Last Updated:  02 July, 2008 07:30 PM

Welcome to Lepidoptera Alert.  I await reports for June!

Report from OAP, 02 July 2008,

Robert D. Kriegel, Harry D. King, Dwayne R. Badgero, Steve Katz, and I , surveyed as a team from the Michigan Entomological Society - Michigan Lepidoptera Survey at all the substantial Hesperia ottoe sites in the Allegan SGA for the Ottoe Skipper on Monday, June 30. No Hesperia ottoe were observed. These sites are for the most part also Lupine sites and thus
we kept a look out for the Karner Blue. No Karner Blue were observed. Only a few blossoms of Knapweed were in bloom. The Prickly Pear Cactus was in bloom, I would say almost at peak bloom. Knapweed and Prickly Pear Cactus are excellent nectar sources for the Ottoe Skipper.


Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia humifusa), 30 June 2008, Allegan SGA.
photograph by Owen A. Perkins copyright ©  2008

I would be interested if anyone reading this would notify me when they observe the first Karner Blue (second brood for 2008), any Persius Duskywing (Erynnis persisus) (second brood for 2008), or any Ottoe Skipper (Hersperia ottoe) any where in Michigan in 2008!

Dwayne and I will be heading north early Friday morning.
I WILL report what we find.

Report from Don Starkey, 02 July 2008,

Report from OAP, 02 July 2008,

I have been remiss in not posting my reports this year. However, here is a photo of the Karner Blue (first brood), one of the last specimens observed in Montcalm County, 16 June 2008.


Karner Blue (first brood), one of the last specimens observed in Montcalm County, 16 June 2008.
photograph by Owen A. Perkins copyright ©  2008

Report from Laura Palombi, 02 July 2008,

Hello!  

Please help spread the word that Karner blue butterfly reintroductions at the Petersburg State Game Area are underway.  I’m hosting a free, public lecture about the program next Wednesday, July 9, at 7:00 in the Ford Education Center at the Detroit Zoo- hope to see some of you there!  Best regards, Laura

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                 CONTACT:            Patricia Janeway

July 2, 2008                                                                           (248) 541-5717 x.3731

                                                                                                pjaneway@dzs.org

DETROIT ZOO AND MICHIGAN DNR TO RELEASE CAPTIVE-REARED

KARNER BLUE BUTTERFLIES INTO THE WILD 

Conservation Success Story to be Shared with Public July 9 

ROYAL OAK, Mich. – The Detroit Zoo and Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will release captive-reared federally endangered Karner blue butterflies at the Petersburg State Game Area (PSGA) in Monroe County on Wednesday, July 9, at 11 a.m.  The release is part of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service’s Karner Blue Butterfly Recovery Plan and PSGA Master Plan. 

“We’re very excited about releasing the butterflies in Michigan because we've been working toward this point for the past three summers,” said Detroit Zoo Associate Curator of Invertebrates Laura Palombi.  “This is a test of our ability to restore an ecosystem.”  Palombi will share the Karner blue butterfly conservation success story at a public lecture at the Zoo’s Ford Education Center Theatre on Wednesday, July 9, at 7 p.m.  Admission is free.

The Karner blue (Lycaeides melissa samuelis) is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about one inch which lives in oak savanna habitats ranging from Minnesota to Maine.  The butterfly, once common in Michigan, has not been seen in Southeast Michigan since 1987 when it was last observed at the PSGA.  

The caterpillars of the Karner blue feed exclusively on the leaves of wild lupine (Lupinus perennis).  Fire suppression – along with the conversion of land to agriculture, residential areas and other uses – has severely reduced the range and availability of wild lupine. 

The ecosystems historically were maintained by fires, which kept the open savanna from turning into forest.  The DNR has been using burns and vegetation removal to restore the habitat at PSGA, while the Detroit Zoo has planted seeds and plugs of lupines and plant species to provide nectar for the adult Karner blue butterflies.

“Our habitat management activities at the Petersburg State Game Area, such as brush clearing, mowing and burning, have been very effective in restoring the traditional savanna habitat conditions where the butterflies can thrive,” said Joe Robison, DNR wildlife biologist.  “By hand-seeding and hand-planting plugs of its preferred vegetation, the site has become more Karner blue-friendly.”

