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| List: Carolina-Leps Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2025 13:36:29 -0400 From: Harry LeGrand (via carolinaleps Mailing List) <carolinaleps...> Subject: Re: Carolina Butterfly Society Trip Report |
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--00000000000052fe0f0632e8bab6 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Folks, I want to thank Marty for keeping the tally of the butterflies and for compiling and writing this report. The trip was scheduled in January, LONG before we know what the always tricky April weather will be. As it turned out, April 12 (Saturday) was about the most miserable weather you can get in April without rain! The forecast was for partly cloudy with a midafternoon high of 62-63 degrees, but it stayed completely cloudy all day in Carteret County, in the 50s all day, and the winds were 10-20 mph in the open. Thus, at Fort Macon it was quite uncomfortable. We had more sheltered conditions within Croatan National Forest that afternoon, but only a few people saw any butterflies at all, and sadly only Dave Kastner saw the Intricate Satyr, though he did obtain a nice photo. Sunday was much better weather, though still coolish. Thankfully, it was sunny about all day, though the temps only reached the low 60s most of the day. The management at Holly Shelter, by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, is still poor, with very little needed controlled burning since right after COVID hit in 2020-2021. We did see a few large recent burns along the outside of the main loop road; these areas were still charred but will be good by late summer and into the next few years, but most areas are badly fire suppressed, which hinders flowering by most plant species. And, the main target butterfly species there seem to have vanished. We did find 14 species for the day, and everyone saw 1-2 of the target and scarce Reversed Roadside-Skippers, our best find of the weekend. If it weren't for 8 people looking and walking through the flatwoods and savannas, it would have been hard to see even one. Confused Cloudywing was another nice find, and confusing it was, as in a short stretch of roadside we saw 4 cloudywings, of all three species! Sadly, the elfin was skittish, and only Dave Kastner was able to quickly grab a photo. He had to lighten up his photo later for us to be sure it was a Henry's and not the hoped-for target Frosted Elfin. But, it was in a recent fire break, right beside a pocosin with lots of evergreen hollies, and we surmised it likely was a Henry's owing to habitat. Jeff Pippen found us our sole Great Purple Hairstreak, nectaring on *Sorbus arbutifolia,* well away from a road in the middle of a savanna. The Kastners made the smart decision to have booked the Jacksonville hotel for an extra night, and so they stayed over to Monday to re-look for Crystal Skipper at Fort Macon -- easy in mid-April if sunny or warmish. And, as several folks had seen a handful there that Sunday (no surprise), the Kastners certainly felt comfortable about finding them on Monday. As you can read, they found 11. And, as it was quite warm in April on Monday, they stopped again in the afternoon in Holly Shelter and found a Little Metalmark, probably the first reported in NC in 2025. Thankfully, this game land still holds a good number of metalmarks, even though it seems to have "lost" its Frosted Elfins and Yucca Giant-Skippers, if not a few other rarities. Thus, the weekend (to include the honorary Monday) was a success, even though it was really mostly a Sunday event for most of us. We were able to see a good array of spectacular carnivorous plants, many in bloom, along with a few good butterflies. Harry LeGrand Raleigh On Wed, Apr 16, 2025 at 12:57=E2=80=AFPM "<kastners...>" <carolinaleps@d= uke.edu> wrote: > *Carolina Butterfly Society Trip Report* > *April 12-14, 2025* > Harry LeGrand and Lori Arent organized and led our walk. In attendance > were Caroline Tisdale, Salman Abdulali (4/13 only), David Heavner, Jeff > Pippen (4/13 only) and Dave and Marty Kastner. In our search for > butterflies, we were treated to some beautiful wildflowers. We saw native > azaleas, yellow and red pitcher plants, yellow and blue butterworts, > sundews and a Venus flytrap. > > *4/12/25 Fort Macon State Park, Carteret County* > *11:00-12:45 Cloudy and windy Temperatures in the low to mid 50=E2=80= =99s * > We searched for Crystal Skippers both on a trail and in an area with some > clover. It