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| List: Carolina-Leps Date: Sun, 24 May 2026 19:48:39 -0400 From: Heather Rayburn (via carolinaleps Mailing List) <carolinaleps...> Subject: Cades Cove (Great Smoky Mountains) Blount County, Tenn. |
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--Apple-Mail=_7D03A42F-5B2A-4518-87EC-3743C7879AC1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Ben and I booked three nights in Townsend, Tenn., in the Great Smoky Mounta= ins to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary beginning on May 12. To prep,= we read an article about Smoky Mountain butterflies from the 2020 Winter e= dition of American Butterflies magazine (free access if you=E2=80=99re a me= mber via the North American Butterfly Association website <https://naba.org= />). Our target butterfly was the Baltimore Checkerspot. Since the article = said these beauties were rare six years ago, I tried to keep my hopes in ch= eck. We had perfect weather the whole time. =20 =20 May 12 (Tuesday): Horse Camp Road, Cherokee County =20 We had a brief walk here where we ran into two huge puddle parties <https:/= /www.flickr.com/photos/190206870@N03/55289389634/in/datetaken/> of Eastern = Tiger Swallowtails with some Appalachians sprinkled in.=20 =20 May 13 (Wednesday): Cades Cove, Blount County, Tenn. No cars allowed on the Cades Cove Loop on Wednesdays, just hikers and bicyc= les, which we much preferred to the next day with cars bumper to bumper. We= hit several different spots, which didn=E2=80=99t include the Baltimore Ch= eckerspot area mentioned in the article. However, at one point near the end= of the day, Ben peeled off to explore an alternate spot that had potential= . About five minutes later, he yelled, =E2=80=9CHeather, get over here quic= k!=E2=80=9D =20 Our list for the day: =20 Eastern Tiger Swallowtails, 32 Pipevine Swallowtail, 6 Dark Swallowtail sp., 1 Clouded Sulphur, 2 Orange Sulphur, 1 Sulphur sp., 13 Azures/Blues, 19 (Probably Summer Azures, but they weren=E2=80=99t staying = still for positive ID)=20 Eastern Tailed-Blue, 4 Variegated Fritillary, 1 Great Spangled Fritillary <https://www.flickr.com/photos/190206870@N03/5528= 9755800/in/datetaken/>, 100+ Mourning Cloak <https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/364499553>, 1 Question Mark, 1 Anglewing sp. 1 Red Admiral, 1 BALTIMORE CHECKERSPOT <https://www.flickr.com/photos/190206870@N03/55289834= 280/in/datetaken/>, 3 (nectaring on Miami Mist) LIFER!!! Silvery Checkerspot, 6 Pearl Crescent, 30+ Northern Pearly-eye, 1 Appalachian Brown, 1 Little Wood Satyr, 7 Carolina Satyr, 3 Satyr sp., 10 Northern Cloudywing, 1 Silver-Spotted Skipper, 5=20 Juvenal=E2=80=99s Duskywing, 2 Dun Skipper, 2 Tawny-edged Skipper <https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/364749738>, 1= =20 Peck=E2=80=99s Skipper <https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/364846923>= , 1 Northern Broken-dash <https://www.flickr.com/photos/190206870@N03/552895167= 93/in/datetaken/>, 1 Zabulon Skipper, 3 (one was a female) Least Skipper, 3 =20 Other cool sightings that day: Common Watersnakes <https://www.inaturalist.= org/observations/364745682>; a large bear asleep in the crook of a large tr= ee; seven other bears; and the prettiest fly <https://www.inaturalist.org/o= bservations/364522811> I=E2=80=99ve ever seen. =20 =20 May 14 (Thursday): Cades Cove, Blount County, Tenn. =20 Cars were bumper to bumper around the Cades Cove loop. Ben and I headed to = the Baltimore Checkerspot area mentioned in the American Butterflies articl= e (near the Dan Lawson Place) and searched and searched without luck. The n= oise/pollution made us wish Cades Cove had five car-free days instead of tw= o.=20 =20 We decided to take the car off the main loop and down a gravel road and par= ked at a promising field next to tree canopy. This was the right call as we= had a dirt road in the field to ourselves and a deep, dry streambed to exp= lore as well. Here, we finally ran into Monarchs. =20 FIELDS AROUND DAN LAWSON PLACE (12-2:50 pm): Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, 6 Dark Swallowtail sp., 2 Sulphur sp., 1 Red-banded Hairstreak, 6 Azure/Blue sp., 1 Eastern Tailed-Blue, 1 Great Spangled Fritillaries, 75+ (all the GSFs of the trip were super fresh= except for one) Red-spotted Purple, 1 Silvery Checkerspot, 7 Pearl Crescent, 20 Northern Pearly-eye, 1 Little Wood Satyr, 50+ Carolina Satyr, 2 Satyr sp., 12 Juvenal=E2=80=99s Duskywing, 1 Dun Skipper, 1 Little Glassywing <https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/364850997>, 1 Zabulon Skipper (male), 1 Skipper sp., 2 =20 Bonuses: One Monarch egg and three Tiger moth <https://www.inaturalist.org/= observations/364519762> caterpillars. =20 FIELD/CREEKBED OFF HYATT ROAD (2:52-4:30 pm) =20 Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, 6 Orange Sulphur, 1 Azure/Blue sp., 4 Eastern Tailed-Blue, 1 Great Spangled Fritillaries, 60+ Monarch, 6 Silvery Checkerspot, 7 Pearl Crescent, 15 Northern Pearly-eye, 1 Satyr sp., 1 Silver-spotted Skipper, 3 Dun Skipper, 1 Zabulon Skipper, 5 (3 male; 2 female) Least Skipper, 1 =20 Bonuses: Ebony Jewelwings; Orchard Oriole <https://www.inaturalist.org/obse= rvations/364746847>. Once we got out of the dry creek bed and back on the s= unny gravel road in the field, Ben spotted a mother bear with cubs at a saf= e