American Butterflies Winter 2018

American

Butterflies Volume 26: Number 4

Fritillaries at Lassen National Park

Winter 2018

My Big Life

NABA’s Member Meeting in Talahassee

Hot Seens

Cloudless Sulphur Food

NABA News and Notes Print or Digital? — You Decide Many NABA members enjoy receiving print copies of American Butterflies and of Butterfly Gardener.

Other members prefer to receive their copies in digital form. Moving forward, those members with a regular membership will choose one form of publication delivery — either print or digital. Those members with family, copper and other supporting memberships may continue to receive both print and digital versions, although these members can also choose to receive only print, or only digital, if they so desire.

Free Trial Membership For Counters NABA is offering free trial memberships to people who have not previously been NABA members, if they help NABA monitor butterflies by entering data into the Recent Sightings page and/or participate in the NABA Butterfly Count program. The free, trial membership includes access to digital versions of NABA publications as well as access to NABAChat and other NABA programs. So, invite your friends, family and neighbors to participate in Recent Sightings and/or the Counts, helping to monitor and conserve butterflies throughout North America — they will be rewarded with a free, trial membership.

NABA’s Butterfly Gardening Guide Butterfly Gardening: The North American Butterfly Association Guide, authored by Jane Hurwitz, editor of NABA’s Butterfly Gardener, has just been published by Princeton University Press.

Estate Planning We’d like to ask those NABA members who have planned estates, to consider including NABA and the National Butterfly Center in their plans. This will allow you to continue to help butterflies and conservation.

Amazon Smile Please smile if you use Amazon to purchase anything! If you do, Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price, at no cost to you, to NABA. Simply go to smile.amazon.com and follow instructions, choosing North American Butterfly Association as your charity.

NABA Art Contest Artists interested in entering the 2019 NABA Art Contest should submit digital images of original two-dimensional color “paintings,” in any medium.

The digital file name should include the artist’s name, should be from two to five MB, and should be sent to naba@naba.org. Higher resolution images will be requested, if needed.

If realistic, the painting should depict species found in Mexico, the United States or Canada. In your cover letter, please indicate the dimensions of the original work, give a description of the medium of the work, and provide a release granting to NABA the right to copy and publish the image. Please include a telephone number and email address where you can be reached. Submissions need to be received not later than June 1, 2019. Winning artist will receive a prize of $500, 2nd place winner will receive $125 and winners and honorable mentions will have their works published in color in the Fall 2019 issue of American Butterflies. All decisions of the judges are final.

Social Media You can now follow NABA activities on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest (and also by talking with actual people!).

Matching Donations Those of you who generously contribute donations to NABA and work at a large corporation may be able to double your contribution. Many corporations have matching gift programs. Check with your human resource or public relations dept.

Front Cover: Food for Thought: NABA Members Meeting in Tallahassee.

Top photo of a Regal Jumping Spider that had captured a Gulf Fritillary by Wade Wander. Sept.

18, 2018. Liberty Co., FL. Bottom photo, of some of the attendees (many more unherded) by Adam J. Skowronski. See page 16 for an article about the meeting.

American Butterflies Volume 26: Number 4

The North American Butterfly Association, Inc. (NABA), a non-profit organization, was formed to promote public enjoyment and conservation of butterflies.

Membership in NABA is open to all those who share our purpose.

President: Jeffrey Glassberg Vice-president: James Springer Secrty./Treasurer Ann James Directors: Jeffrey Glassberg Fred Heath Yvonne Homeyer Ann James Dennis Olle Robert Robbins James Springer Patricia Sutton Scientific Advisory Board Nat Holland Naomi Pierce Robert Robbins Ron Rutowski John Shuey Ernest Williams

Winter 2018

Inside Front Cover NABA News and Notes

2 Thanks

by Jeffrey Glassberg

4 Go Get Set On Your Marks: Greater Fritillaries Part 4, Lassen Volcanic National Park and Vicinity by Jeffrey Glassberg 14 Finding Fritillaries in Lassen National Park

by Rob Santry

16 Tales from Tallahassee: The 13th Biennial NABA Members Meeting

by Jane Hurwitz, David Harder, Erin Diehm and Sharon Wander 26 You Are What You Eat 27 Cloudless Sulphur on Maryland Senna in Georgia.

by Meredith Mays 30 My Big Life

by Jeffrey Glassberg

40 Hot Seens by Mike Reese 48 Contributors

Inside Back Cover Readers Write

American Butterflies (ISSN 1087-450X) is published quarterly by the North American Butterfly Association, Inc. (NABA), 4 Delaware Rd., Morristown, NJ 07960; tel. 973285-0907; fax 973-285-0936; web site, www.naba.org. Copyright © 2018 by North American Butterfly Association, Inc. All rights reserved. The statements of contributors do not necessarily represent the views or beliefs of NABA and NABA does not warrant or endorse products or services of advertisers.

Editor, Jeffrey Glassberg Editorial Assistance, Matthew Scott and Sharon Wander Please send address changes (allow 6-8 weeks for correction) to: NABA, 4 Delaware Rd., Morristown, NJ 07960; or email to naba@naba.org

1

Thanks for 2018 Well, it’s definitely that time of year again.

Thanksgiving has just flown by and we have so many people to thank!

The NABA Board continues to help steer our growing activities. While all the Board members play a vital role, I want to single out NABA vice-president, Jim Springer who has really stepped up his involvement with NABA. Without Jim’s operational expertise, rather than flying, NABA might be swimming with the fishes.

Jane Hurwitz continues to do a great job as editor of Butterfly Gardener, now helped by associate editor Mary Ann Borge. Thanks to both of you for helping American gardeners create habitats for butterflies.

At the NABA office, Mike Cerbone ably works to drag NABA, kicking and screaming, into the digital age while office manager Laura Bianco brings warmth to her interactions with members as office manager and as chapter liaison. Thanks to you both!

Thanks to Mike Reese for monitoring the NABA Recent Sightings website and database.

Special thanks to all of the folks at NABA’s National Butterfly Center, who, exceptionally led by Executive Director Marianna Wright, have performed wonders during difficult times.

Staff includes Max Munoz, Luciano Guerra, Stephanie Lopez, Nestor Gonzalez, Marcelo Saavedra, Fortunata Ramirez, Adriana Glick, Teresa Garcia and Patricia Rubio. Thanks as well to the lawyers at Debevoise and Plimpton who have been representing NABA pro bono in its lawsuit challenging the federal taking of its land.

Thanks to the many, many officers and volunteers of the NABA chapters throughout the U.S. Your efforts are of great importance in moving forward NABA’s mission and are much appreciated. We all want to especially thank the members of the Tallahassee chapter, who did a terrific job hosting the NABA Members Meeting in September (see article on page 16).

2 American Butterflies, Winter 2018

Thanks as well to Rick Cech and Peter Post who helped judge this year’s photo contest.

Thanks also to Ralph Fylstra, NABA’s ’ long-time, pro bono accountant.

American Butterflies depends entirely upon the generosity of authors and photographers who contribute their work free of charge.

For their year 2018 articles, we thank Mike Cerbone, Linda Cooper, Erin Diehm, Don Dubois, Jane Hurwitz, Susan Finkbeiner, Mary Ann Friedman, Dean Jue, Susan Kolterman, Sara Lewis, Alida Madero, Meredith Mays, Mike Reese, Lucy Sada, Rob Santry, Curtis Serviss, Sharon Wander, and Harry Zirlin.

I’m not sure how many of us would read American Butterflies if it didn’t have great color photos. So thanks to all the photographers who donated the use of their photos to NABA, including the authors listed above and Heinz Albers, David Amadio, Brett Badeaux, William Beck, Bob Behrstock, Andy Birkey, Rick Borchelt, Bill Bouton, Cynthia Bridge, Ray Bruun, John Christensen, JoAnna Clayton, Brandon Cramphorn, Abbie Dufreen, Nancy Eickman, Joan Fox, Steve Glynn, Amy Grimm, Luciano Guerra, Dan Hardy, Ron Hedden, John Hendrickson, Susan Hendgeveld, Sonia Hill, Dennis Holmes, Eric Hunt, Bart Jones, Sally Jue, Venice Kelly, John Kemner, John Lampkin, Joanne Langabee, Jennifer Lankin, Ian Lawson, Mike Lewinski, Craig Lipski, Brian Lloyd, Jim Lloyd, Mary Lea McNulty, Tom Murray, NASA, Andrew Neild, Kristie Nelson, Matt Orsie, Ed Perry IV, Beth Polvino, Terry Priest, Mike Rickard, Rebecca Riel, John Rosford, Eric Runquist, Jane Ruffin, Holly Salvato, Rob Santry, Alan Schmierer, Radim Schreiber, Laurie Sheppard, Ron Smith, Wanda Smith, Jim Springer, Susan Taylor, Allan Trently, Wade Wander, Christina Wappl, Ken Wilson, and Ron Wolf.