was just too cold and cloudy for butterflies, so we saw none. > > *4/12/25 Croatan National Forest, Carteret and Craven Counties *(butter= flies > were in Craven County) > *1:30-5:00 Temperatures in the mid 50=E2=80=99s. Cloudy until 4:50* > Pearl Crescent 2 > Carolina Satyr 1 > *Intricate Satyr 1* > Gemmed Satyr 1 > > *4/13/25 Holly Shelter Game Land, Pender County* > *10:00-5:00 Mostly sunny 53-67 degrees* > Palamedes Swallowtail 254 (that were counted) > Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 3 > Spicebush Swallowtail 2 > *Henry=E2=80=99s Elfin 1* > *Holly Azure 8 * > Eastern Tailed-Blue 1 > Red-banded Hairstreak 5 > *Great Purple Hairstreak 1* > Pearl Crescent 150 (estimated) > Monarch 1 > Southern Cloudywing 2 > Northern Cloudywing 1 > *Confused Cloudywing 1* > *Reversed Roadside-Skipper 4 * > > *Fort Macon State Park* > *4/14/25 10:00-11:45 Sunny and windy 65-69 degrees* > Dave, Marty and friend, Jeff Smith only > Monarch 1 > *Crystal Skipper 11 (Lifer. Including a pair that mated right in front > of us.)* > > *Holly Shelter Game Land* > *4/14/25 2:00-5:15 Sunny 76-79 degrees* > Dave, Marty and friend, Jeff Smith only > Palamedes Swallowtail 170 > Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 3 > *Little Metalmark 1* > Holly Azure 1 > Pearl Crescent 101 > Juvenal=E2=80=99s Duskywing 1 (worn) > > Marty Kastner > Blythewood, SC > > > > > > > --00000000000052fe0f0632e8bab6 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <div dir=3D"ltr"><div>Folks,</div><div><br></div><div>I want to thank Marty= for keeping the tally of the butterflies and for compiling and writing thi= s report.=C2=A0 The trip was scheduled in January, LONG before we know what= the always tricky April weather will be.=C2=A0 As it turned out, April 12 = (Saturday) was about the most miserable weather you can get in April withou= t rain!=C2=A0 The forecast was for partly cloudy with a midafternoon high o= f 62-63 degrees, but it stayed completely cloudy all day in Carteret County= , in the 50s all day, and the winds were 10-20 mph in the open.=C2=A0 Thus,= at Fort Macon it was quite uncomfortable. We had more sheltered conditions= within Croatan National Forest that afternoon, but only a few people saw a= ny butterflies at all, and sadly only Dave Kastner saw the Intricate Satyr,= though he did obtain a nice photo. <br></div><div><br></div><div>Sunday wa= s much better weather, though still coolish. Thankfully, it was sunny about= all day, though the temps only reached the low 60s most of the day.=C2=A0 = The management at Holly Shelter, by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, i= s still poor, with very little needed controlled burning since right after = COVID hit in 2020-2021.=C2=A0 We did see a few large recent burns along the= outside of the main loop road; these areas were still charred but will be = good by late summer and into the next few years, but most areas are badly f= ire suppressed, which hinders flowering by most plant species.=C2=A0 And, t= he main target butterfly species there seem to have vanished.</div><div><br= ></div><div>We did find 14 species for the day, and everyone saw 1-2 of the= target and scarce Reversed Roadside-Skippers, our best find of the weekend= .=C2=A0 If it weren't for 8 people looking and walking through the flat= woods and savannas, it would have been hard to see even one.=C2=A0 Confused= Cloudywing was another nice find, and confusing it was, as in a short stre= tch of roadside we saw 4 cloudywings, of all three species!=C2=A0 Sadly, th= e elfin was skittish, and only Dave Kastner was able to quickly grab a phot= o.=C2=A0 He had to lighten up his photo later for us to be sure it was a He= nry's and not the hoped-for target Frosted Elfin. But, it was in a rece= nt fire break, right beside a pocosin with lots of evergreen hollies, and w= e surmised it likely was a Henry's owing to habitat.=C2=A0 Jeff Pippen = found us our sole Great Purple Hairstreak, nectaring on <i>Sorbus arbutifol= ia,</i> well away from a road in the middle of a savanna.</div><div><br></d= iv><div>The Kastners made the smart decision to have booked the Jacksonvill= e hotel for an extra night, and so they stayed over to Monday to re-look fo= r Crystal Skipper at Fort Macon -- easy in mid-April if sunny or warmish.= =C2=A0 And, as several folks had seen a handful there that Sunday (no surpr= ise), the Kastners certainly felt comfortable about finding them on Monday.= =C2=A0 As you can read, they found 11.