distance. When I spotted them all the bears had turned to leave except fo= r one cub. This one sat up on its hind legs with some vegetation in its paw= s and looked at us =E2=80=93 as three Great Spangled Fritillaries twirled a= round it. It was one of the most sweetest things I=E2=80=99ve ever seen. Un= fortunately, no pictures. =20 We ended the day by going back to the place where we spotted the Baltimore = Checkerspots the day before: =20 BALTIMORE CHECKERSPOTS, 2 May 15: Overhill Nursery We went our of our way and visited Overhill Nursery <https://www.overhillga= rdens.com/> in Vonore, TN. It=E2=80=99s way out in the middle of nowhere, b= ut I=E2=80=99ve never seen such a diverse selection of native plants in one= place. Their Pawpaw trees had Zebra Swallowtail caterpillars on them! Heather Rayburn Asheville, NC= --Apple-Mail=_7D03A42F-5B2A-4518-87EC-3743C7879AC1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf-8 <html><head><meta http-equiv=3D"content-type" content=3D"text/html; charset= =3Dutf-8"></head><body style=3D"overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mod= e: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"m= argin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", se= rif;">Ben and I booked three nights in Townsend, Tenn., in the Great Smoky = Mountains to celebrate our 30<sup>th</sup> wedding anniversary beginni= ng on May 12. To prep, we read an article about Smoky Mountain butterflies = from the 2020 Winter edition of <i>American Butterflies</i> magaz= ine (free access if you=E2=80=99re a member via the <a href=3D"https:/= /naba.org/" originalSrc=3D"https://naba.org/" style=3D"color: rgb(149, 79, = 114);">North American Butterfly Association website</a>). Our target butter= fly was the Baltimore Checkerspot. Since the article said these beauties we= re rare six years ago, I tried to keep my hopes in check. We had perfect we= ather the whole time.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin:= 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">= <o:p> </o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size= : medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p> </o:= p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-= family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><b>May 12 (Tuesday): Horse Cam= p Road, Cherokee County<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"m= argin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", se= rif;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; fon= t-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">We had a = brief walk here where we ran into <a href=3D"https://www.flickr.com/ph= otos/190206870@N03/55289389634/in/datetaken/" originalSrc=3D"https://www.fl= ickr.com/photos/190206870@N03/55289389634/in/datetaken/" style=3D"color: rg= b(149, 79, 114);">two huge puddle parties</a> of Eastern Tiger Swallow= tails with some Appalachians sprinkled in. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"= MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Time= s New Roman", serif;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" styl= e=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman&quo= t;, serif;"><b>May 13 (Wednesday): Cades Cove, Blount County, Tenn.<o:p></o= :p></b></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; = font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">No cars allowed on the Ca= des Cove Loop on Wednesdays, just hikers and bicycles, which we much prefer= red to the next day with cars bumper to bumper. We hit several different sp= ots, which didn=E2=80=99t include the Baltimore Checkerspot area mentioned = in the article. However, at one point near the end of the day, Ben peeled o= ff to explore an alternate spot that had potential. About five minutes late= r, he yelled, =E2=80=9CHeather, get over here quick!=E2=80=9D<o:p></o:p></p= ><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-famil= y: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=3D"Ms= oNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times = New Roman", serif;">Our list for the day:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"Ms= oNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times = New Roman", serif;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style= =3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman"= ;, serif;">Eastern Tiger Swallowtails, 32<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNorm= al" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New R= oman", serif;">Pipevine Swallowtail, 6<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNo= rmal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New= Roman", serif;">Dark Swallowtail sp., 1<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"Mso= Normal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times N= ew Roman", serif;">Clouded Sulphur, 2<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNor= mal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New = Roman", serif;">Orange Sulphur, 1<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal"= style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roma= n", serif;">Sulphur sp., 13<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style= =3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman"= ;, serif;">Azures/Blues, 19 (Probably Summer Azures, but they weren=E2=80= =99t