 |
 |
 |
 |
| List: Carolina-Leps Date: Sat, 17 Oct 2026 17:11:42 -0400 From: Dennis Forsythe (via carolinaleps Mailing List) <carolinaleps...> Subject: Re: No Gulf Fritillaries in Richmond County, NC |
||||
--000000000000382eb8065e0fc89e Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Harry et al The conditions in South Carolina were similar. To the best of my knowledge there were no Southern species seen. Salt Marsh Skippers were scarce but I did have a Phaon Crescent at a new location on Sol Legare Is, Charleston Co. Dennis On Sat, Oct 17, 2026 at 4:27=E2=80=AFPM Harry LeGrand <carolinaleps...>= u> wrote: > I was skunked on Gulf Fritillary also in the Raleigh/Triangle area, plus = a > few trips to the Sandhills and one trip to the Uwharries this summer and > fall. Normally, I would have seen 1-5 in Raleigh in most summers/falls, n= ot > to mention maybe 1-2 in the Sandhills as well. Also I was lacking > Long-tailed Skipper for the year, and often seeing 1-5 in Raleigh in a > normal summer fall, I decided to visit the southern NC coast Thursday and > Friday. As you saw from my results on carolinaleps yesterday, Gulf Frits > were VERY common as usual in Brunswick and New Hanover, and at least I ha= d > around 5 Long-taileds each day. However, they don't seem to have disperse= d > inland much in 2026, and it is getting late!! > > But, in my 30+ years of butterflying in NC, I THINK this has been the > WORST one ever for the collective number of rare southern species in NC. > There were finally a few adult Brazilian Skipper reports, about 3 and I > believe only in the Nags Head to Duck area of Dare County. For the first > time in 10 or more years, I think NC has failed to turn up a single Queen= ; > there was one single White Peacock photo report near the coast; no Tropic= al > Checkered-Skippers; and sadly, no Zebra Longwing, etc. We even had a few > Cassius Blues last year! > > Obviously, our lack of such species, as well as a similar scarcity of > these in coastal SC, including I think a near lack of Great Southern > Whites, lack or scarcity of Ceraunus and Cassius blues, etc -- must relat= e > to poor conditions in Florida and coastal Georgia for "producing" adults = to > immigrate northward. Drought, record heat, etc., I suspect, but I'd have = to > defer to SC observers and those farther south to know what the issues wer= e. > > Harry LeGrand > Raleigh > > On Sat, Oct 17, 2026 at 4:09=E2=80=AFPM Will Stuart <carolinaleps...>= u> wrote: > >> I visited the NC Sandhills Game Land on 10/16/2026 with the primary >> purpose of looking for a Gulf Fritillary as I expected the Carphephorus >> bellidifolius to be near peak bloom in several compartments burned in >> 2026. The Carphephorus did not disappoint. I admired masses of purple >> blossoms often surrounded by handsome clumps of Wiregrass. The frequenc= y >> and density of nectaring Monarchs was as high as I have seen in the last >> half-dozen years. I did not do a complete species count. There were ve= ry >> few skippers. >> >> Monarch 50 Nectaring on Carphephorus >> Painted Lady 3 All on Carphephorus >> American Lady 2 >> Gulf Fritillary 0 >> >> I have not seen a Gulf Fritillary in the sandhills in 2026 despite >> frequent visits. I understand the very dry conditions of 2026 have >> suppressed the populations of resident butterfly populations but given t= hat >> our Gulf Fritillary is primarily(?) migratory it seems remarkable to be = at >> zero for a species that is a fairly common visitor in most years. >> >> Will Stuart >> Matthews, NC >> > --=20 Dennis M Forsythe PhD Emeritus Professor of Biology The Citadel Charleston, SC 843-708-1605 cell --000000000000382eb8065e0fc89e Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <div dir=3D"ltr">Harry et al<div><br></div><div>The conditions in South Car= olina were similar.=C2=A0 To the best of my knowledge there were no Souther= n species seen.=C2=A0 Salt Marsh Skippers were scarce but I did have a Phao= n Crescent at a new location on Sol Legare Is, Charleston Co.=C2=A0=C2=A0</= div><div><br></div><div>Dennis</div></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote gma= il_quote_container"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Sat, Oct 17, 2= 026 at 4:27=E2=80=AFPM Harry LeGrand <<a href=3D"mailto:carolinaleps@duk= e.edu"><carolinaleps...></a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"g= mail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204= ,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div>I was skunked on Gulf Fri= tillary also in the Raleigh/Triangle area, plus a few trips to the Sandhill= s and one trip to the Uwharries=C2=A0this summer and fall. Normally, I woul= d have seen 1-5 in Raleigh in most summers/falls, not to mention maybe 1-2 = in the Sandhills as well. Also I was lacking Long-tailed Skipper for the ye= ar, and often seeing 1-5 in Raleigh in a normal summer fall, I decided to v= isit the southern=C2=A0NC coast Thursday and Friday. As you saw from my res= ults on=C2=A0carolinaleps yesterday, Gulf Frits were VERY common as usual i= n Brunswick and New Hanover, and at least I had around 5 Long-taileds each = day. However, they don't seem to have dispersed inland much in 2026, an= d it is getting late!!