Welcome to Lepidoptera Alert. I'm back with
my new computer.
Email: Lepalert@comcast.net for communication with site
adminstrator, OAP.
All reports since the last one posted in April are posted in this Alert
Update May 2008.
Click on
Jun in yellow section above for
June 2008 reports.
Report from OAP, 01 June 2008,
Dwayne Badgero (including Todd Smith on one occasion) and I have taken
several trips since 18 May and I will provide these reports this week
(hopefully with photos), but I wanted to get up to date on reports
provided to me up to this date.
Report from Maria Albright, 23 May 2008,
John Lerg noted 2 males yesterday (May 22nd) at the Gun Club. Happy
searching all.
Report from Kyle E. Johnson, 22 May 2008,
You might be interested to know that yesterday (May 21) in the Red Lake
Peatland (Beltrami Co, MN) I took a male & female B. freija AND
a male & FEMALE Erebia discoidalis...and serviceberry is
definitely NOT yet in bloom. I'm almost wondering if the plant &
insect phenology is just a little different up here. Callophrys
augustinus is out in moderate numbers, but seemingly no more numerous
than B. freija. Past experience in WI/MI says that C.
augustinus is definitely earlier than B. freija, but up here
that may not be the case...if so, it is not by much. [Note from OAP: My
observations in Michigan cause me to believe that this year the flora
phenology and the fauna phenology is not in sink as in other years.]
Report from Tom Bentley, 22 May 2008,
I am sure you follow this site: http://www.wisconsinbutterflies.org/butterflies/sightings/
There was a pretty great sighting of 15 Frosted Elfins yesterday in
Wisconsin at the Bauer Brockway Barrens. Question I have for you, what
historical locations in Michigan have hosted the Frosted Elfin. I
may be interested in checking out some sights over the next few years.
Wasn't sure how close they are to Chicago or our family cottage in Emmet
County.
Report from Tom Bentley, 21 May 2008,
This past Saturday, May 17, we headed up to Riley Lake Bog in Price
County, Wisconsin. When we arrived around 8:30AM the sun was
shining brightly but it was breezy. Within 2 hours, it had clouded
over and it started to sprinkle. Brown Elfins were the only species
seen...numbers were in the hundreds. Another group of 12
butterfliers were also there....many with experience in the bog. The
only additional species they had were two Spring Azures and a Mourning
Cloak.
Late that morning, we headed south to Waushara County and visited Karner
Blue Meadow State Natural Area. The sun was out for about an hour
between rain showers. In that brief break I saw 6 Olympia Marbles (Euchloe
olympia) including one that perched on its host plant (Lyre-leaved Rock
Cress) for 10 minutes, 2 Henry's Elfins (Callophrys henrici) and a Eastern
Tailed Blue (Everes comyntas).
About 1.5 miles down that road, we had received a tip that this was a good
location for Henry's Elfins (Callophrys henrici). The clouds had
moved in and we struck out. We did see 2 Silvery Blues (Glaucopsyche
lygdamus) which was surprisingly a new "official" species for
me....I think I had always ignored it and thought it was an Azure or
Eastern Tailed Blue.
The following day, Sunday, May 18, we drove west to Bauer-Brockway
Barrens State Natural Area in Jackson County. From the WI SNA site
"Bauer-Brockway Barrens features scattered jack pine and Hill's oak
within a matrix of sand prairie and shrubs located on the level sandy
soils characteristic of the extinct Glacial Lake Wisconsin."
This is a historical location for Frosted Elfins (Callophrys irus).
The exciting news is that 2 were seen in this area this year!!
The weather started out clear and very cool (40s). Within two hours
the clouds had returned. We saw a American Copper (Lycaena
phlaeas),
American Lady, (Vanessa virginiensis), 2 Dreamy Duskywing (Erynnis
icelus),
2 Cobweb Skippers (Hesperia metea). I need to check my photos but
there may have also been a Persius Duskywing (Erynnis persius) present.
Back in Illinois in Cook County at Bluff Spring Fen Nature Preserve, I had
2 Baltimore Checkerspot Caterpillars.
Over Memorial Day weekend, I will be once again visiting the bogs of the
UP. Hope to have some better sightings!
Tom Bentley
www.thomasbentley.com
Report from OAP, 18 May 2008, sent to Mo:
Yes I have been collecting. Dwayne and I went to the Oakland Land
Conservancy property called Golden Preserve near Rattalee Lake and got
vouchers of E. persius last Wednesday, also went to Bald Mountain RA.
Thursday we went to Kalkaska and put out traps at Rosenburg Rd & M72
site, then south to Mecosta Co where Dwayne got his first West Virginia
White, then south to Tamarack Rd and Gates Rd in Montcalm Co. Nothing
special there but saw the phenology of the Lupine there. Then south to
Allegan where Dwayne put out a UV trap and caught 3 life moths. Friday
morning we met with Marie Albright and she provided details for where
Laura Palombi obtains her female Karner Blues and Marie provided her
Frosted Skipper sites. We went to the Powerline and M-89 site twice, but
found no Frosted Elfins, Persius Duskywings, or Cobweb Skippers. On
a return later in the afternoon one Persius Duskywing was vouchered by
Dwayne. I
did get several Olympia Marbles for Harry King. We surveyed several
other Lupine sites and had success at one of them. Dwayne caught
one Frosted Elfin there. We returned there about 3PM and he got 4 more
Frosted Elfins and I got one. He also got 5 Cobweb Skippers and I got
one. That was all I needed to voucher the site, date, and DD50. I got
lots of phenology photos of Lupine at all the sites we surveyed.