=C2=A0 And, as it was quite warm in A= pril on Monday, they stopped again in the afternoon in Holly Shelter and fo= und a Little Metalmark, probably the first reported in NC in 2025.=C2=A0 Th= ankfully, this game land still holds a good number of metalmarks, even thou= gh it seems to have "lost" its Frosted Elfins and Yucca Giant-Ski= ppers, if not a few other rarities.</div><div><br></div><div>Thus, the week= end (to include the honorary Monday) was a success, even though it was real= ly mostly a Sunday event for most of us.=C2=A0 We were able to see a good a= rray of spectacular carnivorous plants, many in bloom, along with a few goo= d butterflies.</div><div><br></div><div>Harry LeGrand</div><div>Raleigh <br= ></div><div><br></div></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote gmail_quote_conta= iner"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Wed, Apr 16, 2025 at 12:57= =E2=80=AFPM "<a href=3D"mailto:<kastners...>"><kastners...></a>&= quot; <<a href=3D"mailto:<carolinaleps...>"><carolinaleps...></a= >> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px= 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><di= v><div style=3D"font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px"><div= dir=3D"ltr"><div><div><b>Carolina Butterfly Society Trip Report</b></div><= div><b>April 12-14, 2025</b></div><div>Harry LeGrand and Lori Arent organiz= ed and led our walk. In attendance were Caroline Tisdale, Salman Abdulali (= 4/13 only), David Heavner, Jeff Pippen (4/13 only) and Dave and Marty Kastn= er. In our search for butterflies, we were treated to some beautiful wildfl= owers. We saw native azaleas, yellow and red pitcher plants, yellow and blu= e butterworts, sundews and a Venus flytrap.</div><div><br></div><div><b>4/1= 2/25=C2=A0 =C2=A0Fort Macon State Park, Carteret County</b></div><div><b>11= :00-12:45=C2=A0 =C2=A0Cloudy and windy=C2=A0 =C2=A0Temperatures in the low = to mid 50=E2=80=99s=C2=A0</b>=C2=A0</div><div>We searched for Crystal Skipp= ers both on a trail and in an area with some clover. It was just too cold a= nd cloudy for butterflies, so we saw none.</div><div><br></div><div><b>4/12= /25=C2=A0 =C2=A0Croatan National Forest, Carteret and Craven Counties </b>(= butterflies were in Craven County)</div><div><b>1:30-5:00=C2=A0 =C2=A0Tempe= ratures in the mid 50=E2=80=99s. Cloudy until 4:50</b></div><div>Pearl Cres= cent=C2=A0 =C2=A02</div><div>Carolina Satyr=C2=A0 =C2=A01</div><div><b>Intr= icate Satyr=C2=A0 =C2=A01</b></div><div>Gemmed Satyr=C2=A0 =C2=A01</div><di= v><br></div><div><b>4/13/25=C2=A0 =C2=A0Holly Shelter Game Land, Pender Cou= nty</b></div><div><b>10:00-5:00=C2=A0 =C2=A0Mostly sunny=C2=A0 =C2=A053-67 = degrees</b></div><div>Palamedes Swallowtail=C2=A0 =C2=A0254 (that were coun= ted)</div><div>Eastern Tiger Swallowtail=C2=A0 =C2=A03</div><div>Spicebush = Swallowtail=C2=A0 =C2=A02</div><div><b>Henry=E2=80=99s Elfin=C2=A0 =C2=A01<= /b></div><div><b>Holly Azure=C2=A0 =C2=A08=C2=A0 =C2=A0</b></div><div>Easte= rn Tailed-Blue=C2=A0 =C2=A01</div><div>Red-banded Hairstreak=C2=A0 =C2=A05<= /div><div><b>Great Purple Hairstreak=C2=A0 =C2=A01</b></div><div>Pearl Cres= cent=C2=A0 =C2=A0150 (estimated)</div><div>Monarch=C2=A0 =C2=A0 1</div><div= >Southern Cloudywing=C2=A0 =C2=A02</div><div>Northern Cloudywing=C2=A0 =C2= =A01</div><div><b>Confused Cloudywing=C2=A0 =C2=A01</b></div><div><b>Revers= ed Roadside-Skipper=C2=A0 =C2=A04=C2=A0 =C2=A0</b></div><div><br></div><div= ><b>Fort Macon State Park</b></div><div><b>4/14/25=C2=A0 =C2=A010:00-11:45= =C2=A0 =C2=A0Sunny and windy=C2=A0 =C2=A065-69 degrees</b></div><div>Dave, = Marty and friend, Jeff Smith only</div><div>Monarch=C2=A0 =C2=A01</div><div= ><b>Crystal Skipper=C2=A0 =C2=A011 (Lifer. Including a pair that mated righ= t in front of us.)</b></div><div><br></div><div><b>Holly Shelter Game Land<= /b></div><div><b>4/14/25=C2=A0 =C2=A02:00-5:15=C2=A0 =C2=A0Sunny=C2=A0 =C2= =A076-79 degrees</b></div><div>Dave, Marty and friend, Jeff Smith only</div= ><div>Palamedes Swallowtail=C2=A0 =C2=A0170</div><div>Eastern Tiger Swallow= tail=C2=A0 =C2=A03</div><div><b>Little Metalmark=C2=A0 =C2=A01</b></div><di= v>Holly Azure=C2=A0 =C2=A01</div><div>Pearl Crescent=C2=A0 =C2=A0101</div><= div>Juvenal=E2=80=99s Duskywing=C2=A0 =C2=A01 (worn)</div><div><br></div><d= iv dir=3D"ltr">Marty Kastner</div><div dir=3D"ltr">Blythewood, SC</div><div= ><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div></di= v><br></div></div></div></blockquote></div> --00000000000052fe0f0632e8bab6-- |
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