staying still for positive ID) <o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNorm= al" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New R= oman", serif;">Eastern Tailed-Blue, 4<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNor= mal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New = Roman", serif;">Variegated Fritillary, 1<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"Mso= Normal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times N= ew Roman", serif;"><a href=3D"https://www.flickr.com/photos/190206870@= N03/55289755800/in/datetaken/" originalSrc=3D"https://www.flickr.com/photos= /190206870@N03/55289755800/in/datetaken/" style=3D"color: rgb(149, 79, 114)= ;">Great Spangled Fritillary</a>, 100+<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal"= style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roma= n", serif;"><a href=3D"https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/364499= 553" originalSrc=3D"https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/364499553" sty= le=3D"color: rgb(149, 79, 114);">Mourning Cloak</a>, 1<o:p></o:p></p><p cla= ss=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: &quo= t;Times New Roman", serif;">Question Mark, 1<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D= "MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Tim= es New Roman", serif;">Anglewing sp. 1<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNo= rmal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New= Roman", serif;">Red Admiral, 1<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" s= tyle=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman&= quot;, serif;"><b><a href=3D"https://www.flickr.com/photos/190206870@N03/55= 289834280/in/datetaken/" originalSrc=3D"https://www.flickr.com/photos/19020= 6870@N03/55289834280/in/datetaken/" style=3D"color: rgb(149, 79, 114);">BAL= TIMORE CHECKERSPOT</a></b>, 3 (nectaring on Miami Mist) <u>LIFER!!!<o:= p></o:p></u></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: med= ium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Silvery Checkerspot,= 6<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: me= dium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Pearl Crescent, 30+= <o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medi= um; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Northern Pearly-eye, = 1<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: med= ium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Appalachian Brown, 1= <o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medi= um; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Little Wood Satyr, 7<= o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: mediu= m; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Carolina Satyr, 3<o:p>= </o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; f= ont-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Satyr sp., 10<o:p></o:p></= p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-fami= ly: "Times New Roman", serif;">Northern Cloudywing, 1<o:p></o:p><= /p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-fam= ily: "Times New Roman", serif;">Silver-Spotted Skipper, 5 <o= :p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium= ; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Juvenal=E2=80=99s Dusky= wing, 2<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-siz= e: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Dun Skipper, 2= <o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medi= um; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><b><a href=3D"https:/= /www.inaturalist.org/observations/364749738" originalSrc=3D"https://www.ina= turalist.org/observations/364749738" style=3D"color: rgb(149, 79, 114);">Ta= wny-edged Skipper</a>,</b> 1 <o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal= " style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Rom= an", serif;"><b><a href=3D"https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/36= 4846923" originalSrc=3D"https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/364846923"= style=3D"color: rgb(149, 79, 114);">Peck=E2=80=99s Skipper</a>,</b> 1= <o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medi= um; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><b><a href=3D"https:/= /www.flickr.com/photos/190206870@N03/55289516793/in/datetaken/" originalSrc= =3D"https://www.flickr.com/photos/190206870@N03/55289516793/in/datetaken/" = style=3D"color: rgb(149, 79, 114);">Northern Broken-dash</a></b>, 1<o:p></o= :p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font= -family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Zabulon Skipper, 3 (one was a= female)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-si= ze: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Least Skipper= , 3<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: m= edium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p> </o:p><= /p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-fam= ily: "Times New Roman", serif;">Other cool sightings that day:&nb= sp;<a href=3D"https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/364745682" originalS= rc=3D"https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/364745682" style=3D"color: r= gb(149, 79, 114);">Common Watersnakes</a>; a large bear asleep in the crook= of a large tree; seven other bears; and the <a href=3D"https://www.in= aturalist.org/observations/364522811" originalSrc=3D"https://www.inaturalis= t.org/observations/364522811" style=3D"color: rgb(149, 79, 114);">prettiest= fly</a> I=E2=80=99ve ever seen.