Adult female Karner blue butterflies were collected in late May and transported to a greenhouse at the Detroit Zoo, where they are fed daily and held in individual enclosures over lupine plants on which they lay their eggs.  Each female can lay over 100 eggs.  The caterpillars that hatch are monitored daily until they reach the chrysalis stage, which takes about three to four weeks.  About 10 days later adult butterflies emerge and within days will be transported to the PSGA release site. 

The plan calls for the continued release of the descendants into the wild over the next four to six years.  Zoo staff and volunteers will monitor the population at the release site annually and will continue to release captive-reared butterflies until the population at PSGA is considered self-sustaining.  According to the federal recovery plan, a minimum viable population consists of at least 3,000 individuals.

“The long-range goal of this program is to protect existing populations of Karner blues and reestablish new, viable populations within their historical range,” said Palombi.  “The ultimate goal is to eventually remove Karner blue butterflies from the federal list of endangered species.” 

The Detroit Zoological Society is a non-profit organization that operates the Detroit Zoo and Belle Isle Nature Zoo.  Situated on 125 acres of naturalistic exhibits, the Detroit Zoo is located at the intersection of Ten Mile Road and Woodward Avenue, just off I-696, in Royal Oak.  The Detroit Zoo is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April through October (open at 9:30 a.m. Memorial Day through Labor Day) – with extended hours until 8 p.m. Wednesdays during July and August – and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. November through March.  Admission is $11 for adults 13 to 61, $9 for senior citizens 62 and older, and $7 for children ages 2 to 12; children under 2 are free.  For more information, call (248) 541-5717 or visit www.detroitzoo.org.  The Belle Isle Nature Zoo is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. year-round and provides educational programming with interpretive staff support from the Huron-Clinton Metroparks.  For more information, call (313) 852-4056. 

###

Editor’s Note:  Please contact Patricia Janeway at 248.541.5717 x.3731 or pjaneway@dzs.org to arrange coverage of the Karner blue butterfly release at PSGA or public lecture at the Zoo on July 9, or for a behind-the-scenes tour of the Zoo’s butterfly greenhouse with Laura Palombi. 

Report from Erwin 'Duke' Elsner, Ph.D. The Bug Man of Grand Traverse, 02 July 2008,

This has been one of the most disappointing years for lep hunting in the Grand Traverse area.  Many days with one or more negative factors, either cold, rain, wind or overcast, and in combinations. 

The severe freeze on May 28 was quite hard on many species of leps, in my opinion.  It got down to the very low 20's in many places, and ever since that day I have seen very few of the spring and early summer butterflies that would normally be quite common and numerous in our area.  Canadian tiger swallowtail numbers were way, way down here.  Even cabbage whites and clouded sulphurs seem scarce so far.

Night collecting has been pitiful, mainly due to cold and windy weather, but there may be a lingering impact from the May 28 freeze as well.  I run two UV traps most nights, and by this time of year I would have normally seen dozens of big poplar sphinx - I have seen only a single specimen through the end of June!  No Manduca species, no Sphinx species, just one elm sphinx, one achemon and two myron to this date.   No cecropia, no polyphemus, no luna, and only one io moth has made it to my lights so far. 

A few things have been plentiful, to the point of annoying excess.  Eastern tent caterpillar had a huge population of larvae this spring, the greatest I have seen here in 18 years of observation.  Some wild cherries hosted so many larval tents that the trees were completely defoliated by the end of the second instar.  I normally expect wild cherry trees to have made a bit of a comeback with new leaves by now.... but may have not done so and look dead.  I'm assuming they will actually struggle through, but they look real bad.

Anything else that relies on wild cherry foliage in the ETC hot-spots (southern Grand Traverse county, western and southern Kalkaska, northern Wexford county) will be in tight competition for food resources this year.  There are large acreages where you just can't find a wild cherry leaf!

Eastern tent caterpillar adults are clogging up the UV traps on the warmer nights-  several hundred a night on a few occasions.

The adults of the "winter cutworm" (Noctua pronuba) were very numerous in the UV trap in early June.  This flight occurred much earlier than the 2007 flight, which peaked in late July.  It will be rather interesting to see how this affects the seasonal cycle of this species this year.  Perhaps it will be able to slip in a partial second generation.

I will be surveying the southern row of Michigan counties on upcoming weekends, as I have other business that will take me to that part of the state.  I may be crazy, but I intend to really go looking for S. idalia in Michigan on these trips.