The North American Butterfly Association (NABA)

For the Love of Butterflies Please photocopy this membership application form and pass it along to friends and acquaintances who might be interested in NABA

Yes! I want to join NABA, the North American Butterfly Association,

and receive American Butterflies and The Butterfly Gardener and/or contribute to building the premier butterfly garden in the world, the National Butterfly Center. The Center, located on approximately 100 acres of land fronting the Rio Grande River in Mission, Texas uses native trees, shrubs and wildflowers to create a spectacular natural butterfly garden that importantly benefits butterflies, an endangered ecosystem and the people of the Rio Grande Valley.

Visit our website at www.naba.org 264 Name: ________________________________________________________________________ Address: ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Email (only used for NABA business):______________________ Tel.:______________________ Special Interests (circle): Listing, Gardening, Observation, Photography, Conservation, Other _________________________________________________________ For a $35 donation, one receives NABA publications as either digital or print. All higher levels of donations receive both digital and print versions. Outside the U.S., only digital is available, at any donation level.

Tax-deductible dues (donation) enclosed (circle): Regular $35 (must choose either digital or print — circle one), Family $45. Special sponsorship levels: Copper $55; Skipper $100; Admiral $250; Monarch $1000.

Institution/Library subscription to all annual publications $60. Special tax-deductible contributions to NABA (please circle): $125, $200, $1000, $5000. Mail checks (in U.S. dollars) to NABA, 4 Delaware Rd., Morristown, NJ 07960.

ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS American Butterflies welcomes the unsolicited submission of articles to: Editor, American Butterflies, NABA, 4 Delaware Rd., Morristown, NJ 07960. We will reply to your submission only if accepted and we will be unable to return any unsolicited articles, photographs, artwork, or other material, so please do not send materials that you would want returned. For the type of articles, including length and style, that we publish, refer to issues of American Butterflies.

Occasionally, members send membership dues twice.

Our policy in such cases, unless instructed differently, is to extend membership for an additional year.

ADVERTISING

American Butterflies welcomes advertising. Rates are the same for all advertisers, including NABA members, officers and directors. For more information, please write us at: American Butterflies, 4 Delaware Road, Morristown, NJ 07960, or telephone, 973-285-0907, or fax 973-285-0936 for current rates and closing dates.

MEMBERSHIP SERVICES If you have questions about missing magazines, membership expiration date, change of address, etc., please write to: NABA, 4 Delaware Rd., Morristown, NJ 07960 or email to naba@naba.org.

3

Go Get Set On Your Marks: Greater Fritillaries, part 4.

Lassen Volcanic National Park & Vicinity

by Jeffrey Glassberg Continuing our Fear of Fritillaries refresher course, this installment focuses on far northern California, specifically Lassen Volcanic National Park and the surrounding area.

Here, you may find seven species of greater fritillaries (shown on these two pages), a number of which present identification difficulties.

4 American Butterflies, Winter 2018

We’ll start with two species that are relatively easy to recognize. Both of these species average larger than the other species here, and both, but especially Great Spangled, have a wide, cream-colored submarginal band that is less “muddy” than the other species. Great Spangleds have an amber eye, while Coronis has the usual blue-gray eye. Great Spangleds have a dark HW disk below [A] (photos 2, 8 and 10), with females darker than males, while Coronis has a pale brown disk [A] (photos 3 and 9). Great Spangleds have reduced HW pale spots, while Coronis has the largest and Rob Santry

1. July 13, 2013. East of Spencer Meadow, Plumas Co., CA. 2. July 18, 2009. 5 miles east of Adin, Modoc Co., CA. 3. July 9, 2017. Blue Lake Canyon, Lassen NP, Shasta Co., CA. 4. June 5, 2016. Tehama Co., CA. 5. July 25, 2017. Above Sulphur Works, Lassen NP, Shasta Co., CA. 6. July 4, 2010. Lake McCumber, Shasta Co., CA. 7. June 8, 2013. Bear Creek Rd., near Ponderosa, Shasta Co., CA.

Great Spangled and Coronis Fritillaries

Hydaspe Fritillary

1

Rob Santry

A

2

Ray Bruun

A

3 Dennis Holmes

Callippe Fritillary

Great Basin Fritillary

4

5

Atlantis Fritillary

6

Dennis Holmes

Zerene Fritillary

Rob Santry

Dennis Holmes

Coronis Fritillary

Great Spangled Fritillary

7 5

A view of Lassen Peak and Juniper Lake from Mt. Harkness. July 5, 2018.

Coronis

Dennis Holmes

Female.

Aug. 3, 2013.

Drakesbad Meadow, Lassen NP

July 9, 2017.

Blue Lake Canyon, Lassen NP

8

Ray Bruun

Male. July 20, 2013. Southeast of Spencer Meadow, Plumas Co., CA

6 American Butterflies, Winter 2018

10

Dennis Holmes

Great Spangled

9

Great Spangled and Coronis Fritillaries brightest silvered spots. Coronis also has the most prominent, wide white band at the base of the leading edge of the HW below.

The undersides of male and female Coronis Fritillaries are fairly similar, however female Great Spangleds have the HW disk below much darker brown than do males. Both sexes of Great Spangleds prefer lush meadows.

Susan Taylor

Great Spangled

Coronis

Dennis Holmes

11

13

Dennis Holmes

Rob Santry

12 Male. May 26, 2014. Near Lake Annie, Modoc Co., CA

Male. July 20, 2008.

Drakesbad Meadow, Lassen NP

Rob Santry

Female. July 17, 2014. Near Brokeoff Meadows, Shasta Co., CA

Female.

Aug. 3, 2013.

Drakesbad Meadow, Lassen NP

14 7

Zerene

B

Rob Santry

Hydaspe

B E

Rob Santry

C

C

E

D

F

D

15

16 Rob Santry

Ray Bruun

19

G

18 Ray Bruun

17

Ray Bruun

D

8 American Butterflies, Winter 2018

20

Atlantis B

Hydaspe, Zerene and Atlantis Fritillaries (see pages 10-11 for text)

Dennis Holmes

C

F

21

Rob Santry

reddish brown ground

Hydaspe 15. July 13, 2013. East of Spencer Meadow, Plumas Co., CA. 17. June 21, 2009. Shingletown, Shasta Co., CA. 19. July 3, 2010. Near Manton, Tehama Co., CA.

Zerene 16. July 4, 2010. Lake McCumber, Shasta Co., CA. 18. July 4, 2010. Near Viola, Shasta Co., CA. 20. June 22, 2013. 8.7 miles east of Mineral, Tehama Co., CA. G

22

Ray Bruun

Atlantis 21. June 8, 2013. Bear Creek Rd., near Pondosa, Shasta Co., CA. 22. June 17, 2012. Near Pondosa, Siskiyou Co., CA. 23. Aug. 7, 2011. Badger Flat, Lassen Volcanic NP, Shasta Co., CA.

23 9

Rob Santry

Zerene

H

Ray Bruun

Hydaspe

25

26

27

Dennis Holmes

Ken Wilson

24

Hydaspe, Zerene and Atlantis Fritillaries All three of these species have HW undersides that appear reddish/purplish and can be quite confusing.

Zerenes are the easiest. They usually are more purplish than are other species (photos 16 & 18) but sometimes are similar to Hydaspe and Atlantis. Probably the best way to recognize them is by the very flat marginal pale spots [E] (photo 16) on the underside of the HW. Also, unlike similar Hydaspe and Atlantis Fritillaries, the base of the HW leading edge is whitish, not orange [D] (photo 16).