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" = style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman= ", serif;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin= : 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"= ><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-siz= e: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><b>May 14 (Thu= rsday): Cades Cove, Blount County, Tenn.<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=3D"MsoN= ormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times Ne= w Roman", serif;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D= "margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", = serif;">Cars were bumper to bumper around the Cades Cove loop. Ben and I he= aded to the Baltimore Checkerspot area mentioned in the <i>American Bu= tterflies</i> article (near the Dan Lawson Place) and searched and sea= rched without luck. The noise/pollution made us wish Cades Cove had five ca= r-free days instead of two. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" styl= e=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman&quo= t;, serif;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0i= n; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">We = decided to take the car off the main loop and down a gravel road and parked= at a promising field next to tree canopy. This was the right call as we ha= d a dirt road in the field to ourselves and a deep, dry streambed to explor= e as well. Here, we finally ran into Monarchs.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"Ms= oNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times = New Roman", serif;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style= =3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman"= ;, serif;">FIELDS AROUND DAN LAWSON PLACE (12-2:50 pm):<o:p></o:p></p><p cl= ass=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: &qu= ot;Times New Roman", serif;">Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, 6<o:p></o:p></= p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-fami= ly: "Times New Roman", serif;">Dark Swallowtail sp., 2<o:p></o:p>= </p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-fa= mily: "Times New Roman", serif;">Sulphur sp., 1<o:p></o:p></p><p = class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: &= quot;Times New Roman", serif;">Red-banded Hairstreak, 6<o:p></o:p></p>= <p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family= : "Times New Roman", serif;">Azure/Blue sp., 1<o:p></o:p></p><p c= lass=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: &q= uot;Times New Roman", serif;">Eastern Tailed-Blue, 1<o:p></o:p></p><p = class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: &= quot;Times New Roman", serif;">Great Spangled Fritillaries, 75+ (all t= he GSFs of the trip were super fresh except for one)<o:p></o:p></p><p class= =3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "= Times New Roman", serif;">Red-spotted Purple, 1<o:p></o:p></p><p class= =3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "= Times New Roman", serif;">Silvery Checkerspot, 7<o:p></o:p></p><p clas= s=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "= ;Times New Roman", serif;">Pearl Crescent, 20<o:p></o:p></p><p class= =3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "= Times New Roman", serif;">Northern Pearly-eye, 1<o:p></o:p></p><p clas= s=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "= ;Times New Roman", serif;">Little Wood Satyr, 50+<o:p></o:p></p><p cla= ss=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: &quo= t;Times New Roman", serif;">Carolina Satyr, 2<o:p></o:p></p><p class= =3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "= Times New Roman", serif;">Satyr sp., 12<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoN= ormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times Ne= w Roman", serif;">Juvenal=E2=80=99s Duskywing, 1<o:p></o:p></p><p clas= s=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "= ;Times New Roman", serif;">Dun Skipper, 1<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"Ms= oNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times = New Roman", serif;"><a href=3D"https://www.inaturalist.org/observation= s/364850997" originalSrc=3D"https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/364850= 997" style=3D"color: rgb(149, 79, 114);">Little Glassywing</a>, 1<o:p></o:p= ></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-f= amily: "Times New Roman", serif;">Zabulon Skipper (male), 1<o:p><= /o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; fo= nt-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Skipper sp., 2<o:p></o:p></= p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-fami= ly: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=3D"M= soNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times= New Roman", serif;">Bonuses: One Monarch egg and three <a href= =3D"https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/364519762" originalSrc=3D"http= s://www.inaturalist.org/observations/364519762" style=3D"color: rgb(149, 79= , 114);">Tiger moth</a> caterpillars.