Report from Kyle Johnson, 28 June 2008,

A few notes (& photos) of possible interest.  [Owen, I'll send a few more photos in the next couple days that you can post on LepAlert]

Norris Camp (Lake of the Woods Co.) is quite the place for many boreal species.  In the past couple weeks Oeneis macounii (picture attached) has been quite common.  Several males jealously guard the entrance to camp, and even found a single female flying within 5 feet of the front door!

Oeneis macounii, Norris Camp (Lake of the Woods Co.), MN.
photograph by Kyle E. Johnson copyright ©  2008

Many new records for the boreal noctuid Lasionycta secedens (see attached spread & live pictures), including a large number at the Red Lake Peatland (Beltrami Co, MN).  All have been associated with heavily timbered "raised bogs" with abundant lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea).

Lasionycta secedens, Norris Camp (Lake of the Woods Co.), MN.
photograph by Kyle E. Johnson copyright ©  2008

The season is still about 2 weeds behind last year, and abundance has been low for many species, especially Boloria spp.  Boloria frigga has nearly vanished just as Boloria freija is coming to a close.  Also 4 times this season took Boloria freija & Boloria eunomia in the same bog on the same day...quite strange!

Still no records of Erebia mancinus from the study area (Glacial Lake Agassiz Peatlands), so on June 25-26 visited the "arrowhead" of MN.  June 25 hit 4 documented localities in Lake County.  Found them readily at McNair & Greenwood Lake Muskeg, but no sign of them at Sand Lake Peatland & Lumberjack Bog (new site discovered 2007 along with Dwayne Badgero & Don Rolfs)...more evidence that they are only present in alternate years at some sites.  As for host plants, only two sedges seem plausible...Carex trisperma & C. pauciflora.  Both are common in acid peatlands across northern MN, WI, & MI...so host plants are almost certainly not a limiting factor.  Climate is more likely, but even that doesn't explain why it hasn't turned up in the Glacial Lake Agassiz Peatlands in northern MN (as it has been taken in Sandilands Prov. Forest in Manitoba, which IS part of the Glacial Lake Agassiz peatlands, and is NOT any colder than many of the MN peatlands).  A good puzzle waiting to be
solved!

On June 26 discovered a new Erebia mancinus site near Cadotte Lake in ST Louis County, a slight range extension to the west (see attached habitat photo).  Big highlight of the trip!


new Erebia mancinus site near Cadotte Lake in St. Louis County, MN.
photograph by Kyle E. Johnson copyright ©  2008

? NO INFO provided by KEJ.
photograph by Kyle E. Johnson copyright ©  2008

Report from Todd Smith, 22 June 2008,
Hello from the Balitmore MD, area. Arrived on June 19th.
On June 20th, I went to Patuxent Research Refuge (North Tract) in Laurel, MD to observe and photograph butterflies. This property is similar to the Michigan State Game Areas.

Link: http://www.fws.gov/northeast/patuxent/ntintro.html

Attached are a few pics, I saw 24 species during the day, mostly nectaring on Milkweed. 

Zebra Swallowtail (20+)  2 attached pics

Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus) Patuxent Research Refuge (North Tract) in Laurel, MD, 22 June 2008.
photograph by Todd Smith copyright ©  2008


Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus) Patuxent Research Refuge (North Tract) in Laurel, MD, 22 June 2008.
photograph by Todd Smith copyright ©  2008

Spicebush Swallowtail (1)
Mourning Cloak (4)
Cabbage White (1)
Checkered White (4) 2 attached pics


Checkered White,  Patuxent Research Refuge (North Tract) in Laurel, MD, 22 June 2008.
photograph by Todd Smith copyright ©  2008

Checkered White,  Patuxent Research Refuge (North Tract) in Laurel, MD, 22 June 2008.
photograph by Todd Smith copyright ©  2008

Eastern Tailed Blue (abundant) 1 mated pair pic

Eastern Tailed Blue, Patuxent Research Refuge (North Tract) in Laurel, MD, 22 June 2008.
photograph by Todd Smith copyright ©  2008

Summer Azure (2)
American Lady (3)
Buckeye (3) 1 pic
Great Spangled Fritillary (abundant) 1 pic

Great Spangled Fritillary, Patuxent Research Refuge (North Tract) in Laurel, MD, 22 June 2008.
photograph by Todd Smith copyright ©  2008