10 American Butterflies, Winter 2018

Hydaspes can be separated from Zerenes by their wider HW marginal spots [E] (photo 15) and their orange base of the costal margin [D] (photo 17). Hydaspes usually have a ground color on the HW below that is more brick red than the ground color on Zerenes and Atlantis. On Hydaspes, the veins through the submarginal region on the HW below appear to be black [F] (photo 15) while on Atlantis, these veins are not black [F] (photo 21).

Atlantis Fritillaries are, in the greater Lassen area, the least common of these three.

The HW marginal spots [E] (photo 21) are wider than on Zerene and, unlike Hydaspe, the veins through the submarginal region on the HW below do not appear to be black [F] (photo 21).

Atlantis

Ray Bruun

Pages 12-13 Great Basin and Callippe Fritillaries H 28

Hydaspe, Zerene and Atlantis Fritillaries Hydaspe 24. Male. June 28, 2009. High Bridge Camp, Plumas Co., CA. 26. Female. Aug. 1, 2014. Gumboot Lake, Siskiyou Co., CA. Zerene 25. Male. July 16, 2011. near Viola, Shasta Co., CA. 27. Female. July 17, 2016. Near Viola, Shasta Co., CA. Atlantis 28. Male. June 17, 2012. Near Pondosa, Siskiyou Co., CA. Also perhaps useful, is the angle of a black bar near the middle of the HW leading edge [C] (photo 21). On Atlantis, this bar is close to perpendicular to the HW leading edge while on Hydaspes (photo 15) and Zerenes (photo 16) this black bar appear to slant outward.

Lastly, the FW spot labeled [B] (photo 21) is usually larger on Atlantis than on either Hydaspe or Zerene.

On the upperside it appears that male Atlantis have a paler marginal area [H] (photo 28) than do Hydaspe or Zerene (photos 24 and 25).

Great Basin 29. July 25, 2017. Just above Sulphur Works, Lassen NP, Shasta Co., CA. 31. June 20, 2013. Lost Creek, n. of Lassen NP, Shasta Co., CA. 33. Aug. 14, 2005. Summit Lake, Lassen NP, Shasta Co., CA. 35. Female, July 12, 2009. Near the top of Mt. Harkness, Lassen NP, Shasta Co., CA. 37. Male. July 17, 2012. Lost Creek, north Lassen NP, Shasta Co., CA.

Callippe 30. June 4, 2016. Paynes Creek, Tehama Co., CA. 32. June 4, 2016. Paynes Creek, Tehama Co., CA. 34. July 1, 2011. Ramshorn Campground, Lassen Co., CA. 36. Female, June 26, 2014. south of Mt. Shasta, Siskiyou Co., CA. 38. Male. June 4, 2016. Paynes Creek, Tehama Co., CA.

11

Callippe

Dennis Holmes

Great Basin

D

Dennis Holmes

29

Rob Santry

31

32

Ray Bruun

D

33

34

G

30 Dennis Holmes Rob Santry

12 American Butterflies, Winter 2018

Callippe

Ray Bruun

35

36

Rob Santry

Rob Santry

Great Basin

37

38

I

Dennis Holmes

Great Basin and Callippe Fritillaries Great Basin Fritillaries are usually the most common greater fritillary in and around Lassen National Park and they’re also usually the smallest. Below, they usually have the palest HW disk — only Coronis, which are much larger, are as pale. Also below, the FW costal margin is cream-colored, not orange [D] (photo 29).

Callippes in the Lassen area come in two flavors. On the west side of Lassen NP there

is a brown-disked population (photos 30 & 32) that is darker than Great Basin and have orange FW costal margins [D] (photo 30).

They can be confused with Atlantis but are generally more chocolate brown and have a spot [G] (photo 30) that is usually small and indistinct where Atlantis usually has a more prominent spot (photo 22).

On the east side of Lassen NP, Callippes are green tinged and unlike any other area greater fritillaries (photo 34).

Above, Great Basin’s, and especially Callippes, have the pale HW postmedian spots showing through the wing [I] (photo 36).

13

Some Thoughts About Finding Fritillaries in Lassen National Park

by Rob Santry The strategy for finding fritillaries in Lassen Volcanic Park is simple. Go to where the fritillaries are! Let me explain. California State Highway 89 bisects the park down the middle in a north-south direction. So, there are two entrances on the highway. A North Entrance at Manzanita Lake, and a South Entrance about 15 miles east of the town of Mineral.

Both entrances will be closed in winter and will not open until the snow is plowed off of the highway. Many years this is not until the Forth of July weekend! That is why the NABA Yearly Butterfly Count is not until July!

Springs Campground. There is usually a lot of mint right at the campground entrance.

Work that. Then double back to the fork and turn left, continuing up the Warner Valley to Drakesbad. Just a few hundred feet before the resort buildings is a trailhead parking lot. Park there and walk into the big meadow and you will see some rather large fritillaries patrolling and nectaring. These are Great Spangled Fritillaries. By now you should have seen Coronis, Hydaspe, Zerene, and Great Basin Fritillaries. It is not uncommon to get all five if your timing is right.

So, to find fritillaries before the park service opens the highway, it is best to butterfly lower elevations at the edges of the park. One great spot is the old resort located in Drakesbad (Great Spangled colony) at the end of the Warner Valley and just inside the south park boundary. To get to Drakesbad, one must drive to the town of Chester (east of Mineral) and take the Warner Valley Road to the meadows around Drakesbad. While driving through the Warner Valley, one only needs to look for mint patches. Safely park your car off of the side of the road and walk over to the mint. Voila!

You will see many frits. Repeat the process as many times as you want all the way to Drakesbad. Good places along the way are the campground access roads in the High Bridge Campground area.

Another tactic is to drive from the Redding side to the north Entrance area, but to go past the entrance about four miles to the Lost Creek area. You will see a sign for Snowmobile Park on the north side of the road. That means you are there. Start by turning right (south), and work mint patches along Lost Creek.

Double back and cross the highway and work mint patches all the way through Bunchgrass Valley. Some of my best fritillary pictures were taken here.

After driving further, there is a fork in the road. The Warner Valley Road is to the right.

Before you continue, you can turn left and (working mint patches) drive to the Domingo

After State Highway 89 (through the park), is open, drive through the park, stopping at all the geothermal area parking lots and work mint patches. Since the upper reaches of the park are now open. A hike uphill on the Brokeoff Mountain trail is usually crowded — with fritillaries, that is. This trail is actually located just south of the South entrance to the park. But it has some elevation to it, so I’d wait until July.

Special thanks to Dennis Holmes, Ray Bruun and Rob Santry for providing so many photos for the ID article, and to Rob Santry for the foregoing! [JG] 14 American Butterflies, Winter 2018

Now! Butterflies

Swift Guide to

Questions? 973-285-0890 info@sunstreaktours.com

Visit our website www.sunstreaktours.com

Sunstreak Tours

If you want to see and learn about butterflies — come with us!

Red Banner

yS

ob

t pho

n usa

wn

Bro

Not photoshopped!

Five species on one leaf (Ecuador).

Sunstreak Tours

All photos from our Ecuador trip

If you want to see and learn about butterflies — come with us!

Lipstick Skipper

15

Tales from Tallahassee: The 13th Biennial NABA Members Meeting

Part 1. Butterfly Sauna

by Jane Hurwitz

Prior to this past September, I’d been to three NABA Biennial Members’ Meetings, always attending with a friend as my traveling companion. This year our schedules could not be synched, and I attended solo. No offense to my usual roomie (sorry, Anne!), but I think this recent meeting was the most interesting and fun of all the meetings I have attended. To be fair to past meetings, I always feel that the dessert I just ate was the best dessert ever.

The night before the first field trips, we were welcomed to Tallahassee and treated to a slide show titled “An Introduction to Central Florida Panhandle Butterflies” by Dean and Sally Jue, who are both members of the NABA Hairstreak Chapter which hosted the meeting.

Kicking off the meeting with an overview of what butterflies might be seen was an inspired choice and many people were referencing the information on my field trip the next day as we tried to parse out the various (and numerous) skippers. The Hairstreak chapter’s goal is “to promote the enjoyment and conservation of free-flying butterflies,” but I’d suggest 16 American Butterflies, Winter 2018

that the finely organized meeting did even more to promote the enjoyment of free-flying butterfliers!

All of the field trips were top-notch, but my trip to Torreya State Park and Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve left me with a deep appreciation of the uniqueness found in the Florida Panhandle. The day started with a visit to the Preserve, which is maintained by The Nature Conservancy, where we walked the sandhill habitat through stands of Longleaf Pines and peered into the steep ravines.