</div><div><br></div><div>But, in my 30+ years of but= terflying in NC, I THINK this has been the WORST one ever for the collectiv= e number of rare southern species in NC. There were finally a few adult Bra= zilian Skipper reports, about 3 and I believe only in the Nags Head to Duck= area of Dare County. For the first time in 10 or more years, I think NC ha= s failed to turn up a single Queen; there was one single White Peacock phot= o report near the coast; no Tropical Checkered-Skippers; and sadly, no Zebr= a Longwing, etc. We even had a few Cassius Blues last year!=C2=A0</div><div= ><br></div><div>Obviously, our lack of such species, as well as a similar s= carcity of these in coastal SC, including I think a near lack of Great Sout= hern Whites, lack or scarcity of Ceraunus and Cassius blues, etc -- must re= late to poor conditions in Florida and coastal Georgia for "producing&= quot; adults to immigrate northward. Drought, record heat, etc., I suspect,= but I'd have to defer to SC observers and those farther south to know = what the issues were.</div><div><br></div><div>Harry LeGrand</div><div>Rale= igh</div></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gma= il_attr">On Sat, Oct 17, 2026 at 4:09=E2=80=AFPM Will Stuart <<a href=3D= "mailto:<carolinaleps...>" target=3D"_blank"><carolinaleps...></a>&= gt; wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0= px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div> <div dir=3D"ltr"> <div style=3D"font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode","Lucida Gran= de",sans-serif;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)"> I visited the NC Sandhills Game Land on 10/16/2026 with the primary purpose= of looking for a Gulf Fritillary as I expected the Carphephorus bellidifol= ius to be near peak bloom in several compartments burned in 2026.=C2=A0 The= Carphephorus did not disappoint. I admired masses of purple blossoms often surrounded by handsome clumps of Wiregrass= .=C2=A0 The frequency and density of nectaring Monarchs was as high as I ha= ve seen in the last half-dozen years.=C2=A0 I did not do a complete species= count.=C2=A0 There were very few skippers.</div> <div style=3D"font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode","Lucida Gran= de",sans-serif;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)"> <br> </div> <div style=3D"font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode","Lucida Gran= de",sans-serif;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)"> Monarch=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 50=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0Nect= aring on Carphephorus</div> <div style=3D"font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode","Lucida Gran= de",sans-serif;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)"> Painted Lady=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 3=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0All on Carphep= horus</div> <div style=3D"font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode","Lucida Gran= de",sans-serif;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)"> American Lady=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A02</div> <div style=3D"font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode","Lucida Gran= de",sans-serif;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)"> Gulf Fritillary=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 0=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0</div> <div style=3D"font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode","Lucida Gran= de",sans-serif;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)"> <br> </div> <div style=3D"font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode","Lucida Gran= de",sans-serif;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)"> I have not seen a Gulf Fritillary in the sandhills in 2026 despite frequent= visits.=C2=A0 I understand the very dry conditions of 2026 have suppressed= the populations of resident butterfly populations but given that our Gulf = Fritillary is primarily(?) migratory it seems remarkable to be at zero for a species that is a fairly common vi= sitor in most years.</div> <div style=3D"font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode","Lucida Gran= de",sans-serif;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)"> <br> </div> <div id=3D"m_-3869058021738113551m_-4562409254610201530Signature"> <div style=3D"font-family:Calibri,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt= ;color:rgb(0,0,0)"> Will Stuart</div> <div style=3D"font-family:Calibri,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt= ;color:rgb(0,0,0)"> Matthews, NC</div> </div> </div> </div></blockquote></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> --000000000000382eb8065e0fc89e-- |
||||