Monarch (1)
Silver Spotted Skipper (abundant)
Northern Cloudywing (abundant)
Southern Cloudywing (a few)
Common Sootywing (a few)
Dun Skipper (few)
Orange Sulfur (10+)
Clouded Sulfur (a few)
Sleepy Orange (1)
Red-banded Hairstreak (1)
Variegated Fritillary (1)
Pearl Crescent (a few)
Little Wood Satyr (1)
Common Wood Nymph (1)

Report from Todd Smith, 22 June 2008,
While at MIL's in Huron Co. on June 14th, 2008, many Ringlets were flying 20+


Eyed Ringlet (Coenonympha tullia inornata) Huron Co., 14 June 2008
photograph by Todd Smith copyright ©  2008

Eyed Ringlet (Coenonympha tullia inornata) Huron Co., 14 June 2008
photograph by Todd Smith copyright ©  2008

Also seen in the yard (Bay City, MI):
Tiger Swallowtail (1)
Giant Swallowtail (1)
Cabbage White (several)
Hobomok Skipper (few)
Pearl Crescent (few)

Report from Martin Bialecki, 12 June 2008,

Not to one up you John but I've had them in good numbers for almost a week.  My first Tawny yesterday.

Report from John Farmer, 10 June 2008,

Report from Tom Bentley, 03 June 2008,
Attached are 4 photos to go with my reports.
Photos 8046, 8104, and 8221 are from my Michigan, Memorial Day report in Wilderness State Park.
Over Memorial Day weekend, I spend a few days in northern lower peninsula and also the UP.  Saturday, May 24 I arrived in the Trout Lake bogs around 10:30AM.  Weather was uppers 60s with a slight wind.  I was really excited for such outstanding weather.....I ended up disappointed and left early.  Only species seen were 10 Brown Elfins (Callophrys augustinus), Hoary Eflin (Callophrys polios), 4 Northern Azures (Celastrina lucia), and 10 Mourning Cloaks (Nymphalis antiopa).  No Boloria, arctics or alpines.  I have still never seen a Boloria in Michigan.

Later that day, we visited Wilderness State Park in Emmet County.  Brown Elfins (Callophrys augustinus) were common as were the whites.  Also saw 1 Eastern Pine Elfin (Callophrys niphon clarki), 3 Northern Azures (Celastrina lucia), 2 or 3 Duskywings (Erynnis sp) to be identified later if possible.  Photos coming.  Overall....very disappointing.


Northern Azure (Celestrina lucia), Wilderness State Park, Emmet Co., 24 May 2008.
photograph by Tom Bentley copyright ©  2008


Northern Azure (Celestrina lucia), Wilderness State Park, Emmet Co., 24 May 2008.
photograph by Tom Bentley copyright ©  2008

Duskywing, Wilderness State Park, Emmet Co., 24 May 2008.
photograph by Tom Bentley copyright ©  2008

Photo 9296 is from my Indiana Dune report on June 1.Visted the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore on Sunday, June 1.  Weather was in the mid to upper 70s with a slight breeze off the lake.  Lupine was in full bloom and was literally carpeting the black oak forest.  I have never seen it look so good.   Butterflies were not overally abundant.  Species seen included numerous Pearl Crescents (Phyciodes tharos), 4+ Duskywings, 1 Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) seen puddling on beach and 2 Male Karner Blues (Lycaeides melissa samuelis).  The Karner Blues were not found until almost 4 PM on my walk back to the car.  One was sort of worn while the other was immaculate.


Karner Blue (Lycaeides melissa samuelis) male, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, 01 June 2008.
photograph by Tom Bentley copyright ©  2008

I am off to Wisconsin for Saturday June 7  and possible Indiana Dunes area on Sunday. 

Report from OAP, 05 June 2008,
Dwayne and I are headed north at dawn on Friday and plan to meet Todd Smith.
We will be surveying in the Northern Lower Peninsula and then into the Upper Peninsula.

Report from Todd Smith, 05 June 2008,

On June 1st, 2008, I took a ride up to north of the Waters area, at the oil well sites along Old State Rd, near Mo's hut.  I was looking for Chryxus Artic and Grizzled Skipper, and I would not be disappointed...

I started at a well site again that we checked last year, but did not find anything in the morning. I then went over to Lovells Rd and checked out some Chryxus habitat, and did find one specimen on the snowmobile trail.