The Longleaf Pine forest is one of the most endangered ecosystems in the United States and we were privileged to have a Nature Conservancy guide accompany our field trip to answer questions and explain the management of the tract. The target species for this location, Dotted Skipper, was not seen during the meeting, but not for lack of trying.

Later in the day, the field trip walked through Torreya State Park where we were warned about Copperhead snakes and easily found the

Jane Hurwitz (2)

Left: Many NABA members actively seek snakes. It is for this reason that many nature preserves post signs.

Above: ‘Seminole’ Texas Crescents have a fairly limited range. Both photos, Sept. 17. Torreya State Park.

namesake Torreya tree. Lace-winged Roadside Skippers were seen, as were ‘Seminole’ Texan Crescents. As we walked a path cut through the woods, Red-spotted Purples were seen regularly, much to the delight of many. Butterflying with people from disparate locations (people from 22 states and one foreign country attended the meeting) means that one person’s common butterfly is a “lifer” for another.

The weather was challenging throughout the meeting. Sauna-like temperatures and humidity prevailed, with an occasional rainstorm adding to the humidity. Great for butterflies, not always so great for humans tromping around after them in the sun. Despite the risk of heatstroke, the weather played a part in the collegiality of the meeting. Slower walking with a pause here and there to try to catch a breeze made time for conversation,

which, of course, centered on butterflies. All in all, I was left wondering: Why not have these enjoyable and invigorating meetings every year?

Part 2. A Leader Speaks

by David Harder

The most vivid memory I have from the trips that I led to the Spring Creek Unit of Big Bend WMA is of the overwhelming number of butterflies along the southern-most section of Mule Wallow Spur. This 1.5 mile-long, singlelane track through hydric hammock (swamp) had unbroken walls of white flowers on both sides. Most butterflies were nectaring on three plants: Romerillo, (Spanish needles) up to 17

about chest-high, Snow Squarestem head-high or better, and White Crownbeard (frostweed) as much as nine feet tall. Those not feeding were hovering above the mass of flowers, or chasing each other, or just traveling along the road. Upon first viewing the spectacle, attendees exclaimed “This is amazing!” or “I didn’t know Florida had places like this!” or simply “Wow!”.

We saw the entire size-range of southeastern species there, from Eastern Tiger and Palamedes Swallowtails down to Least Skippers and Eastern Pygmy-Blues. There were lots of Cloudless Sulphurs and Sleepy Oranges, plus one Great Southern White that seemed to be in a great hurry. It just barreled straight through. Zebra Heliconians didn’t stop much either, but other colorful nymphalids, large and small, did. Gulf Fritillaries, Pearl Crescents, White Peacocks, and Queens were abundant. Only a few Monarchs, but large numbers don’t usually arrive until late October. One attendee even managed to look away from the flowers long enough to spot a Tawny Emperor perched well above the nectaring throngs. Gray Hairstreaks sat atop many of the plants and Great Purple Hairstreaks were seen on both days.

And of course there were skippers. Lots of skippers! There were the expected hordes of Long-tailed Skippers, which all had to be checked in our (ultimately futile) search for Dorantes Longtail, and Ocola Skippers, which had to be sorted through to find the other dark grass-skippers. Abundant Horace’s and Zarucco Duskywings weren’t unusual either. We had extra incentive to pay attention to them as Funereal Duskywing, a western stray, had been seen along this stretch the previous week (on the annual Big Bend WMA fall count). Unusual, but expected after that count, were scores of Byssus Skippers.

Their extreme variability prompted many discussions and corrections. Plenty of nonOcola, dark grass skippers, were in fact found.

Clouded Skippers, Northern and Southern 18 American Butterflies, Winter 2018

Although common, Gray Hairstreaks never cease to fascinate. Sept. 17,

2018. Spring Creek Unit, Big Bend WMA, Taylor Co., FL.

Broken-Dashes, Little Glassywings, plus Dun, Twin-spot, and Salt Marsh Skippers were no surprise there. Nor, given all the sawgrass in the vicinity, were the much larger Palatka Skippers. However, it was a surprise to see several big orange Palmetto Skippers in that habitat. They usually stay in open flatwoods or nectar out in the sandhills.

The Monday trip began at Mule Wallow Spur; the Tuesday trip, done in the opposite direction, ended there. The first trip thus started off with a bang, and we had ample time since we spent all morning along that stretch. For the second trip, it was the grand finale. It certainly finished that trip on a high note, but we felt a bit rushed. I don’t know which was better. One thing I can say for sure; it isn’t easy to get people to leave when they are photographing their first Great Purple Hairstreak as it pirouettes atop a White Crownbeard, in good light, just so we could get back to the hotel by 5 PM (we didn’t).

The other outstanding areas were the edges of the sandhills at the northern end of Mule

Brian Lloyd (2)

Swallowtails were stars of the show. Here, four species are visible in on photo, clockwise from left, Palamedes, Eastern Tiger, Pipevine and Spicebush. Sept. 17, 2018. Spring Creek Unit, Big Bend WMA, Taylor Co., FL.

Wallow Spur and along most of Swamp Spur, plus the pine flatwoods at the northern end of Swamp Spur. The small pink flowers of elephantsfoot were the big draw in the former.

The pink blooms of much taller Dense Blazing Star were the main attraction in the latter.

More Palmetto Skippers were in both habitats (where they belonged). We had to be a bit careful to distinguish more distant ones from the many Delaware Skippers there. Our only Zebra Swallowtail, the Southern Dogfaces, and most of the Barred Yellows were in the sandhills. The Ceraunus Blues and most of the Little Metalmarks were found there too.

These species came at the cost of sand spurs painfully removed from socks and shoelaces.

The flatwoods, and marshy spots along Spring Creek Road near the northern entrance, also produced Georgia Satyrs. Some of them even sat still occasionally! You can’t ask for more than that.

On Wednesday I led a trip to Ochlockonee River WMA. This trip started slowly. There were lots of Spanish Needles in the pipeline cut through the swamp, but they mostly were in the shade when we got there. Patience was rewarded, however. Butterflies gradually came out, at first just to bask on leaves, then to feed and/or chase rivals. Whirlabouts were the only grass-skippers early on; later, others appeared, including a couple of cooperative male Zabulons. Eventually we accumulated a nice assortment of species. None were rare ones, but some lifers were seen. It was, for instance, one attendee’s last chance to get a Byssus Skipper. Swallowtails were common, and we had several Southern Dogfaces and Red-spotted Purples. Where the east-west pipeline cut met the north-south powerline cut, we found the site’s first ever Dainty Sulphur. It posed for an extended photo-shoot.

19

Wade Wander

Brian Lloyd

After lunch, we walked the southern end of River Road. It too runs through the swamp.

We immediately found the first Painted Lady of the year for Leon County, and added two Zebra Heliconians. We found good numbers of Gulf Fritillaries, Common Buckeyes, Pearl Crescents, Carolina Satyrs, Long-tailed Skippers, and Tropical Checkered-Skippers.

In all, Ochlockonee River produced a good representative sample of our local butterflies.

Above left: One of only two Dainty Sulphurs seen during the meeting.

To cap-off the day, we made a quick trip to the east side of town for Brazilian Skipper.

We easily found 2-3 where they had been seen reliably since July. One last lifer!

Above: A White Peacock poses for the crowd. Sept. 17, 2018. Spring Creek Unit,

Sept. 19, 2018. Ochlockonee River WMA, Leon Co., FL.

Big Bend WMA, Taylor Co., FL.

Part 3. First-timer

by Erin Diehm

This year was my first NABA biennial meeting, and it was such a wonderful experience. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and hope others did, too.

Well in advance of the meeting, we received regular email updates on 20 American Butterflies, Winter 2018

accommodations, box lunch choices, the commemorative shirt, and most impressively the choice among nine different field trips. The descriptions were helpful and the website easy to use. Ready for three days of butterfly bliss!

Day 0. After a smooth flight and an easy trip to the hotel, the first stop was afternoon registration. Our volunteer hosts were ready with smiling faces to check us in (thank you!).

Back issues of American Butterflies and a gorgeous poster of Florida butterflies were also available for the taking.

In the evening, we gathered for an

Wade Wander

Palmetto Skippers love blazing stars!

