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| List: Carolina-Leps Date: Mon, 22 Jun 2026 22:05:42 -0400 From: Heather Rayburn (via carolinaleps Mailing List) <carolinaleps...> Subject: 6/21/26 Buncombe County - Coral Hairstreaks! |
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--Apple-Mail=_985FBB42-599A-4A88-9FE3-FF93A8A05834 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 =20 6/21/26 Sandymush Gamelands, Buncombe County 11 am -3:30 pm With Ben =20 We weren=E2=80=99t expecting to see a lifer at the Bear Creek Road section = of the gamelands yesterday. But Ben found a Coral Hairstreak and called me = over to help him figure out what he had, and I couldn=E2=80=99t believe my = eyes. He managed a few excellent shots, and I managed one bad shot with my = phone before it flew off. =20 We kept moving and had lunch next to a creek. This gave us a chance to look= at our field guide. I knew that the Coral is rare to the mountains, but I = didn=E2=80=99t know it hosts on cherry and plum species and loves to nectar= on Asclepias tuberosa. I later learned that the area in and around the gam= elands is the only place where Coral Hairstreaks have been documented in Bu= ncombe County <https://auth1.dpr.ncparks.gov/nbnc/find.php?Submit=3DSubmit%= 20Query&Cname=3DCoral%20Hairstreak&county=3DBuncombe>, so you don=E2=80=99t= have to guess where I=E2=80=99ll be next year on June 21. =20 I would have been happy with the one, but after lunch Ben found another Cor= al Hairstreak on a different part of the trail loop. This time, I had my go= od camera ready, but MY BATTERY DIED! And that=E2=80=99s when, of course, I= finally found my own Coral Hairstreak further up the trail, nectaring on N= ew Jersey Tea. This one flew before Ben got to see it.=20 =20 It was a hot, sweaty, exhausting day, but a really good one. The only downs= ide was that Gail Lankford couldn=E2=80=99t join us due to a bad cold. I kn= ow she would have loved seeing the Corals. She documented eight Coral Hairs= treaks in the Sandymush Gamelands in 2010. =20 =20 Swallowtail sp., 6 Clouded Sulphur, 1 Orange Sulphur, 2 Cloudless Sulphur, 1 Sulphur sp., 3 Cabbage White, 2 CORAL HAIRSTREAK <https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/374093374>, 3 Gray Hairstreak, 2 Banded Hairstreak, 1 Summer Azure, 2 Eastern Tailed-Blue, 22 Great-Spangled Fritillary, 6 Great-Spangled Fritillary/Aphrodite sp., 6 American Lady, 3 (one appeared to be laying eggs on a meadow rue of some ki= nd)=20 Pearl Crescent, 23 Gemmed Saytr <https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/374396025>, 1 Northern Cloudywing, 3 Silver-spotted Skipper, 12 Skipper sp., 3 =20 =20 Bonuses: a Blue Indigo, several Clearwing Moths <https://www.inaturalist.or= g/observations/374401637>, a huge Eastern Eyed Click Beetle <https://www.in= aturalist.org/observations/374034789>, a Widow Skimmer <https://www.flickr.= com/photos/190206870@N03/55350742702/in/datetaken/>, a Decorated Owlet <htt= ps://www.inaturalist.org/observations/373983550>, and several Leconte=E2=80= =99s Haploa <https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/374479036> Moths. =20 Cheers, Heather Rayburn Asheville= --Apple-Mail=_985FBB42-599A-4A88-9FE3-FF93A8A05834 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;"><div dir=3D"auto" style=3D"overfl= ow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-spac= e;"><div dir=3D"auto" style=3D"overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode= : space; line-break: after-white-space;"><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"ma= rgin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", ser= if;"><span style=3D"font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></p><p class=3D"MsoNor= mal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New = Roman", serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: 14pt; font-family: Georgia, = serif;">6/21/26</span><span style=3D"font-size: 14pt; font-family: Georgia,= serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in;= font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span= style=3D"font-size: 14pt; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Sandymush Gameland= s, Buncombe County<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"mar= gin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", seri= f;"><span style=3D"font-size: 14pt; font-family: Georgia, serif;">11 am -3:= 30 pm<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; fon= t-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span sty= le=3D"font-size: 14pt; font-family: Georgia, serif;">With Ben<o:p></o:p></s= pan></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; fon= t-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: 14= pt; font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" s= tyle=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman&= quot;, serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: 14pt; font-family: Georgia, serif;= ">We weren=E2=80=99t expecting to see a lifer at the Bear Creek Road sectio= n of the gamelands yesterday. But Ben found a Coral Hairstreak and called m= e over to help him figure out what he had, and I couldn=E2=80=99t believe m= y eyes. He managed a few excellent shots, and I managed one bad shot with m= y phone before it flew off.