out further potential sites.  This unique private site was in a section south of the site discovered previously by Bob and Owen based on Bob's research of Dawson peat / Greenwood peat locations.  THANK YOU, Bob!  

WE HIT THE MOTHER-LODE!
We returned the next day in the early a.m. and found but one (1) apparent road kill of E. discoidalis.

21 May 2001 REPORT:  The following Email message was received by Owen A. Perkins on May 21, 2001, from Mogens C. “Mo” Nielsen.  It has been edited [    ] by OAP for the “Lepidoptera Alert” Website: 

Owen-et al, Terry and I, too, arrived home yesterday without incident! It WAS the most memorable trip to the 'Upper' I have experienced!! Savor the memory, my friend! I'm certain we-someone-ought to write-up a newsy item for our MES Newsletter-for those who may plan a trip to the U.P. But, for those other friends who weren't along, let me capsulate the 'high' points.

The MI Lep. Survey crew included: Bob Kriegel (5/11-15) [known by the MI Lep Survey crew as “Boloria Bob”], Owen Perkins (11-20), Martin Andree (14-17), Terry Herig & 'Mo' Nielsen (14-20). Counties surveyed: Iron, Delta, Schoolcraft, Luce, Chippewa, Mackinac, Otsego [, Dickinson]. [We stopped in Alger at the dwarf bilberry site.]  Some of the butterflies 'vouchered': P. canadensis (emerging), P. napi oleracea, E. olympia (Otsego), C. eurytheme, F. tarquinius, I. augustinus, polios, niphon clarki, henrici (?), G. lydamus couperi, E. claudia, B. bellona, freija, P. interrogationis, comma, satyrus, faunus, progne, N. j-album, V. viginiensis, cardui, atalanta, E. discoidalis, O. chryxus strigulosa [also photographed in copulation], D. plexippus [see Journey North website], E. icelus & juvenalis, H. metea [, P. p. asterius (sighted), P. rapae, C. philodice, L. p. americana , C. lucia, N. antiopa were also vouchered or sighted]

We set-out upwards to 18 bait traps, two UV traps, MV/UV/sheet (only three nights-hell, I was tired-ha). The Red Admirals (RA) were EVERYWHERE, along with our [American] Painted Ladies!! We had a 'friendly' wager as to who could estimate the TOTAL number of RA's in 14 bait traps, the one closest to the total number would buy ice cream for ALL! Andree @ 92, Owen @129, 'Mo' @175, Terry @ 200; the TOTAL count was 159! You can't win them all!  ha. Tossing out the lowest (3) and the highest(36), the RA's averaged about 11.5/12 per trap.  [With the observations of John C. Farmer and others, this is the year of the Red Admiral!]

Moth collecting was 'ok' on those nights we made the effort; but, there wasn't any species that caught my 'fancy'. Lots of G. avimacula, Acronictas, Zales, and the ever present P. unipuncta. The 'winter moths' were almost gone, except for one L.amanda at Paradise; a few Feralia comstocki were taken, and some worn M. salicarum. Terry caught one immaculate H. borealis at Trout Lake/USFS 3344 trail! [Wilwin Road bog in Chippewa County] ! (probably the best species on the trip!?). [“Mo” always lets his friends voucher the species for him! Ha! by OAP] There were others; and I'm in no hurry to get  them 'spead'!  ha.

Owen, I'm very happy that you FINALLY got your Polygonias! ha. You worked hard for them and deserve every damn one! ha. I'm still 'unwinding'; it may take awhile before I can 'walk straight' and not be picking off dog ticks, slapping mosquitoes and black flies!! ha. ha.

Stay in touch.
Cheers, 'Mo'

Briefly looked over your site and concur that there have been an unusual number of V. atalanta in our area this year.  It is impossible to go outside without seeing a number in a short time.  Also, the number of adult Armyworm moths on buildings and flushed from vegetation in the Kalamazoo area at this time of year is above normal.
Took the boys to Allegan Forest today, May 20th.  Dusky wings seem well along with early species such as E. brizo on the decline.  Several somewhat worn H. metea females seen nectaring on Rubus.  H. sassacus is on the wing and a few fresh L. arthemis astyanax seen puddling.  One verified sight record of a fresh female Karner Blue. . .   Things are moving along here but cool weather is said to be on the way.

Next weekend plan on taking in the MI Bot Club Spring Foray which takes place in SW MI this year.  May learn of some new and interesting sites in Berrien and Cass counties.  There are also a number of field trips planned for Barry county.

SPECIAL NOTE:  Gluphisia lintneri, was collected at 3:45 p.m. on April 28 from the previous night's attraction to the Mercury Vapor light on the DNR Maintenance Building's south side, T49N R6W Section 19.  This is only the third specimen to be vouchered in the state of Michigan and the first in the Upper Peninsula.  The specimen was collected by Mogens C. "Mo" Nielsen with the deft assistance of Owen A. Perkins.
The map below shows recorded counties. Red mark represents Chippewa County site.

The presence of V. atalanta rubria in the numbers seen supplement those reported by John C. Farmer from Monroe and Washtenaw counties.  There are an unusual number of this species present this season.  Those seen in the UP seem to be of a condition suggesting a hibernating population.

NO Polygonia species were attracted to bait or were seen.

The following Website is highly recommended 
for sightings in the Greater Washtenaw area:

sample

Observers:   Martin Bialecki, John Farmer, Roger Kuhlman, John Swales, Roger Wykes

    LINK TO WEBSITE:  http://home.att.net/~r.a.kuhlman/Butterflies2001SEMI.htm 

Last Updated: 04/09/2007 10:41:50 AM