Sept. 17, 2018. Apalachicola National Forest, Liberty Co., FL.

informative presentation by Dean and Sally Jue. Thanks to the extensive preparation of the local organizers, they were able to introduce us to the butterflies we should expect to see over the next three days. The photographs of the different species were stunning, and I especially appreciated the tips for how to distinguish the 90+ species presented.

Day 1. The morning activities began at 8am with talks by Jane Hurwitz (butterfly gardening) or Brian Lloyd (photography).

Then grab our box lunch, find our group and off we go, carpooling to our chosen day trip.

What fun!

I had chosen the Torreya State Park excursion. First, we stopped at Nature Conservancy’s Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve. While on the lookout for the

Dotted Skipper, I saw for the first time ever a Long-tailed Skipper, and indeed its tail is long. We saw many other species, including Palamedes and Tiger Swallowtails.

Then we went on to the state park for box lunches and relaxing banter in the shade of the picnic pavilion, followed by a hike among the trees. This part of Florida is rich in skippers and we were not disappointed. We used our binoculars to view several different species, including Dun, Long-tailed, Northern BrokenDash, Little Glassywing, Lacewing RoadsideSkipper, and Yehl Skippers. The pace was relaxed and we had ample time to view the different butterflies. Everyone was generous with their knowledge, pointing out features to look for (a yellow face, an orange body, etc.). As we exited the park we stopped a few times to look for more species, including Redspotted Purple, Carolina Satyr, Sleepy Orange, and ‘Seminole’ Texan Crescent, to name just a few.

Back at the hotel, we were treated to a social hour with a yummy BBQ dinner, followed by another enlightening presentation.

Dr. Bruce Means shared his passion for the uniqueness of the Florida panhandle — one of five biodiversity hotspots in North America.

His photos illustrated a vast and remarkable range of plants and animals. The evening lectures combined with day trips really helped me understand, at a kind of visceral level, the richness of this part of our world.

Day 2. The morning routine is set now: meet at 8am, grab a box lunch, and break into carpools. I personally am very interested in habitat restoration, and so chose the trip to Calhoun Meadows — 25 acres of former dairy land converted into a vast, inspiring pollinator garden. The drive went quickly, full of enjoyable conversation. It’s so fun to meet NABA enthusiasts from other parts of the country. At Calhoun Meadows, Travis and Karen MacClendon graciously welcomed us into their home, with their friend playing a tune on the recorder, setting the mood perfectly.

21

If you don’t love Gulf Fritillaries, you probably aren’t a butterflier. Sept. 14, 2018.

Pre-meeting trip to Ralph E. Simmons State Forest, Nassau Co., FL.

We toured the property at a leisurely pace, starting with small plots near the home, then moving out to vast open meadows. We saw a wide variety of species, at least 20, by my count. Most memorable were Red-banded Hairstreak and Tropical Checkered-Skipper (both the female, and the male whose body was quite hairy and remarkably blue). Also memorable were the fields full of buckeye caterpillars swaying in the breeze on their host plant.

After an air conditioned lunch at the house, we headed out again, stopping first in the barn, which was outfitted with a wellstocked herbarium, and a large one-way window that looks out onto a lush shady area where birds congregate. No visit to Calhoun 22 American Butterflies, Winter 2018

Meadows would be complete without a walk in the labyrinth mown into a field. I’m not sure how much we meditated, but we did get to see a lot of insects and plants along the way.

The evening presentations on Day 2 were an important update from the National Butterfly Center, and a very engaging talk by Dr. Anurag Agrawal on the history, biology, and prospects of Monarchs and milkweed.

Day 3. My choice for this day was a tour of Bradwell Bay Wilderness Area. We drove the perimeter road, stopping frequently to get out and walk along the roadside, on the lookout for several kinds of skippers — Palmetto, Dion (look for a pale ray), and Berry’s (pale veins, rare). Success! The butterflies co-

Wade Wander (2)

A group of New Jersey butterfliers explores Longleaf Pine habitat at the TNC’s Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve. Sept. 18, 2018. Liberty Co., FL. operated, giving us time to observe them with binoculars while our guides graciously described distinguishing features. It’s another sunny hot day and we are surrounded by a picturesque landscape — tall Longleaf Pines, spaced widely with sun shining down onto the blanket of saw palmetto. It feels expansive, almost like being in a movie.

Across the different sites we saw several swallowtails; Black, Eastern Tiger, Spicebush and Zebra. For our final box lunch we drove to a shady spot — sitting with the windows down and doors open. It’s warm but pleasant.

Everyone is generous with their knowledge, patient and kind, making it easy to ask questions and learn. The final six species I noted are Viceroy, Barred Yellow, Swarthy Skipper (very small, down in the grass), Little Yellow, Sleepy Orange and, last but not least, a female Horace’s Duskywing. What fun!

Back at the hotel we gather for a brief wrap-up session. Groups report species seen and especially those of note — including Great Purple Hairstreak, Brazilian Skipper, and Salt Marsh Skipper.

And so ends my first-ever NABA biennial meeting. It was an extraordinary experience.

Expertly run, friendly, educational, supportive and fun. Thank you to NABA and all the volunteers for organizing such a special event.

Part 4. A State Visit

by Sharon Wander

After a summer of exceptionally oppressive weather at home, the contingent of 14 New Jersey chapter members barely blinked at the fall heat and humidity of the Florida Panhandle. Marveling at literally thousands of gorgeously flashing Gulf Fritillaries — or even just one of that life Palmetto Skipper that some of us trekked south to see — made all the Gatorade-quaffing worthwhile. The 9 of us who came early for the Friday pre-meeting 23

Wade Wander

We’re pretty sure that this Regal Jumping Spider is saying “Mom, I know you told me to avoid fast foods, but Gulf Frits are so tasty!” Sept. 18, 2018. Liberty Co., FL. trip exploring Ralph E. Simmonds State Forest near Jacksonville enjoyed finding many nonNJ species, including Zebra and Palamedes Swallowtails, Southern Dogface and Barred Yellow, Phaon Crescent, Southern Pearlyeye, Zarucco Duskywing, and Lace-winged and Dusky Roadside-Skippers. We then spent Saturday a little farther west at the JulingtonDurbin Preserve and Jennings State Forest, where flowers of Blazing-star and Coastal Plain Chaffhead were the biggest nectar draws. We saw our first Palmetto and Palatka Skippers of the trip (lifers for just about everybody), and a Dotted Skipper, a species not found during the meeting field trips.

On Sunday we lit out for Tallahassee, stopping along the way at Osceola National Forest. At a quite modest patch of Romerillo (Spanish Needles) in the opening around a railroad crossing we tallied at least 30 butterfly species, including Aaron’s Skipper, another species not 24 American Butterflies, Winter 2018

recorded elsewhere. For us, this was the best spot on the whole trip for Zebra Swallowtail, with 3 or 4 constantly nectaring and giving us great looks, rather than just zooming by as they so often do. The number and diversity of butterflies here had us thinking that this must be the only flower patch for miles around!

Reaching Tallahassee with plenty of daylight left, we decided to visit the Elinor Klapps-Phipps City Park, one of the meeting field trips that none of us had signed up for. We added American Snout and Tawny Emperor to our trip list — nothing really exciting — but somehow we missed Golden Banded-Skipper, which later put in its only appearance of the meeting here.

Then on to the “official” meeting field trips, that got us deeper into the Panhandle’s wonderful biodiversity. The leaders were knowledgeable, friendly and helpful beyond expectations; the participants were fun, funny, and a pleasure to be with. Both the leaders

and the more knowledgeable participants, including many from NJ, showed incredible patience and generosity of spirit in helping everyone “get on” the target butterfly. Finding some species on our own — such as that Yehl Skipper — was a particular thrill. On the Monday field trip to the Sumatra and Hickory Landing sections of Apalachicola National Forest, we were treated to Little Metalmarks and Berry’s Skippers (to name the lifers), a wonderful variety of grass-skippers, roadside Georgia Satyrs (no need to trek into a Pine Barrens bog), and spectacular pitcherplants and Pine Lilies. Seeing roadside stands of Spanish Needles covered with butterflies and other pollinators, we began to appreciate what a hugely attractive nectar source it is — unlike NJ’s dozen or so yellow-rayed species in the same genus. The silvery drops sparkling from the hordes of nectaring Gulf Fritillaries remain etched in the mind. Those who went to Bradwell Bay saw an impressive Black Swallowtail show in association with its native Water Cowbane hostplant there — mating adults, cats, a newly-emerged adult by its chrysalis, nectaring adults, and one in the clutches of a Green Lynx Spider — virtually the entire life cycle at one spot! Those who went to Spring Creek with Great Purple Hairstreak on their wish list were happily rewarded.