I then ventured back to the well site and found Mo and his friend Ted there. I chased after a Chryxus there and wiped out. There were a few elfins and duskywings feeding on the wild strawberry.  We then went to another well nearby, where I found a few more Chryxus Artic specimens. Did not see any Grizzled Skippers...yet.

Erynnis juvenalis, Otsego Co, 01 June 2008.
photograph by Todd Smith copyright ©  2008

Went back to Mo's hut and downed a few cold ones, and kept an eye out on the Lilacs. Several Canadian Tiger Swallowtails were flying around. Also a few azures and some Clearwings, two species,  gracilis and diffinis. Thysbe may also have been seen by Mo or Ted. 

American Copper, Otsego Co., 01 June 2008.
photograph by Todd Smith copyright ©  2008

Silvery Blue, Otsego Co., 01 June 2008.
photograph by Todd Smith copyright ©  2008

Ted and I decided to go for one more look and check his female Columbia Silk Moth placed in a cage down the road from Mo's hut.

We looked at the well sites again, and this time when we were getting ready to leave, I found a Grizzled Skipper on Wild Strawberry.  There is another well close to this.

Mo and Ted had also gotten 1 each of centaureae earlier in the week, I think at the same area.

So we checked the Columbia female and she was coupled with a male. Took several pics, and I have attached a few.

Columbia Silkmoth, left, male attracted to caged female, right, Otsego Co. 01 June 2008.
photograph by Todd Smith copyright ©  2008

Columbia Silkmoth, Otsego Co. 01 June 2008.
photograph by Todd Smith copyright ©  2008

Olympia marble was quite common in the area, see a few attached pics. 

Olympia marble, Otsego Co., 01 June 2008.
photograph by Todd Smith copyright ©  2008

Olympia marble, Otsego Co., 01 June 2008.
photograph by Todd Smith copyright ©  2008

Olympia marble, Otsego Co., 01 June 2008.
photograph by Todd Smith copyright ©  2008

I ended up with about 6 Chryxus Artics, all in all a successful day. It was great to meet up with Mo and Ted.

Report from Todd Smith, 05 June 2008,
On Sunday, May 25th, 2008 I visited the Bay County Lupine sites in Kawkawlin. 
Lupine was found in many spots at the Calvary Cemetery, see attached pics.

Calvary Cemetery, Kawkawlin, Bay County, 25 May 2008. Lupine patch.
photographs by Todd Smith copyright ©  2008

Found a mated pair of Juvenal's Duskywings above at Lupine patch, 
I had hoped they might be Persius. See attached pics of mated pair.

Calvary Cemetery, Kawkawlin, Bay County, 25 May 2008. 
Mated pair of Erynnis juvenalis.
photographs by Todd Smith copyright ©  2008

The recreation area had been recently burned, I will check that site again next year.
No other species of leps that feed on Lupine were observed.