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" sty= le=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman&qu= ot;, serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: 14pt; font-family: Georgia, serif;">= </span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: me= dium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style=3D"font= -size: 14pt; font-family: Georgia, serif;">We kept moving and had lunch nex= t to a creek. This gave us a chance to look at our field guide. I knew that= the Coral is rare to the mountains, but I didn=E2=80=99t know it hosts on = cherry and plum species and loves to nectar on <i>Asclepias tuberosa</= i>. I later learned that the area in and around the gamelands is the only p= lace where Coral Hairstreaks have been documented in <a href=3D"https:= //auth1.dpr.ncparks.gov/nbnc/find.php?Submit=3DSubmit%20Query&Cname=3DC= oral%20Hairstreak&county=3DBuncombe" originalSrc=3D"https://auth1.dpr.n= cparks.gov/nbnc/find.php?Submit=3DSubmit%20Query&Cname=3DCoral%20Hairstreak= &county=3DBuncombe" style=3D"color: rgb(149, 79, 114);">Buncombe County</a>= , so you don=E2=80=99t have to guess where I=E2=80=99ll be next year on Jun= e 21.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; fon= t-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span sty= le=3D"font-size: 14pt; font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></p><p cl= ass=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: &qu= ot;Times New Roman", serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: 14pt; font-fami= ly: Georgia, serif;">I would have been happy with the one, but after lunch = Ben found another Coral Hairstreak on a different part of the trail loop. T= his time, I had my good camera ready, but MY BATTERY DIED! And that=E2=80= =99s when, of course, I finally found my own Coral Hairstreak further up th= e trail, nectaring on New Jersey Tea. This one flew before Ben got to see i= t. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; = font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span = style=3D"font-size: 14pt; font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></p><p= class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: = "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: 14pt; font-f= amily: Georgia, serif;">It was a hot, sweaty, exhausting day, but a really = good one. The only downside was that Gail Lankford couldn=E2=80=99t join us= due to a bad cold. I know she would have loved seeing the Corals. She docu= mented eight Coral Hairstreaks in the Sandymush Gamelands in 2010.<o:p></o:= p></span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium= ; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style=3D"font-siz= e: 14pt; font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></p><p class=3D"MsoNorm= al" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New R= oman", serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: 14pt; font-family: Georgia, s= erif;"> </span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-s= ize: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style= =3D"font-size: 14pt; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Swallowtail sp., 6<o:p><= /o:p></span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: med= ium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style=3D"font-= size: 14pt; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Clouded Sulphur, 1<o:p></o:p></sp= an></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font= -family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: 14p= t; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Orange Sulphur, 2<o:p></o:p></span></p><p = class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: &= quot;Times New Roman", serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: 14pt; font-fa= mily: Georgia, serif;">Cloudless Sulphur, 1<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class= =3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "= Times New Roman", serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: 14pt; font-family:= Georgia, serif;">Sulphur sp., 3<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal= " style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Rom= an", serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: 14pt; font-family: Georgia, ser= if;">Cabbage White, 2<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"= margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", s= erif;"><b><span style=3D"font-size: 14pt; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><a = href=3D"https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/374093374" originalSrc=3D"= https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/374093374" style=3D"color: rgb(149= , 79, 114);">CORAL HAIRSTREAK</a></span></b><span style=3D"font-size: 14pt;= font-family: Georgia, serif;">, 3<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3D"MsoNorm= al" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New R= oman", serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: 14pt; font-family: Georgia, s= erif;">Gray Hairstreak, 2<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style= =3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman"= ;, serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: 14pt; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Ba= nded