 |
 |
 |
 |
| List: Carolina-Leps Date: Fri, 9 Oct 2026 06:39:59 -0400 From: Dennis Forsythe (via carolinaleps Mailing List) <carolinaleps...> Subject: Re: Uwharrie NF butterflies, Montgomery Co., NC -- Oct. 8 |
||||
--000000000000ea26bf065d66057b Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Sorry to hear about the lack of Leonard's Skippers. They are probably gone for locations in SC too! Dennis On Thu, Oct 8, 2026 at 9:23=E2=80=AFPM Harry LeGrand <carolinaleps...>= > wrote: > Folks, > > Again this fall several of us from the Triangle area ventured to a former > "stronghold" in NC for the Leonard's Skipper, now essentially a ghost in = NC > except at a few mountain sites. Jeff Pippen and I think a combination of: > 1) poor management of powerline clearings and roadsides by utility > companies and NC DOT with herbicing rather than by mowing; 2) > continuing hotter summers and early autumns that might be putting the > eclosing of adults and nectar plants in a mis-timing condition; and 3) > long-term drought conditions. > > As I expected, Lori Arent, Jeff, and I could not find a Leonard's Skipper= , > despite perfect weather for the day -- sunny, warm, and no wind. However, > we noted two weather issues: 1) the near year-long drought has been tough > on many herbaceous plants; and 2) the *much hotter than usual > temperatures have pushed back the flowering of Large-flowered Aster > (Symphyotrichum grandiflorum) about TWO WEEKS later than usual.* In > former falls, this bushy purple/blue-flowered species would be peaking in > flowering around Oct. 5-12. Today, Oct. 8, we barely had a few dozen > flowers here and there, with about 98% of the potential flower buds on th= e > many plants not yet even beginning to bud out!!. Thankfully we did find > lots of blooming Shaggy Blazing-star (*Liatris pilosa*), among a few > other pink to blue flowers that the Leonard's MUST have for nectar, > including several *Agalinis* species. However, many of the butterflies > below were nectaring on the large amount of white and yellow flowering > species. Thankfully, we did have a few goodies, nonetheless. Here is ou= r > list from about 9:45 - 3:45, with most of the time spent along Tower Road= , > both within and outside the national forest boundaries. > > dark swallowtail sp. 1 > LITTLE YELLOW 1 FOY for one or two of us; rare in the Piedmont this ye= ar > Sleepy Orange *150* > Orange Sulphur (albino) 1 killed by an orb spider; RIP > Cloudless Sulphur 40 > Gray Hairstreak 1 > E. Tailed-Blue 25 > Monarch 4 > Variegated Fritillary 55 > Red-spotted Purple 1 > American Lady 2 > Common Buckeye 32 > Pearl Crescent 22 > Common Checkered-Skipper 10 presumed this species, but can't rule out > White CS > Fiery Skipper 30 > WHIRLABOUT 1 worn male; NEW for Montgomery County! > Crossline Skipper 4 > Swarthy Skipper 3 > Clouded Skipper *140 * all over the blazing-stars > Ocola Skipper 4 a decent Piedmont count so far this year! > > 20 species > > Harry LeGrand > Raleigh > > > --=20 Dennis M Forsythe PhD Emeritus Professor of Biology The Citadel Charleston, SC 843-708-1605 cell --000000000000ea26bf065d66057b Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <div dir=3D"ltr">Sorry to hear about the lack of Leonard's Skippers.=C2= =A0 They are probably=C2=A0gone for locations in SC too!<div><br></div><div= >Dennis</div></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><di= v dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Thu, Oct 8, 2026 at 9:23=E2=80=AFPM H= arry LeGrand <<a href=3D"mailto:<carolinaleps...