Report from Mo Nielsen, 05 June 2008,
Otsego County, MI, 29 May to, 2 June, 2008, at MO'S hut and environs. Temps ranged from a high of 80d to a low of 49d, with 
beautiful clear skies on two days to cloudy, rain, fog and some breeze the rest of the time. Edward (Ted) Herig and Mogens (MO) Nielsen, brief visit with Todd Smith, reports:
BUTTERFLIES: Collected/observed: 
Papilio canadensis-many immaculate males a few females nectaring on lilacs and choke cherry;
Pieris napi oleracea-one immaculate male at lilac;
Euchloe olympia- several, worn to immaculate, nectaring on wild strawberry,and flying in dry open areas;
Colias philodice-two fresh to worn, flying in dry open areas;
Lycaena phlaeas americana-several (some in copla) nectaring on wild strawberry;
Incisalia augustinus-few immaculate nectaring on wild  strawberry;
Incisalia niphon clarki-several immaculate nectaring on pussy toes and wild strawberry;
Celastrina lucia-two fresh nectaring on lilac and choke cherry;
Celastrina serotina-several fresh to immaculate, mostly females, on Choke cherry and lilacs (Ted found two ova on Cherry leaf galls);
Boloria selene atrocostalis-one nectaring on wild strawberry;
Boloria bellona-one immaculate nectaring on wild strawberry;
Phyciodes selenis (cocyta)- one immaculate flying at rear of hut;
Polygonia progne-one fresh nectaring on lilacs;
Nymphalis antiopa-few immaculate along trails;
Vanessa virginiensis-one immaculate along trail (TS);
Oeneis chryxus strigulosa-several, fresh to immaculate nectaring on wild strawberry and flying in open areas;
Danaus plexippus-one flying NE'ly across road SE of hut; 
SKIPPERS: Collectd/observed:
Erynnis icelus-several immaculate nectaring on wild strawberry;
Erynnis juvenalis-one immaculate female nectaring on lilacs;
Pyfgrus centaurae wyandot-few immaculate nectaring on wild strawberry;
Carterocephalus palaemon mandan-few immaculate nectaring on wild strawberry and lilac;
Poanes hobomok-one immaculate nectaring on lilac; 
Amblyscirtes vialis-few immaculate nectaring on wild strawberry;
MOTHS: ollected/observed: (Highlights-too many to list or unidentified)
Dryocampa rubicunda-few immaculate at Sunlamp(SL)/UV;
Antheraea polyphemus-one immaculate males attracted to caged female;
Actias luna--one immaculate male at SL/UV;
Hyalophora cecropia-two immaculate males attracted to caged females;
Hyalophora columbia-one immaculate male attracted to caged female;
Sphinx poecila-few immaculate at SL/UV and in UV trap;
Sphinx drupiferarum-one immaculate at SL/UV;
Smerinthus cerisyi-two immaculate at SL/UV; 
Hemaris thysbe-few immaculate nectaring at lilacs;
Hemaris gracilis-few immaculate nectaring at lilacs;
Hemaris diffinis-one immaculate nectaring at lilacs;
Pachysphinx modesta-one immaculate male at SL/UV;
Darapsa myron-two immaculate at SL/UV;
Zale submediana-several immaculate at SL/UV;
Zale lunifera-several immaculate at SL/UV;
Syngrapha microgamma nearctica-one nectaring on wild strawberry and one nectaring on lilacs;
Acronicta dactylina-one immaculate at SL/UV'
Acronicta innotata-one immaculate at SL/UV;
Acronicta noctivaga-one immaculate at SL/UV;
Sideridis rosea-few immaculate at SL/UV;
Lithophane amanda-one worn at SL/UV.

 See you at the MES Annual Meeting.
Cheers,
"MO" 

Report from Robert D. "Bob" Kriegel, 02 June 2008,
Hey der one and all,

I left last week Sunday afternoon for the UP -- hey ya dos whats ya can.  I
left 2 days later than I had hoped, as there were commercial project tasks
I needed to complete before I could leave town.  The gory results are
online on my photostream at www.flickr.com/kriegelbob (see UDC Nationals
collection).

By the time I hit St. Ignace just before dark a nasty thunderstorm was
blowing in from the West.  I left the Straits Monday morning in rain and
wind, with rain on and off for most of the day.  Temps started off in the
low 50s, but somewhere between Marquette and Baraga I hit a cold
front.  The last 20 miles driving through the high ground on the way to
Copper Harbor it was raining and SNOWING.  There were NO leaves on the
trees and the locals said the snow drifts had just melted and frost gone
out of the ground a few days earlier.

Tuesday I dug holes looking for minerals: Delaware, Drexel, and Ojibway
mines.  Weather was overcast and cool.  I dug with two layers of shirts and
a coat on.  No leps, or flies, or bees, no nothin was flying.

Wednesday, a friend in Copper Harbor just bought the property that includes
the Robbins (West Vein) copper mine.  This mine is next to the Phoenix.  It
was his day off and his first time to look at the property after the snow
was gone.  I helped him work on his mine and we metal detected on his rock
pile.  Nice woods.  It will be a great place to blacklight when I go back
in August.  Saw one Mourning Cloak and one C. lucia.  It was a nice day,
but not much of anything was flying yet.

Thursday was beautiful, in the mid 70s with only a slight breeze.  Many of
the trees started to unfurl their leaves.  I arranged months ago to spent
this day prospecting for datolite along a remote section of Lake Superior
coastline near Keweenaw Point with a local rockhound from Houghton.  That
was a trip of a lifetime but another story altogether.  Saw several
Mourning Cloaks while we headed into the bush and were frequented by C.
lucia along the shoreline.  Got back to Copper Harbor around 10 pm.  Moths
were flying but I didn't put out a blacklight trap because a bad storm was
about to hit.  It hit 30 minutes later while I was having a brat and beer
at Ziks.