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNor= mal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New = Roman", serif;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"m= argin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", se= rif;">FIELD/CREEKBED OFF HYATT ROAD (2:52-4:30 pm)<o:p></o:p></p><p class= =3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "= Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" = style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman= ", serif;">Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, 6<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoN= ormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times Ne= w Roman", serif;">Orange Sulphur, 1<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNorma= l" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Ro= man", serif;">Azure/Blue sp., 4<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" s= tyle=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman&= quot;, serif;">Eastern Tailed-Blue, 1<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" = style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman= ", serif;">Great Spangled Fritillaries, 60+<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"= MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Time= s New Roman", serif;">Monarch, 6<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" = style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman= ", serif;">Silvery Checkerspot, 7<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal"= style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roma= n", serif;">Pearl Crescent, 15<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" st= yle=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman&q= uot;, serif;">Northern Pearly-eye, 1<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" s= tyle=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman&= quot;, serif;">Satyr sp., 1<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"m= argin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", se= rif;">Silver-spotted Skipper, 3<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style= =3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman"= ;, serif;">Dun Skipper, 1<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"mar= gin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", seri= f;">Zabulon Skipper, 5 (3 male; 2 female)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNorm= al" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New R= oman", serif;">Least Skipper, 1<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" s= tyle=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman&= quot;, serif;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin:= 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">= Bonuses: Ebony Jewelwings; <a href=3D"https://www.inaturalist.org/obse= rvations/364746847" originalSrc=3D"https://www.inaturalist.org/observations= /364746847" style=3D"color: rgb(149, 79, 114);">Orchard Oriole</a>. Once we= got out of the dry creek bed and back on the sunny gravel road in the fiel= d, Ben spotted a mother bear with cubs at a safe distance. When I spotted t= hem all the bears had turned to leave except for one cub. This one sat up o= n its hind legs with some vegetation in its paws and looked at us =E2=80=93= as three Great Spangled Fritillaries twirled around it. It was one of the = most sweetest things I=E2=80=99ve ever seen. Unfortunately, no pictures.<o:= p></o:p></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium;= font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p = class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: &= quot;Times New Roman", serif;">We ended the day by going back to the p= lace where we spotted the Baltimore Checkerspots the day before:<o:p></o:p>= </p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-fa= mily: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=3D= "MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Tim= es New Roman", serif;"><b>BALTIMORE CHECKERSPOTS, 2<o:p></o:p></b></p>= <p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family= : "Times New Roman", serif;"><b><br></b></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal= " style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Rom= an", serif;">May 15: Overhill Nursery</p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style= =3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman"= ;, serif;">We went our of our way and visited <a href=3D"https://www.o= verhillgardens.com/" originalSrc=3D"https://www.overhillgardens.com/">Overh= ill Nursery</a> in Vonore, TN. It=E2=80=99s way out in the middle of n= owhere, but I=E2=80=99ve never seen such a diverse selection of native plan= ts in one place. Their Pawpaw trees had Zebra Swallowtail caterpillars on t= hem!</p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; fon= t-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br></p><p class=3D"MsoNorma= l" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Ro= man", serif;">Heather Rayburn</p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margi= n: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;= ">Asheville, NC</p></body></html>= --Apple-Mail=_7D03A42F-5B2A-4518-87EC-3743C7879AC1-- |
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