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| List: Carolina-Leps Date: Thu, 11 Jun 2026 10:37:38 -0400 From: Harry LeGrand (via carolinaleps Mailing List) <carolinaleps...> Subject: A few Wake Co., NC, butterflies in the drought -- June 11, 2026 |
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--000000000000f2d5950653fb4d89 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Folks, Even though the Raleigh-Durham Airport has now gone 16 days without even a drop of rain, and is only about 40% of rainfall since January 1, I ventured to Mid-Pines Road south of Raleigh this morning to look for butterflies in the farm fields, before the predicted high of 100 degrees this afternoon. When I arrived, I saw two NC DOT trucks mowing the road margins of this dirt road! YIKES! In a drought?? Jeez -- the plants and their flowers have enough trouble growing in this weather, and now they get cut down. They will grow back, but ... really? I suppose I was lucky to see any butterflies, but there is still some Cat's-ear growing on the roadside back from the ditches, and I did see some things on this yellow non-native composite. I was hoping to see Checkered Whites again, as a few were along the road earlier in the year, a female was photographed ovipositing on Pepperweed (*Lepidium)*, and there is a lot of the plant along the roadsides. Here is my list from 8:30 - 9:15 AM. Orange Sulphur 1 fresh Checkered White 1 fresh male; I was hoping to find a few, so I'll settle for one! Cabbage White 5 plus a few whites that wouldn't land Variegated Fritillary 10 Buckeyes seem to be way down here this year, but they are very common in the county Common Checkered-Skipper 2 Yes, I was not surprised to see the latest drought monitor map that came out this morning, which shows Exceptional Drought now in the area, for the first time (ever??). But, the map on the link is not right, as the brown color (E.D.) should cover about all of Wake County and extend a bit farther south and east. The map seems to cover mostly JUST the Falls Lake drainage from the lake and west, but includes areas in the upper Cape Fear (=Haw) drainage into Alamance and southeastern Guilford County. I live in downtown Raleigh, and I know for sure that the city and the southern half of Wake are in E.D. now as well. The forecast for tomorrow is 102 degrees, with likely no rain until early next week, but this wishful prediction of showers has been going on for weeks. https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?NC Harry LeGrand Raleigh PS -- A few highlights were a Common Raven, a Mississippi Kite, and a Black Rat Snake stretched out across 1/3rd the width of the road! --000000000000f2d5950653fb4d89 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <div dir=3D"ltr"><div>Folks,</div><div><br></div><div>Even though the Ralei= gh-Durham=C2=A0Airport has now gone 16 days without even a drop of rain, an= d is only about 40% of rainfall since January 1, I ventured to Mid-Pines Ro= ad south of Raleigh this morning to look for butterflies in the farm=C2=A0f= ields,=C2=A0before the predicted high of 100 degrees this=C2=A0afternoon. W= hen I arrived, I saw two NC DOT=C2=A0trucks mowing the road margins of this= dirt road! YIKES!=C2=A0 In a drought??=C2=A0 Jeez -- the plants and their = flowers have enough trouble growing in this weather, and now they get cut d= own. They will grow back, but ... really?</div><div><br></div><div>I suppos= e I was lucky to see any butterflies, but there is still some Cat's-ear= growing on the roadside back from the ditches, and I did see some things o= n this yellow non-native composite.=C2=A0 I was hoping to see Checkered Whi= tes again, as a few were along the road earlier in the year, a female was p= hotographed ovipositing on Pepperweed (<i>Lepidium)</i>, and there is a lot= of the plant along the roadsides. Here is my list from 8:30 - 9:15 AM.</di= v><div><br></div><div>Orange Sulphur=C2=A0 1=C2=A0 =C2=A0fresh</div><div>Ch= eckered White=C2=A0 1=C2=A0 fresh male; I was hoping to find a few, so I= 9;ll settle for one!</div><div>Cabbage White=C2=A0 =C2=A05=C2=A0 plus a few= whites that wouldn't land</div><div>Variegated Fritillary=C2=A0 10=C2= =A0 =C2=A0Buckeyes seem to be way down here this year, but they are very co= mmon in the county</div><div>Common Checkered-Skipper=C2=A0 2</div><div><br= ></div><div>Yes, I was not surprised to see the latest drought monitor map = that came out this morning, which shows Exceptional Drought now in the area= , for the first time (ever??). But, the map on the link is not right, as th= e brown color (E.D.) should cover about all of Wake County and extend a bit= farther south and east. The map seems to cover mostly JUST the Falls Lake = drainage from the lake and west, but includes areas in the upper=C2=A0Cape = Fear (=3DHaw) drainage into Alamance and southeastern Guilford County. I li= ve in downtown Raleigh, and I know for sure that the city and the southern = half of Wake are in E.D. now as well.=C2=A0 The forecast for tomorrow is 10= 2 degrees, with likely no rain until early next week, but this wishful pred= iction of showers has been going on for weeks.</div><div><br></div><div></d= iv><div><a href=3D"https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMo= nitor.aspx?NC" originalSrc=3D"https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/Sta= teDroughtMonitor.aspx?NC">https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDr= oughtMonitor.aspx?NC</a></div><div><br></div><div>Harry LeGrand</div><div>R= aleigh</div><div><br></div><div>PS -- A few highlights were a Common Raven,= a Mississippi Kite, and a Black Rat Snake stretched out across 1/3rd the w= idth of the road!</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>=C2=A0=C2=A0</div= ></div> --000000000000f2d5950653fb4d89-- |
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