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| List: Carolina-Leps Date: Fri, 9 Oct 2026 10:35:13 -0400 From: Harry LeGrand (via carolinaleps Mailing List) <carolinaleps...> Subject: Re: Uwharrie NF butterflies, Montgomery Co., NC -- Oct. 8 |
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--0000000000006cb43a065d69428f Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Jeff C and others, You have some good points there. Jeff Pippen and I, who remember the microhabitat back in the 1990s and 2000s when we saw Leonard's in Chatham and Moore counties, the wooded margins and roadsides USED to be full of the Large-flowered Aster, their favorite nectar plant species. But, management changes by both Duke Energy and maybe other utility companies) and NC DOT have changed since then. NO MORE MOWING! Costs too much money, effort, etc. That was the management back then, and it favored ALL grass skippers, especially the ones that require NATIVE grass species. Over the last 15 years, herbidicing is the vegetation management of choice, either the awful broadcast spraying, or the less impactful target spraying of woody saplings. So, instead of road margins with asters in bloom, we now see the yellow-flowered and greatly spreading Bidens, the weedy native Dogfennel with very little nectar, and other weedy things, including the exotic Sericea that now covers so many roadbanks and old fields. These plants are shunned by Leonard's Skippers, and most native skippers don't use these either. I really wonder if Leonard's has delayed its flight by several weeks here owing to very hot and possibly dry weather. We know the flowering of the asters has been pushed back by 1-2 weeks or MORE since then. I really doubt that we would be seeing Leonard's Skippers in 2-3 weeks, when this aster reaches its peak flowering this year. In the NC mountains, the few records in recent years have still been in late August for the most part and are NOT showing any delayed flight period. It is possible that one to several local folks will make another try after October 20, but it would be really helpful to know what skippers are around then when the asters are in full bloom. Certainly the Clouded Skippers will still be common, and maybe more Ocolas and a few Fieries and checkered-skippers. That might be it, but .... Harry LeGrand On Fri, Oct 9, 2026 at 7:04=E2=80=AFAM Jeff Cagle <jeffreyrcagle...>= wrote: > Leonard's has also apparently vanished from its former site Soldier's > Delight in Baltimore Co, MD (last iNat sighting, Sep '20). That site ha= s > not experienced a lot of human disturbance. > > Interestingly, survey of iNat observations over the time periods 2017-202= 0 > ; 2020-2023; 2023-2026 shows that Leondard's appears stable in the Ozarks > and Appalachians, even into Southern states like MO and AK. This might > rule out some temperature related hypotheses? But careful correlation > would be necessary to say for sure. > > (other) Jeff > > On Fri, Oct 9, 2026 at 6:44=E2=80=AFAM Dennis Forsythe <carolinaleps@duke= .edu> > wrote: > >> 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@duke.= edu> >> 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 win= d. >>> 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 Ast= er >>> (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 = the >>> 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 = our >>> list from about 9:45 - 3:45, with most of the time spent along Tower Ro= ad, >>> 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 >>> year >>> 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 >>> >>> >>> >> >> -- >> Dennis M Forsythe PhD >> Emeritus Professor of Biology >> The Citadel >> Charleston, SC >> 843-708-1605 <(843)%20708-1605> cell >> > --0000000000006cb43a065d69428f Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <div dir=3D"ltr"><div>Jeff C and others,</div><div><br></div><div>You have = some good points there.=C2=A0 Jeff Pippen and I, who remember the microhabi= tat back in the 1990s and 2000s when we saw Leonard's in Chatham and Mo= ore counties, the wooded margins and roadsides USED to be full of the Large= -flowered Aster, their favorite nectar plant species. But, management chang= es by both Duke Energy and maybe other=C2=A0utility companies) and NC DOT h= ave changed since then. NO MORE MOWING!=C2=A0 Costs too much money, effort,= etc. That was the management back then, and it favored ALL grass skippers,= especially=C2=A0the ones that require NATIVE grass species. Over the last = 15 years, herbidicing is the vegetation=C2=A0management of choice, either t= he awful broadcast spraying, or the less impactful target spraying=C2=A0of = woody saplings. So, instead of road margins=C2=A0with asters in bloom, we n= ow see the yellow-flowered and greatly spreading Bidens, the weedy native D= ogfennel with very little nectar, and other weedy things, including the exo= tic Sericea that now covers so many roadbanks and old fields. These plants = are shunned by Leonard's Skippers, and most native skippers don't u= se these either.