Tuesday’s trip to the TNC Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve showed us how the Preserve management is attempting to recreate the fire regime of a Longleaf Pine forest (and we peered into a “steephead” ravine), and this was the only place we (or anybody) found a Dainty Sulphur. Although at nearby Torreya State Park we did get to see Torreya taxifolia, a highly endangered tree endemic to the environs of the Apalachicola River in the Panhandle, it was considerably more exciting when some of us also got up close and personal with a water moccasin! Butterfly highlights here were the numerous Lacewinged Roadside-Skippers and the beautiful ‘Seminole’ Texan Crescent.

The programs greatly exceeded expectations. The introduction to the Panhandle butterflies we were expecting to see was most helpful. Brian Lloyd’s talk on digital photography and Jane Hurwitz’s on butterfly gardening were both loaded with useful information, and Bruce Means’ survey of the amazing biodiversity of the Panhandle made one want to commit to many more visits to the area. Anurag Agrawal’s presentation skills, speaking style, humor, and the depth of information about Monarchs and Milkweed — a topic we probably all thought we knew thoroughly — made for a riveting program.

Those New Jerseyans who made the postmeeting journey to the “hydric hammocks” of the Tide Swamp unit of Big Bend WMA for Dukes’ Skipper were rewarded by a lone individual (found by hard-working leader Dean Jue). Others made our own way to the Hickory Mounds Unit of Big Bend, truly to be impressed by the sheer number of butterflies on the Spanish Needles and Clustered Bushmint that lined the roadways, by the Pickerelweed flowers attended by dozens of Palamedes Swallowtails, and by the sweeping Gulf-edge saltmarsh that so resembles that of, say, Brigantine — until you notice the palm trees. This was the only place that our group saw ‘Sweadner’s’ Juniper Hairstreak, White Peacock, Monarch, Queen, Saltmarsh Skipper, and (yay!) Least Skipper.

Our thanks to all who worked so hard to make the Tallahassee meeting such an enjoyable and enlightening event for everyone!

Hurricane Michael was not yet a gleam in the Weather Channel’s eye as New Jersey’s NABA members left behind the dazzling abundance and diversity of butterflies that grace Florida’s Panhandle. It is heartbreaking to think of the devastation wreaked only two weeks later on people’s lives there, and on the habitats and creatures we so enjoyed. We can only hope that the resilience of both people and Nature brings eventual recovery to all.

25

You Are What You Eat Photodocumentation of Caterpillar Foodplants We have initiated a project to document the caterpillar foodplants of North American butterflies. For those who would like to participate in this photodocumentation, here are instructions: Find an egg or a caterpillar (or a group of eggs or caterpillars) on a single plant in the “wild” (this includes gardens). The plant does not need to be native to the area — we want to document all plants used by North American butterflies.

Follow this particular egg or caterpillar (or group of eggs or caterpillars) through to adulthood, with the following documentation.

1. Photograph the actual individual plant on which the egg or caterpillar was found, showing any key features needed for the identification of the plant.

2. Photograph the egg or caterpillar.

3. Either leave the egg or caterpillar on the original plant, perhaps sleeving the plant

it is on with netting, allowing the caterpillar to develop in the wild, or remove the egg or caterpillar to your home and feed it only the same species of plant on which it was found.

4. Photograph later instars of the caterpillar.

5. Photograph the resulting chrysalis.

6. Photograph the adult after it emerges from the chrysalis.

7. If the egg or caterpillar was relocated for raising, release the adult back into the wild at the spot where you found it.

We would like to document each plant species used by each North American butterfly species, for each state or province.

In addition to appearing in American Butterflies, the results of this project will be posted to the NABA website. Please send any butterfly species/plant species/state or province trio that is not already posted to naba@naba. org.

Opposite page Cloudless Sulphurs are able to use a variety of legumes as caterpillar foodplants. One of the most widespread and frequently used is Partridge Pea. However, other related plants, including Maryland Senna, also provide garden-worthy food for these beautiful caterpillars.

A golden Cloudless Sulphur caterpillar on a Maryland Senna flower.

Sept. 12, 2015. DeKalb Co., GA.

26 American Butterflies, Winter 2018

by Meredith Mays

Cloudless Sulphur

on Maryland Senna (Senna marilandica)(legume family) in DeKalb County, Georgia Meredith Mays

caterpillar

In late summer, I see Cloudless Sulphurs in my home garden fairly regularly. Their bright yellow coloring is always cheerful, and I thought they should be welcomed to the garden. I purchased Maryland Senna from a mail order nursery and planted it in the garden. I was very pleased to find two lovely yellow Cloudless Sulphur caterpillars hiding in the yellow blossoms in late summer 2015. I originally thought to leave them on the plant, but after a couple of days one

of the caterpillars disappeared, likely to birds or other predators. The remaining adult was installed in the caterpillar condo and I continued to feed it senna. It quickly moved to the ceiling of the condo and went into chrysalis. It was in chrysalis just over a week, and then, after the adult eclosed, it was released back into the garden.

27

Top: One of the two caterpillars eating the senna. Sept. 16.

Bottom left: One of the caterpillars begins to pupate. Sept. 18.

Bottom right: The fully formed chrysalis. Sept. 20.

28 American Butterflies, Winter 2018

Meredith Mays (4)

Jeffrey Glassberg (2)

The adult emerged on Oct. 6 and was released into the garden

Above: A drawing of the approximate range of Cloudless Sulphurs. Turquoise indicates one brood, purple two broods, orange, three or more broods. Cherry spots indicate that strays have occurred there. (drawing modified from A Swift Guide to Butterflies of North America).

Above: The approximate range of Maryland Senna, based upon county occurrence data from the Biota of North America Program.

This might be a useful plant for your garden if you live within the range shown.

29

My Big Life: Prologue In recent years, my goal each day was to make my wife as happy and comfortable as possible.

After her death, in July 2017, and subsequent to a long period of grieving (which continues), I decided that I needed to get out of the house.

Although I’ve been enjoying butterflies for a very long time, I never really tried to maximize the number of species that I’ve seen. Following a trip to Alaska that Jim Springer and I took in 2016 (American Butterflies 24:3/4), I realized that I had seen and photographed almost all of the butterfly species resident in the United States.

I count 755 species of butterflies on the NABA Checklist. I have taken, in the U.S., identifiable photos of 630 of these species (unfortunately, my photos of Pearly-gray Hairstreak were lost, so I currently only have photos of 629 species). I would venture to say that no one person has, nor will be able to obtain, photographs, taken in the U.S., of all 755 species (and the new ones that occur each year) because more than 150 of the species are strays, many of these species almost never appear in the U.S., with a fair number of them known from a single record, sometimes from more than 100 years ago.

However, I would consider only 586 species to be resident, i.e., present throughout the year each year, and another 11 species to be regular immigrants that occur in the U.S. at least every two or three years (for example, Elf). Of these 597 species (586 + 11), I currently have identifiable photos of 576 species, that is, I’m missing photos of 21 species. Those species and where they mainly are found are: 30 American Butterflies, Winter 2018

by Jeffrey Glassberg

Ozark Swallowtail Green Marble Confusing Scrub-Hairstreak Red-spotted Hairstreak Lesser Grass-Blue Astarte Fritillary Cryptic Fritillary Elf Kamehameha Lady Taiga Alpine Early Arctic Outis Skipper Meridian Duskywing Scarce Streaky-Skipper Mexican Sootywing Chisos Skipperling Banana Skipper Orange-headed Roadside-Sk. Coahuila Giant-Skipper Ursus Giant-Skipper Manfreda Giant-Skipper

Missouri Alaska west Texas Hawaii Hawaii Alaska Alaska Arizona Hawaii Alaska Alaska TX-OK Arizona west Texas New Mexico West Texas Hawaii New Mexico west Texas AZ-West TX south Texas

Jeffrey Glassberg (2)

I’ve actually seen some of these species, such as Red-spotted Hairstreak, Kamehameha Lady and Meridian Duskywing, but wasn’t able to obtain an identifiable photo.

