Pearson Butterflies

[Gerard KlugParticipant]

This article is dedicated to Doris Stifel. Requiescat in pace.

Spicebush Swallowtail: A curious case. Not found for years, despite acres of Spicebush. Local lepidopterists held that the Spicebush Swallowtails around here prefer Sassafras, which doesn’t grow east of the river. Apparently some spicebush Spicebush Swallowtails got a foothold in the park because it’s now common. Prefers the forested areas.

Black Swallowtail: Common, easily found. Conversely to the Spicebush, prefers open areas.

Tiger Swallowtail: Common, easily found. Black Tiger has turned up here occasionally. Difficult to understand the specific name glaucous, since it doesn’t have much blue and the little it has isn’t grayish. Likes edge habitat.

Giant Swallowtail: Quite common. Some butterfliers have reacted with surprise about its status. Perhaps Pearson is a strong and vibrant colony for this species. No doubt due to all the Prickly Ash. Found most often in closed areas and edges.

Clouded Sulphur: Abundant, especially Pearson north. White form frequent there. This is usually the latest butterfly at the park. On a sunny Thanksgiving morn, 11/26/98, 1 was flying.

Cloudless Sulphur: Seen twice. Status probably typical of a migrant.

Alfalfa Butterfly (Orange Sulphur): Uncommon. Prefers Pearson north. Farmers aren’t growing alfalfa as much as they used to.

Little Yellow (Little Sulphur): 1 recent record. Likely a rare stray.

Cabbage White: Abundant. 1 of 3 butterfly species in the park to hit the century mark (300+ 8/19/05). Only place it doesn’t like is the deep woods.

Harvester: Rare. Tends to stay high in trees of Pearson south.

Purplish Copper: State endangered. Found 1 at Pearson north 6/23/04. Zoo did a G.P.S. at spot I marked. They were slightly disappointed it was male.

American Copper: Another curious case. Once at least uncommon east of the Maumee. Disappeared from these parts after 1987. Did the places with Sheep Sorrel get paved over? There’s still plenty of Curly Dock. Qu’est-ce que c’est que ca.

Bronze Copper: Uncommon. Strongly prefers Pearson north – where there’s more of its habitat.

Coral Hairstreak: Status uncertain due to habits and traits, i.e., small size, dull coloration, erratic flight, and tends to stay in shade.

Banded Hairstreak: Ditto this species.

Gray Hairstreak: A recent find. Status probably that of a migrant.

Spring Azure: Common, easily found. Mostly Pearson south.

Summer Azure: Ditto this species.

Eastern Tailed-Blue: Common, but much more frequent Pearson north.

Great Spangled Fritillary: Once abundant. Abruptly vanished in the beginning of the teens. Still plenty of violets for host plants. Maybe they go through cycles. Hard to figure.

Variegated Fritillary: Rare migrant. Encountered a few times Pearson north.

‘
Pearl Crescent: Often abundant. Most numerous Pearson north.

Silvery Checkerspot: 1 recent sighting. Doesn’t appear to be a regular member of Pearson lepidopter-fauna.

Comma: Common. My 1st butterfly book called it a Hop Merchant. Not as likely to stray from heavy timber as Question Mark. At times the 1st to appear. 1 was flitting about 2/19/17.

Question Mark: Common, but skittish. Now usually the 1st to appear. Tends to favor the forest.

Mourning Cloak: Common. In England it’s called a Camberwell Beauty. In bygone days was often the 1st butterfly of the year. Since about the early 00s it’s been the Question Mark. Another species poorly named scientifically (Nymphalis antiope). Big and dark, seems masculine – not very nymph-like. Antiope in Greek mythology was a Theban princess.

Red Admiral (in Europe it’s a Red Admirable): At times abundant. 1 of 3 butterfly species in the park to occur in triple digits. There were 100+ 4/17/12 due to their chrysalis parasite’s population crash.
Sometimes 1st to come out, especially when the spring’s been too cold for the other earlies. This and the Clouded Sulphur are often last in fall.

American Painted Lady: Uncommon. My 1st butterfly book called it a Hunter’s Butterfly. Steadier in occurrence than Painted Lady. Frequents edges.

Painted Lady: Status typical of a migrant. When they’re here, they’re here. When they’re not, they’re not.

Common Buckeye: Uncommon migrant. Found in open.

Red-spotted Purple: Common, but not easily found. Difficult to approach, stays in shade, and doesn’t nectar. But at least it’s big and showy.

Viceroy: Fairly common. Likes it in the open, so more often at Pearson north.

Hackberry Butterfly: Since Hackberry the tree is uncommon at Pearson, so too the butterfly.

Tawny Emperor: Ditto this species.

Appalachian Brown: Uncommon, but the more common of the 2 browns. Likes the north curve of the Wood Thrush trail.

Eyed Brown: Uncommon. Frequents same area as Appalachian Brown.

Common Wood Nymph (nephele form): Exact status difficult to determine due to characteristics, but probably uncommon. Contrary to butterfly books, tends not to favor open areas at Pearson.

Monarch: Often abundant. The 2nd most numerous butterfly species in the park recorded with 208 on 9/13/19. A Monarch and a Clouded Sulphur were still flying 11/29/17.

No paucity of Pawpaw patches at Pearson park. But my search for Zebra Swallowtails has been fruitless. Despite the presence of Chelone (Turtlehead), have yet to find Baltimores. Snouts possible, but awaiting more decisive sighting.

Pearson Skippers

Peck’s Skipper: Common, easily found.

Delaware Skipper: Ditto this species.

Dion Skipper: Ditto this species. Some good alternate names for it would be “Runaround Sue” and “The Wanderer.”

Mulberry Wing: Not as common as 1st 3 folded wings.

Broad-winged Skipper: Status uncertain. A recent find.

Dukes’ Skipper: Listed as rare, but frequency of occurrence suggests Pearson’s an isolated colony. Habitat’s right. Likes same area as the browns.

Dun Skipper: Uncommon.

Tawny-edged Skipper: Encountered occasionally.

Zabulon Skipper: Status uncertain. Most recently found skipper.

European Skipper: Uncommon.

Firey Skipper: A recent find. Probably of migrant status.

Least Skipper: Common, but tiny. Can be hard to see.

Silver-spotted Skipper: Quite common. Usually 1st skipper to appear and last in autumn, but not as early or late as certain butterflies.

Hoary Edge: Rare. Seen 6/6/03.

Common Checkered Skipper: Migrant. Encountered a few times Pearson north.

Common Sootywing: Casual. Probably strays into park from more urban areas. Can’t find its host plant Lamb’s Quarters away from city lots.

Horace’s Duskywing: Common. Plenty of oaks for host plants.

Juvenal’s Duskywing: Ditto this species.

Wild Indigo Duskywing: Common because Seaman Rd. overpass is carpeted with Crown Vetch.

[Author]

Posts