>">carolinaleps@duke= .edu</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"mar= gin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1= ex"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr">Folks,<div><br></div><div>Again this = fall several of us from the Triangle area ventured to a former "strong= hold" in NC for the Leonard's Skipper, now essentially a ghost in = NC except at a few mountain sites. Jeff Pippen and I think a combination of= : 1) poor management of powerline clearings and roadsides by utility compan= ies and NC DOT=C2=A0with herbicing rather than by mowing; 2) continuing=C2= =A0hotter summers and early autumns that might be putting the eclosing of a= dults and nectar plants in a mis-timing condition; and 3) long-term drought= =C2=A0conditions.</div><div><br></div><div>As I expected, Lori Arent, Jeff,= and I could not find a Leonard's Skipper, despite perfect weather for = the day -- sunny, warm, and no wind. However, we noted two weather issues: = 1) the near year-long=C2=A0drought has been tough on many herbaceous plants= ; and 2) the <u>much hotter than usual temperatures have pushed back the fl= owering of Large-flowered Aster (<i>Symphyotrichum grandiflorum</i>) about = TWO WEEKS later than usual.</u> In former falls, this bushy purple/blue-flo= wered species would be peaking in flowering around Oct. 5-12. Today, Oct. 8= , we barely=C2=A0had a few dozen flowers here and there, with about 98% of = the potential flower buds on the many plants not yet even beginning to bud = out!!. Thankfully we did find lots of blooming Shaggy Blazing-star (<i>Liat= ris pilosa</i>), among a few other pink=C2=A0to blue flowers that the Leona= rd's MUST have for nectar, including several <i>Agalinis</i> species.= =C2=A0 However, many of the butterflies below were nectaring on the large a= mount of white and yellow flowering species.=C2=A0 Thankfully, we did have a few goodies, nonetheless.=C2=A0 Here is our list = from about 9:45 - 3:45, with most of the time spent along Tower Road, both = within and outside the national forest boundaries. </div><div><br></div><di= v>dark swallowtail sp.=C2=A0 1</div><div>LITTLE YELLOW=C2=A0 1=C2=A0 =C2=A0= FOY for one or two of us; rare in the Piedmont this year</div><div>Sleepy O= range <b>150</b></div><div>Orange Sulphur (albino)=C2=A0 1=C2=A0 killed by = an orb spider; RIP</div><div>Cloudless Sulphur=C2=A0 40</div><div>Gray Hair= streak=C2=A0 1</div><div>E. Tailed-Blue=C2=A0 25</div><div>Monarch=C2=A0 4<= /div><div>Variegated Fritillary=C2=A0 55</div><div>Red-spotted Purple=C2=A0= 1</div><div>American Lady=C2=A0 2</div><div>Common Buckeye=C2=A0 32</div><= div>Pearl Crescent=C2=A0 22</div><div>Common Checkered-Skipper=C2=A0 10=C2= =A0 presumed this species, but can't rule out White CS</div><div>Fiery = Skipper=C2=A0 30</div><div>WHIRLABOUT=C2=A0 1=C2=A0 worn male; NEW for Mont= gomery County!=C2=A0=C2=A0</div><div>Crossline Skipper=C2=A0 4</div><div>Sw= arthy Skipper=C2=A0 3</div><div>Clouded Skipper=C2=A0 <b>140=C2=A0 </b>=C2= =A0all over the blazing-stars</div><div>Ocola Skipper=C2=A0 4=C2=A0 =C2=A0 = a decent Piedmont count so far this year!</div><div><br></div><div>20 speci= es</div><div><br></div><div>Harry LeGrand</div><div>Raleigh</div><div><br><= /div><div><br></div></div> </div> </blockquote></div><div><br clear=3D"all"></div><div><br></div><span class= =3D"gmail_signature_prefix">-- </span><br><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_s= ignature"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div>Dennis M Forsythe PhD</div>Emeritus Profess= or of Biology=C2=A0<div>The Citadel</div><div>Charleston, SC</div><div>843-= 708-1605 cell</div></div></div> --000000000000ea26bf065d66057b-- |
||||