Friday was 40-45 F with rain and wind all day.  I saw some ducks and ate
lunch at a 5 star restaurant.  Nuf said.

Saturday was overcast, cool and windy.  I poked around the shoreline and
inland looking for things to photograph and seeing if any leps were flying,
but apparently they have bigger brains than I did causin they weren't
out.  Dug for minerals at the Mandan Gravel Pit and stopped by the Delaware
mine to talk to some of the rockhounds gathered there for a dig.  Ended up
in Houghton.

Left Houghton, MI Sunday morning.  By 10 am it was sunny and 65F when I
stopped at the MTU woods on Alberta Ave, off Baraga Plains Rd.  West
Virginia Whites were flying.  Took three immature specimens in 15 minutes
nectaring on dandelions right on the two track.  That question answered and
9.5 hrs of driving left to go I pushed on.  I wanted to get home by dusk
and calculated that I could only stop at 2-3 places and still make it home
in time, so I picked my targets carefully.

At 1:45 pm I pulled into the trailhead at Eckerman Corners.  It was sunny
and 75F, with little wind so my hopes were high.  I was expecting to see
lots of butterflies.  What I found instead is that they are logging
there.  As logging goes this is pretty surgical and in a year or two this
may be a much better collecting place, but today it was very quiet.  The
only block I actually saw logged is the first portion to the left of the
trail.  There are separate stacks of LARGE maple logs and small to middle
sized beech logs along the trail.  They left enough medium sized beeches
for a full canopy but the understory has been completely cleared away.  Not
sure whether this is a bad thing or not; it may actually be good as the
groundcover is intact.  Had never realized how much Solomon Seal is in that
woods before.  The brush along the trail has been cleared (cut off at knee
level) to open up the trail for logging trucks.  It will be a much sunnier
trail now, which may help bring our hairstreak friend down out of the
trees.  I did not drive in, but it looks like we may now be able to drive
in quite a ways.  Saw ONE C. lucia on the trail and collected two pine
elfins.  Haven't checked yet whether they are eastern or western but I was
in a block of spruce not white or red pines.  Saw one dusky wing skipper
among the slash that eluded me.  No sign of hegon.

Around 2:45 pm I turned in on USFS 3141 and slowly drove as far as the low
area where the bog comes up to the road on both sides.  This is usually a
great spot for leps.  On the way in there was a Mourning Cloak sunning
itself in the road near the sign.  I put on my boots and walked that low
spot and into the bog on both sides of the road.  I saw a couple of C.
lucia on the road and a paltry few Brown Elfins in the bog.  Maybe half a
dozen of the little splashy orange and brown geometrids sunning themselves
on the road.  In the bog, leatherleaf flowers are browning and falling
off.  Bog Rosemary is well into bloom.  Bog laurel flowers are visible but
still tightly closed.  After that I drove back up near the highway and made
another much larger loop north into the bog with the same results.

At 3:45 I was parking in my favorite spot on USFS 3344, ready to spot B.
freija and discoidalis.  On the way in the two track I passed a couple
Mourning Cloaks.  I walked the road, then headed into the bog, doing a
large loop to the north and working well beyond the traditional spot where
I always find freija.  Lowbush blueberry is in bloom as is
Serviceberry.  Although it was getting on in the afternoon it was still a
beautiful day; 75-79F, sunny, very light breeze.  Anything that was out
should have been flying.  I saw a couple Spring Azures, and a few Brown
Elfins.  I left my watch with a temperature sensor in my closed car.  When
I returned it was in the sun and read 143F.  It was too hot to wear.  On my
way out after an hour and a half I saw a single, lonely Canadian Tiger
Swallowtail.  That was it with a capital I and a capital T -- IT.  There
was plenty of water in the bog, although the two tracks at both locations
were completely dry with no good puddling patches.

I arrived home at 9:35 pm after a very close call with a deer at 75 mph on
the expressway south of Mt. Pleasant.  He was less than 10 ft from coming
through the windshield and ending up in my lap.  But, as they say, no harm
no foul.