My plan is to try to see as many of these species as I can over the next few years. When I mentioned this to some people, they suggested that I share my field experiences with other NABA members and, in turn, ask NABA members to pledge a donation to NABA for each species seen and photographed. Along the way, we’ll learn something about each, or at least some, of these species. Since this sounded like a good idea — here we go!

May I Be in Texas Actually, I began the quest this year, literally with a bang! In May, I flew to the Dallas, Texas area to look for Outis Skipper. I was joined at the Gus Engeling WMA in Anderson County by Nick Grishin, who had seen Outis Skipper at this location in the past. In the event, no Outis Skippers made an appearance, but a number of Oak Hairstreaks were welcome sights. Not only did I whiff on Outis Skipper, driving back to my hotel in a torrential downpour on US 75, the driver to my left lost control of his pickup truck, struck the center divider and then kicked back across

This page: Trouble with Cars. My rental car, slightly the worse for wear.

May 3, 2018. Dallas, TX.

Opposite page: One of 12 Oak Hairstreaks seen at Gus Engeling WMA in Anderson Co., TX on May 3, 2018.

31

the road in front of me. I slammed on the brakes and steered right and had almost come to a complete stop without hitting the truck, when a second pickup truck slammed into me.

All three vehicles were towed off the road.

Amazingly, no was hurt.

From Dallas, I flew into the Odessa/ Midland airport and drove to Big Bend National Park, looking for Confusing ScrubHairstreak, Chisos Banded-Skipper, Scarce Streaky-Skipper, and Chisos Skipperling. The area around Odessa/Midland was perhaps the bleakest landscape I’ve ever seen, not helped by the thousands of oil well seesaws. After I made it to Big Bend, I did manage to find and photograph a few very worn Chisos BandedSkippers in Green Gulch, but couldn’t find any of the other target species. I’m pretty sure that I was too late for Confusing Scrub-Hairstreak (the population here was recently described as a separate species — Big Bend scrubhairstreak — and it probably will prove to be best to treat it that way) because the Texas False Agave hostplants were pretty much dried up. Still, Big Bend is always breathtakingly beautiful and I did get to see Sandia and Poling’s Hairstreaks, species that I’ve seldom seen.

32 American Butterflies, Winter 2018

Top left: Sandia Hairstreak. May 7, 2018. Chisos Basin, Big Bend NP, TX.

Above: Texas False Agave. May 6, 2018. Rio Grande overlook, Big Bend NP, TX.

Jeffrey Glassberg (5)

Above: The motto of the Tightwad Bank appears to be: We never have time for you!

June 7, 2018. Tightwad, Henry Co., MO.

Left bottom: A Bell’s RoadsideSkipper near the northern edge of its range. June 6, 2018. Harry S. Truman State Park, Benton Co., TX.

Overleaf, pg. 34, Main photo: A view of Green Gulch in Big Bend NP. May 6, 2018. Big Bend NP, TX.

Inset: Chisos Banded-Skipper.

Top: Perhaps you want to bring the population of the city of Tightwad to 70. June 7, 2018.

May 6, 2018. Green Gulch, Big Bend NP, TX.

Middle: A false alarm Black Swallowtail. June 9, 2018. Lost

Page 35: A view of the landscape near Boquillas. May 5,

Tightwad, Henry Co., MO.

Valley Fish Hatchery, Benton Co., MO.

2018. Big Bend NP, TX.

33

34 American Butterflies, Winter 2018

Jeffrey Glassberg (3)

35

I Don’t Miss Missouri in June

In early June I flew to Kansas City, Missouri looking for Ozark Swallowtail. The species was described in 1973 by Richard Heitzman who collected the type specimen along highway UU — the entry road to Harry S. Truman State Park — on June 10, 1973. So far as I can tell, the last publicly verified sighting of this species was on June 25, 1986, at the same location. However, in 2012, NABA member Rick Borchelt, found and photographed caterpillars that were likely of this species, along the Western Wallflower trail within Harry Truman State Park.

Driving from Kansas City to Truman State Park, I stopped in the city of Peculiar, Missouri, but didn’t find it to be particularly unusual or strange. I cannot report that residents of the city felt the same way about me and my search for Ozark Swallowtail.

One of the joys of searching for butterflies throughout the United States, or the world, is the unexpected, interesting things that one sees and learns. As I came closer to Truman State Park, I came upon the city of Tightwad — population 69. As you might well imagine, such a bustling community needs a bank, and there is one here — the Tightwad Bank.

Given that the business of banks is to lend money, one might think that it would not be unexpected that the Tightwad Bank was permanently closed for business, but it was interesting none-the-less.

I arrived at Truman State Park in the middle of the afternoon. The area around the park headquarters was jumping with butterflies, mainly on dogbane but also on some milkweed and clover. I saw Great Spangled Fritillaries, many cloudywings and many grass-skippers. The most unusual was a probable Bell’s Roadside-Skipper (it was very, very worn), near the northern edge of its range. Also good to find was a Common Roadside-Skipper and the first midwestern Byssus Skippers that I’d seen in many years.

Over the next few days, I traversed the Western Wallflower trail about 15 times. The closest that I got to a “black” swallowtail were 36 American Butterflies, Winter 2018

You Can Join the Team and the Fun While Providing Incentives to Meet the Challenge!

Send a note to NABA, 4 Delaware Rd., Morristown, NJ 07960, or an email to naba@naba.org; providing your contact information and how much you pledge to donate to NABA for each species seen (remember, only 21 are possible).

a rapidly flying Pipevine Swallowtail and a Red-spotted Purple. So, I was pretty excited when I found a “black” swallowtail on June 9th about two miles from the type locality, but the butterfly turned out to be an actual Black Swallowtail. Consolation prizes for taking the trip were large numbers of male Regal Fritillaries, at Painted Prairie Preserve, and loads of Bald Eagles.

Late July in Southeastern Arizona

In late July, I traveled to southeastern Arizona, where there potentially were three target species — Elf, Valeriana Skipper and Ursine Giant-Skipper. I did manage to find one of them, Valeriana Skipper, seeing and photographing three or four individuals south of Patagonia. That was pretty exiciting! Elissa Roadside-Skippers were having a banner year, but Elf and Ursus Giant-Skippers were nowhere to be found.

Last Call for Swallowtails

Daunted, I still returned to Missouri in late August to again look for Ozark Swallowtail.

Unfortunately, the trip was pretty much a repeat of the June tale, sans Regals. And, like the first trip, I did see a Black Swallowtail, but knew enough not to get excited.

To Be Continued in May, 2019

Jeffrey Glassberg (2)

Top: Regal Fritillary males had just emerged and were abundant, flying low over the grasses, looking for females. June 10, 2018. Pettis Co., MO. Bottom: Harry S. Truman State Park has a large population of Bald Eagles. This one, being young, hasn’t yet gone bald. Sept. 1, 2018. Harry

Truman SP, Benton Co., MO.

37

Top. A view from Peña Blanca Lake. The author did find a Valeriana Skipper, in the vicinity, but no Elfs nor Ursine Giant-Skippers. July 27, 2018. Santa Cruz Co., AZ.

Bottom left: Valeriana Skipper, one of only two lifers for the year! July 26, 2018. South of Patagonia, Santa Cruz Co., AZ on San Rafael Valley Road.

Bottom right: Carus Skipper. July 26, 2018. South of Patagonia, Santa Cruz Co., AZ on Harshaw Creek Road.

38 American Butterflies, Winter 2018

Jeffrey Glassberg (5) John Kemner

Patagonia, AZ, with its aging population and remote location, often has medical emergencies.