Report from Kyle E. Johnson, 12 May 2008,
A possible note of interest regarding early spring acid peatland leps
& phenology. The weather here in far northern MN has been very
cool, with highs typically in the high 40's to low 50's, and lows around
freezing. So a slow warm up.
I've spent a lot of time so far in the Red Lake Peatland (the "Big
Bog"), and luckily seemed to hit the extreme beginnings of a few
species. On May 7 I found 2 fresh males of the geo Macaria (Epelis)
truncataria in several hours under relatively good conditions (mostly
sunny/high of 55F). And yesterday (May 11) in addition to 3 fresh
male M. truncataria found a single immaculate male Callophrys
augustinus and single immaculate male BOLORIA FREIJA, in a
couple hours search under relatively good conditions (high of 55F, mostly
sunny). The B. freija wasn't expected, as I hadn't seen any
spring emerging butterflies previously (not even Celastrina lucia).
Plus, there are still a few highly isolated snow remnants on the ground,
in shaded uplands. Also, it snowed on May 10! Heavy ice cover
is still present just beneath the Sphagnum in the bogs. Tamarack is
in very tight bud (less than 1/4" showing), and few isolated flowers
of leatherleaf are beginning to open (BUT, due to cool conditions the
plants seem to be advancing slightly faster than the insects).
So, thus far Macaria (Epelis) truncataria seems to be the earliest
spring emerging diurnal acid peatland lep, followed by C. augustinus
& B. freija on par (always thought C. augustinus was
earlier). Have yet to find Glyphipterix haworthana (Glyphipterigidae)
and Pseudexentera vaccinii/kalmiana (Tortricidae) up here, despite
much searching.
As for degree days, Stambaugh (in the UP) read 68 (base 50) for May 11,
and from what I've seen it's been slightly warmer there than the Red Lake
Peatland area in northern MN. So it seems at least a few precocious B.
freija are out well before the sacred "90" [and what about
Dwayne's bizzare find of E. discoidalis near Trout Lake (MI) last
year, with the DD50 well below 90...yet to figure that out!] [Note from
OAP: That's not so hard to understand. The 50DD of "sacred" 90
is not based on scientific data from the site, but from a station some
distance and habitat from the site. I have data from other vouchers that
substantiates that some early emergence takes place with optimal
conditions, but the "sacred" DD50 = 90 is a plausible value to
use as a gauge for when one could start to look for B. freija. As
for E. discoidalis, I planned to put a HOBO Maximum-Minimum degree
recording device in the bog last winter, but the crash of my computer will
cause a delay until next winter to determine the DD50 for the Trout Lake
site to compare with the Newberry and/or Sault Ste Marie stations.]
Report from Todd Smith, 07 May 2008,
Only have seen three species so far, several cabbage whites, one red
admiral, and one sulfur. Should be picking up soon, though.
Report from Kyle E. Johnson, 26 April 2008,
Attached is a field update you can put on LepAlert. I'm now back in
MN, amidst heavy snow!
As I write this here
at Norris Camp (Lake of the Woods Co, MN) there are 8-10 inches of snow on
the ground, and more continues to fall!
So back to winter insect collecting up here!
I few brief
highlights from the past month or so.
In mid-March I led a
UW Entomology Club trip down to the Mississippi/Louisiana Gulf
coast…from winter to summer in 24 hours!
Photo here at the Airey Lake Campground in Stone County,
Mississippi (18 March 2008). Papilio
palamedes were common right in the campground!
Hypsoropha
monilis
at bait, Airey Lake Campground, Stone Co, MS (16 March 2008).
Callosamia
angulifera
at UV light, Airey Lake Campground, Stone Co, MS (16 March 2008).
A Green Anole peers
over the brim of my hat at the Pascagoula River WMA in Jackson County,
Mississippi (17 March 2008)
Nat Hall stands on a
bayou boardwalk at Joyce WMA in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana (20 March
2007). I opted not to use the
boardwalk…but sadly no alligators were seen.
It was around 80F and muggy this day; by the next morning we were
back in Madison, WI amidst a heavy snow shower!
On Wednesday, April
23 I left the Deep South of Madison, WI headed toward Norris Camp in
northern Minnesota. Here is a
light raid at a rest area in Washburn County in NW Wisconsin (23 April
2008) This is probably Paleacrita merriccata, which is not seen as
often as the similar P. vernata.
The most exciting
find at the rest area in Washburn County.
Based the number of males on the building, this is probably the
female of Phigalia strigataria, an early spring geo.
Females of several genera of fall/winter/spring geos are wingless
to nearly wingless.
Report from Kyle E. Johnson, 23 April 2008,
Hopefully your trip to the UP/northern LP went. I'm off to Norris
Camp, MN today, and should be back in email contact by tomorrow night. One
brief note of possible interest: on my walk into campus today (Madison,
Dane Co. WI) I saw a single monarch flying slowly about...seemed fairly
early considering the more "normal" spring this year. More late
when I get to MN.
Report from Denny Brooks, 15 April 2008,
I had a Mourning Cloak and Eastern Comma on 4/6 at Chippewa Nature
Center, in Midland County.
They were hanging around our leaky old Maple trees.
Report from Stephen Ross, 29 March 2008,
At 3:22 PM today (29th) I had my
first mourning cloak. I was actually looking for it in the spot where I
see my first one every year, it was a still a surprise. Air temp was
about 40 degrees but there had been good solar radiation along the
hillside for two days during clear skies. There was still quite
a bit of snow on the ground and the nearby pond still 90% covered
with ice. It is the first time I've recorded my first butterfly
while I was wearing a parka. Also recorded for a first of this year
was a water strider and a few striped (western) chorus frogs.
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