In general my assessment is that the plants and butterflies are way out of
sync in the Eastern UP this year due to a cool, late spring.  Locals
throughout the UP indicated a late, heavy snowfall in April that set the
season back.  Snowfall in the Keweenaw was normal; but I don't know about
the Eastern UP.  As we are well into bog rosemary bloom the trails should
have been loaded with Spring Azures and Brown Elfins, but both are still a
novelty and very fresh indeed.  I had a message on my phone from Martin
that he had seen a freija 1-2 days before.  I have no doubt there are a few
out.  But I do not think much of the population has emerged yet or I would
most certainly have seen some.  However, yesterday's warmth will push
emergence forward.

Through midnight yesterday (6/1/2008), the DD total at Newberry is 121 DD
-- figure almost 20 of that total is from yesterday alone.  This compares
with 285 on the same date a year ago and confirms this is a late year. For
the West Virginia White observation, the total at Marquette was 128, but
further inland at Stambaugh was 158.  So I would guess somewhere around
140-150.  By the way, the total through midnight on 6/1 at Houghton, MI is
94 for 2008, compared to 316 for last season.  If the weather is decent
late this week and next weekend I expect freija will be flying throughout
the Eastern UP.  Unfortunately, I will be driving to Chicago where I will
spend all of the following week indoors at a software development training
class.  At least I will have a good meal of Thai food at Rosdeds that
Friday evening.  Get thee to dem woods and let me know what ya find, eh.
The link below contains a few pictures from the adventure that are posted on my Flicker
photostream:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kriegelbob/sets/72157605341088956/

Back to da bit mines,

Click on Photo Gallery in the yellow area above and you will see:

This came in an email from Mo Nielsen and I inserted it for the pleasure of anyone interested, especially those who are patriotic!

Report from Todd Smith, 04 June 2008,

I'll have a full report for you from the past couple weeks activities. A couple highlights:

May 25th I checked out the Bay Co. Lupine spots, there is still Lupine growing but not much for leps present at the time. Pics to follow. 

On June 1st I went up to the area around Mo's hut, looking for Chryxus Artic and Grizzled Skipper.  I ended up meeting with Mo and his friend Ted and we looked around for leps.  This time I took a good spill (not Mo) and ate a bit of dirt, chasing a Chryxus, still sore but okay. A Kodak moment for sure. 

I ended up with around 5 Chryxus, and the Grizzled Skipper was present!  Olympia Marble was very common also, have some pics to share. 

Ted had put out a female Columbia Silk Moth east of Mo's hut on the side of the road in a tree, and when we checked, it was coupled with a male. Pics to follow. 

More later....with pics...[Note from OAP: We await your pictures and report!]

Report from Mo Nielsen, 03 June 2008,

From Kyle E. Johnson, 03 June 2008,
A few notes of possible interest.

On May 31 took a single male Boloria freija in a bait trap (Lake of the Woods Co.)  Trap was baited with rotten bananas.  Last year also took many B. chariclea grandis in a bait trap.  Anyone else know of Boloria from bait traps?

On May 31 took the speedy diurnal noctuid Heliothis borealis in Lake of the Woods Co., a new county record & 3rd site in the state.  I was more than happy with that, but the following day took it at 3 sites in a row!!!  And still the following day, took one S. of International Falls along a muddy path through balsam/aspen dominated forest w/ lichen/moss encrusted rock outcroppings & plenty of blueberry (likely host based on habitat associations).  Oddly enough I've failed to catch a single Coranarta luteola (formerly Anarta cordigera) up here...saw several though!

Took Erebia discoidalis at 12 new sites thus far (4 in a single day on June 1), in a wide variety of peatland habitats but consistently associated with the sedge Carex chordorrhiza, the/a likely host plant.  The one oddball was a single male taken along a path through lowland scrub willow/aspen shrubland.  Also saw while driving (but never caught) one flying in an open grassy clearcut of some kind...have to investigate that when the rain stops!

On June 2 caught the first Oeneis jutta & Boloria frigga of the year, near International Falls.  Oddly the season seems farther along there compared to farther west...perhaps they missed the foot of snow in late April?!

Hope you are all having good luck in the field.

Report from OAP, 01 June 2008,
I plan to go north this week, even if the weather is not predicted to be optimal. 
I am still observing for the life histories & distribution, of the Lupine feeders (Karner Blue, Persius Duskywing, and Frosted Elfin), Grizzled Skipper, Early Hairstreak, to name a few, as well as Freija, Discoidalis, and other blues.

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