Hairstreak, 1<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"mar= gin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", seri= f;"><span style=3D"font-size: 14pt; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Summer Az= ure, 2<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; fo= nt-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span st= yle=3D"font-size: 14pt; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Eastern Tailed-Blue, = 22<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-s= ize: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style= =3D"font-size: 14pt; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Great-Spangled Fritillar= y, 6<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font= -size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span styl= e=3D"font-size: 14pt; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Great-Spangled Fritilla= ry/Aphrodite sp., 6<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"ma= rgin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", ser= if;"><span style=3D"font-size: 14pt; font-family: Georgia, serif;">American= Lady, 3 (one appeared to be laying eggs on a meadow rue of some kind) = ;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-si= ze: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style= =3D"font-size: 14pt; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Pearl Crescent, 23<o:p><= /o:p></span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: med= ium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style=3D"font-= size: 14pt; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><a href=3D"https://www.inaturalis= t.org/observations/374396025" originalSrc=3D"https://www.inaturalist.org/ob= servations/374396025" style=3D"color: rgb(149, 79, 114);">Gemmed Saytr</a>,= 1<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-s= ize: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style= =3D"font-size: 14pt; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Northern Cloudywing, 3<o= :p></o:p></span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size:= medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style=3D"f= ont-size: 14pt; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Silver-spotted Skipper, 12<o:= p></o:p></span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: = medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style=3D"fo= nt-size: 14pt; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Skipper sp., 3</span><span sty= le=3D"font-size: 14pt; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>= <p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family= : "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: 14pt; font= -family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"= margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", s= erif;"><span style=3D"font-size: 14pt; font-family: Georgia, serif;"> = </span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; = font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style=3D"font-size:= 14pt; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Bonuses: a Blue Indigo, several <= a href=3D"https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/374401637" originalSrc= =3D"https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/374401637" style=3D"color: rgb= (149, 79, 114);">Clearwing Moths</a>, a huge </span><span style=3D"fon= t-size: 14pt; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><a href=3D"https://www.inatural= ist.org/observations/374034789" originalSrc=3D"https://www.inaturalist.org/= observations/374034789" style=3D"color: rgb(149, 79, 114);">Eastern Eyed Cl= ick Beetle</a>, a <a href=3D"https://www.flickr.com/photos/190206870@N= 03/55350742702/in/datetaken/" originalSrc=3D"https://www.flickr.com/photos/= 190206870@N03/55350742702/in/datetaken/" style=3D"color: rgb(149, 79, 114);= ">Widow Skimmer</a>, a <a href=3D"https://www.inaturalist.org/observat= ions/373983550" originalSrc=3D"https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/373= 983550" style=3D"color: rgb(149, 79, 114);">Decorated Owlet</a>, and severa= l <a href=3D"https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/374479036" origi= nalSrc=3D"https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/374479036" style=3D"colo= r: rgb(149, 79, 114);">Leconte=E2=80=99s Haploa</a> Moths.<o:p></o:p><= /span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; f= ont-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: = 14pt; font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal"= style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roma= n", serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: 14pt; font-family: Georgia, seri= f;">Cheers,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0i= n; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><sp= an style=3D"font-size: 14pt; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Heather Rayburn<= o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size= : medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style=3D"= font-size: 14pt; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Asheville<o:p></o:p></span><= /p></div></div></body></html>= --Apple-Mail=_985FBB42-599A-4A88-9FE3-FF93A8A05834-- |
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