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| List: Carolina-Leps Date: Sat, 17 Oct 2026 17:52:57 -0400 From: Harry LeGrand (via carolinaleps Mailing List) <carolinaleps...> Subject: Re: No Gulf Fritillaries in Richmond County, NC |
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--00000000000072dbad065e104e93 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Pete -- out your way, they come in via Tennessee (river valley corridors) or northern GA, not inland from the NC Piedmont. It is a phenomenon where the southern NC Mountains get Gulf Frits often earlier and in greater numbers than folks even in the NC Sandhills do. It can at times be seen with Little Yellow, the very scarce stray Dainty Sulphur, and maybe 1-2 other migrants. Harry On Sat, Oct 17, 2026 at 5:19=E2=80=AFPM Pete Dixon <pete555eliot...>= wrote: > There are plenty of Gulf Frits in Hot Springs this year. > > On Sat, Oct 17, 2026 at 4:28=E2=80=AFPM Harry LeGrand <carolinaleps@duke.= edu> > 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 a= nd >> fall. Normally, I would 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 year, and often seeing 1-5 in Raleigh in a >> normal summer fall, I decided to visit the southern NC coast Thursday an= d >> 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 h= ad >> around 5 Long-taileds each day. However, they don't seem to have dispers= ed >> 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 Quee= n; >> there was one single White Peacock photo report near the coast; no Tropi= cal >> 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 rela= te >> 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 we= re. >> >> Harry LeGrand >> Raleigh >> >> On Sat, Oct 17, 2026 at 4:09=E2=80=AFPM Will Stuart <carolinaleps...>= du> >> 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 frequen= cy >>> and density of nectaring Monarchs was as high as I have seen in the las= t >>> half-dozen years. I did not do a complete species count. There were v= ery >>> 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 = that >>> 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 >>> >> --00000000000072dbad065e104e93 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <div dir=3D"ltr"><div>Pete -- out your way, they come in via Tennessee (riv= er valley=C2=A0corridors) or=C2=A0northern GA, not inland from the NC Piedm= ont. It is a phenomenon where the southern NC Mountains=C2=A0get Gulf Frits= often earlier and in greater numbers than folks even in the NC Sandhills d= o. It can at times be seen with Little Yellow, the very scarce stray Dainty= Sulphur, and maybe 1-2 other migrants.</div><div><br></div><div>Harry</div= ></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir=3D"ltr= " class=3D"gmail_attr">On Sat, Oct 17, 2026 at 5:19=E2=80=AFPM Pete Dixon &= lt;<a href=3D"mailto:<pete555eliot...>"><pete555eliot...></a>>= wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px = 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir= =3D"ltr">There are plenty of Gulf Frits in Hot Springs this year.</div><br>= <div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Sat, Oc= t 17, 2026 at 4:28=E2=80=AFPM Harry LeGrand <<a href=3D"mailto:carolinal= <eps...>" target=3D"_blank"><carolinaleps...></a>> wrote:<br></d= iv><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;bord= er-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div>= 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=C2=A0this summer a= nd fall. Normally, I would 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 year, and often seeing 1-5 in Raleigh in a normal su= mmer fall, I decided to visit the southern=C2=A0NC coast Thursday and Frida= y. As you saw from my results on=C2=A0carolinaleps yesterday, Gulf Frits we= re VERY common as usual in Brunswick and New Hanover, and at least I had ar= ound 5 Long-taileds each day. However, they don't seem to have disperse= d inland much in 2026, and it is getting late!!</div><div><br></div><div>Bu= t, in my 30+ years of butterflying in NC, I THINK this has been the WORST o= ne ever for the collective number of rare southern species in NC. There wer= e 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 Tropical Checkered-Ski= ppers; and sadly, no Zebra Longwing, etc. We even had a few Cassius Blues l= ast year!=C2=A0</div><div><br></div><div>Obviously, our lack of such specie= s, 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 Cass= ius blues, etc -- must relate to poor conditions in Florida and coastal Geo= rgia for "producing" adults to immigrate northward. Drought, reco= rd heat, etc., I suspect, but I'd have to defer to SC observers and tho= se farther south to know what the issues were.</div><div><br></div><div>Har= ry LeGrand</div><div>Raleigh</div></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div= dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Sat, Oct 17, 2026 at 4:09=E2=80=AFPM W= ill Stuart <<a href=3D"mailto:<carolinaleps...>" target=3D"_blank">c= <arolinaleps...></a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quo= te" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 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 Grande,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 Grande,sans-serif;font= -size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)"> <br> </div> <div style=3D"font-family:Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Grande,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 Grande,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 Grande,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 Grande,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 Grande,sans-serif;font= -size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)"> <br> </div> <div style=3D"font-family:Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Grande,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 Grande,sans-serif;font= -size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)"> <br> </div> <div id=3D"m_6974070340055348392m_1009286839260747698m_-4562409254610201530= Signature"> <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> </blockquote></div> --00000000000072dbad065e104e93-- |
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