=C2=A0</div><div><br></div><div>I really wonder if Leonard&= #39;s has delayed its flight by several weeks here owing to very hot and po= ssibly dry weather. We know the flowering of the asters has been pushed bac= k by 1-2 weeks or MORE since then. I really doubt that we would be seeing L= eonard's Skippers in 2-3 weeks, when this aster reaches its peak flower= ing this=C2=A0year. In the NC mountains, the few records in recent years ha= ve still been in late August for the most part and are NOT showing any dela= yed flight period.=C2=A0 It is possible that one to several local folks wil= l make another try after October 20, but it would be really helpful to know= what skippers=C2=A0are around then when the asters are in full bloom. Cert= ainly the Clouded Skippers will still be common, and maybe more Ocolas and = a few Fieries and checkered-skippers. That might be it, but ....</div><div>= <br></div><div>Harry LeGrand</div></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote gmail= _quote_container"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Fri, Oct 9, 2026= at 7:04=E2=80=AFAM Jeff Cagle <<a href=3D"mailto:<jeffreyrcagle...>= m"><jeffreyrcagle...></a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gma= il_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,2= 04,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr">Leonard's has also apparentl= y vanished from its former site Soldier's Delight in Baltimore Co, MD (= last iNat sighting, Sep '20).=C2=A0 =C2=A0That site has not experienced= a lot of human disturbance.=C2=A0=C2=A0<br><br>Interestingly, survey of iN= at observations over the time periods 2017-2020 ; 2020-2023; 2023-2026 show= s that Leondard's appears stable in the Ozarks and Appalachians, even i= nto Southern states like MO and AK.=C2=A0 This might rule out some temperat= ure related hypotheses?=C2=A0 But careful correlation would be necessary to= say for sure.=C2=A0=C2=A0<br><br>(other) Jeff</div><br><div class=3D"gmail= _quote"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Fri, Oct 9, 2026 at 6:44= =E2=80=AFAM Dennis Forsythe <<a href=3D"mailto:<carolinaleps...>" ta= rget=3D"_blank"><carolinaleps...></a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote c= lass=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px soli= d rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr">Sorry to hear about t= he lack of Leonard's Skippers.=C2=A0 They are probably=C2=A0gone for lo= cations in SC too!<div><br></div><div>Dennis</div></div><br><div class=3D"g= mail_quote"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Thu, Oct 8, 2026 at 9:= 23=E2=80=AFPM Harry LeGrand <<a href=3D"mailto:<carolinaleps...>" ta= rget=3D"_blank"><carolinaleps...></a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote c= lass=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px soli= d rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr">Folk= s,<div><br></div><div>Again this fall several of us from the Triangle area = ventured to a former "stronghold" in NC for the Leonard's Ski= pper, now essentially a ghost in NC except at a few mountain sites. Jeff Pi= ppen and I think a combination of: 1) poor management of powerline clearing= s and roadsides by utility companies and NC DOT=C2=A0with herbicing rather = than by mowing; 2) continuing=C2=A0hotter summers and early autumns that mi= ght be putting the eclosing of adults and nectar plants in a mis-timing con= dition; 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 Skipp= er, despite perfect weather for the day -- sunny, warm, and no wind. Howeve= r, 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 temp= eratures have pushed back the flowering of Large-flowered Aster (<i>Symphyo= trichum grandiflorum</i>) about TWO WEEKS later than usual.</u> In former f= alls, this bushy purple/blue-flowered species would be peaking in flowering= around Oct. 5-12. Today, Oct. 8, we barely=C2=A0had a few dozen flowers he= re and there, with about 98% of the potential flower buds on the many plant= s not yet even beginning to bud out!!. Thankfully we did find lots of bloom= ing Shaggy Blazing-star (<i>Liatris pilosa</i>), among a few other pink=C2= =A0to blue flowers that the Leonard's MUST have for nectar, including s= everal <i>Agalinis</i> species.=C2=A0 However, many of the butterflies belo= w were nectaring on the large amount 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><a h= ref=3D"tel:(843)%20708-1605" value=3D"+18437081605" target=3D"_blank">843-7= 08-1605</a> cell</div></div></div> </blockquote></div> </blockquote></div> --0000000000006cb43a065d69428f-- |
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