Top: July 26, 2018. Patagonia, AZ. Bottom: July 27, 2018. Patagonia, AZ. 39

Hot Seens August butterflies in Eastern North American included a Giant Swallowtail, seen in Salem, Washington Co., NY by Ron Hedden on Aug. 2; a White Admiral reported by Michael Diederich at Chappaqua Mountain Road, Chappaqua, NY, also on Aug. 2, his first in Westchester County. An August 4 submission

by John Christensen from a prairie near Ann Arbor, Washtenaw Co., MI of 16 species, included five Pipevine Swallowtails, a species near the northern limit of their range but that appear regularly here. 28 species were seen on August 7 by Bo Zaremba in Great Dismal Swamp NWR, Suffolk Co., VA including Creole Pearly-eye, Carolina Roadside-Skipper, Lace-winged Roadside-Skipper, and Great Purple Hairstreak. Renee Davis saw her first of the year Giant Swallowtail on August 9 on Stump Pond Road, Sullivan Co., NY. On Aug. 11, Mary Bush photographed a Palamedes Swallowtail in her yard in York Co., VA, slightly north of its normal range. On August 12 William G. Haley, Jr. got a lifer Brazilian Skipper in Chattanooga, Hamilton Co., TN. Mike Reese, on August 15, photographed a Giant Swallowtail at Green Bay Botanical Garden, Green Bay, WI, rare this far north in the eastern part of the state and only the second Brown County record.

Other August butterfly sightings included a Zebra Heliconian reported by Scott Dueweke in Emerald Isle – Dunes, Carteret Co., NC on August 17; Nils Helstrom on August 18 reported an Ocola Skipper, rare this far north and a lifer butterfly for him, in Wayne, Passaic Co., NJ; a Brazilian Skipper, a first for her garden, reported on August 19 by Jill Gorman in Gwinnett Co., GA; and Harry Zirlin saw four Harvesters on August 25 at the train station in Scarsdale, Westchester Co., 40 American Butterflies, Spring/Summer 2015

Fall 2018

by Michael Reese

Top Yellow Angled-Sulphurs are very rare strays anywhere in the U.S. This individual was photographed in Lower Carr Canyon, Cochise Co., AZ on Aug. 3.

May 3. Greenwood State Forest, Allegany Co., MD.

Bottom Atalas seem to be edging northward. A population seems to be established in Melbourne, Brevard County, Florida. A look at the photo, taken on Aug. 22, shows why we’re all glad that they are!

Aug. 22, Indiatlantic, Brevard Co., FL.

BoB Behrstock

Ed Perry IV

41

NY. Andy Birkey, in Bunker Hills Regional Park, Anoka Co., MN reported 11 species including 30+ Leonard’s Skippers, a species of special concern in Minnesota, and 40+ Dainty Sulphurs on August 27; Joanne Langabee, on August 28, saw 20 species including a Funereal Duskywing, a new species for the garden, and a rare visitor to Nebraska at Lauritzen Gardens, Omaha, Douglas Co., NE; on August 29, Allen Belden saw 25 species, the most species he has seen in eight years of record keeping in James River Park (42nd Street to Lee Bridge), Richmond, VA; and, on August 30, Douglas Buege observed only 20 total butterflies at Olbrich Botanical Garden, Madison, Dane Co., WI but one was a Horace’s Duskywing, only the seventh WI sighting since 2000 and a Funereal Duskywing, only the 22nd sighting ever in WI. Queens apparently moved northward with reports from Jennifer Lankin from Buchanan Co., MO on Aug. 28. On Sept. 1, Queens were reported by Chris and John Warmbrodt from Franklin Co., MO and from an unnamed observer from St. Louis Co., MO. September butterflies of interest in the East included a Queen, reported on September 2

by Jill Homcy in DeKorte Park, Lyndhurst, Bergen Co., NJ — origin uncertain; a Brazilian Skipper seen by Meredith Mays on September 8 in her home garden in Dekalb Co., GA; 13 species, including an Ocola Skipper, 1 mile west of US route 1 on Mason/ Dixon-MD/PA line, PA reported by Denis C. Quinn on September 16; and an unusual sighting report on September 16 by Judith Huf who observed three Monarchs and a Common Buckeye while waiting for a plane at Washington National Airport, VA. Other September butterfly sightings of note included a September 17 report by Jay Watson of a Cloudless Sulphur, a rare species in Wisconsin with only nine sightings in the last five years, at Point Beach State Forest, Two Rivers, Manitowoc Co., WI; a Bordered Patch on September 20 reported by Joanne Langabee from her back yard in Bellevue, Douglas 42 American Butterflies, Spring/Summer 2015

Brazilian Skippers had an explosive year in the East with more individuals reported northward than in many, many years.

Top left One of the few Brazilian Skippers ever seen in New Jersey, this individual was at the Rutgers Display Gardens, Middlesex County on Aug. 23.

Top right The transparent Brazilian Skipper caterpillars are eerie. This one was at College Park, Prince George’s Co., MD on Aug. 31.

Middle Left This stunning Black Checkerspot was photographed on Aug. 12 on Oracle Control Rd., Pima Co., AZ. Middle Right A number of Queens appeared out of place. This one was in Buchanan Co., MO on Aug. 28.

Third row right Malachites are always fun! This one was north of its normal range, at Fort De Soto Park, Pinellas Co., FL on Nov. 5.

Bottom Right Barred Sulphurs from Cuba look somewhat different from Florida individuals. This individual, photographed in Long Key State Park, Monroe Co., FL, appears to be one from Cuba.

William Beck

Jennifer Lankin

Amy Grimm

Ron Smith Jim Springer

Rick Borchelt

43

Co., NE; 32 species including six Brazilian Skippers and two Great Southern Whites seen at Norfolk Botanical Garden, Suffolk Co., VA on September 21 by David L. Amadio; and, on September 22, Allen Belden reported a Brazilian Skipper, his first ever sighting in the Richmond area, in a Forest Hill Park area yard, Richmond City Co., VA. On September 23, Todd Eiben saw 15 species including a lifer Funereal Duskywing, a rare species in Ohio, in Euclid Creek Reservation, Wildwood Park, Cuyahoga Co., OH; on September 24 Joanne Langabee saw 23 species including 304 Monarchs and eight Bordered Patches, a rare stray species first seen in the gardens last year, in Lauritzen Gardens, Douglas Co., NE; a lifer Viceroy seen on September 26 by Silvester Williams in Centennial Park, Ellicott City, Howard Co., MD; and a September 27 sighting by Ellen Honeycutt of a Zebra Heliconian in her garden in Canton, Cherokee CO., GA. October butterfly highlights in the east included an October 3 report from Jeffrey Rabkin of 270 Monarchs migrating along the beach in Rockaway Beach, Queens Co., NY; A Brazilian Skipper on Oct. 3 in Cape May Co., NJ, reported by Beth Polvino; a report of 18 species including 45 Monarchs on October 6 by Mark Adams from Jones Mill, Clark, & Shifletts Mill roads, Albemarie Co., VA; and a White M Hairstreak, rare in this location, seen by Rich Kelly in William Cullen Bryant Preserve, Nassau Co., NY on October 7. On October 8 Sally Isacco reported four species including an Ocola Skipper, rare here, in Mentor Marsh State Natural Preserve-Wake Robin, Lake CO., OH; also on Oct. 8, a Painted Lady was reported by Mike Reese from the Mariners Trail, Two Rivers/ Manitowoc, WI. This was only the seventh Painted Lady seen in the state this year, which is interesting because Painted Ladies were the most abundant butterfly in the state last year. A Brazilian Skipper caterpillar, was seen on Oct 9 at Hopewell Pool, Columbia, Howard County, MD by Jim Wilkinson; while 44 American Butterflies, Spring/Summer 2015

Giant Swallowtails continue to expand their range.

Top Mike Reese found a number of interesting Giant Swallowtails this summer. One, on Aug. 15, was at the Green Bay Botanical Garden, Green Bay, Brown Co., WI and was unusual that far northeast. Another, shown here, was in a more normal range, but more attractive.

Aug. 4, 2018. Avoca Wildlife Area, Iowa Co., WI.

Bottom On August 2, this Giant Swallowtail was seen way north of the normal range for the species, 3 miles northeast of Salem, in Washington Co., NY, near the Vermont border.

Mike Reese

Ron Hedden

45

another Brazilian Skipper was seen on Oct. 28,by Kathy Beza Richardson at Dutch Gap Conservation Area Chesterfield Co., VA. Other interesting butterfly sightings included an October 19 report by Curtis A. Lehman in Forest Hills, Allegheny Co., PA of six species including Monarchs after a nighttime temperature of 31 degrees and a heavy frost; Babs and Loren Padelford, following two days of strong southerly breezes, saw a Goatweed Leafwing in their backyard in Bellevue, Sarpy Co., NE on October 22, the last sighting they had of this species in Nebraska was 30 years ago; on October 23 Joanne Langabee also saw a Goatweed Leafwing in Lauritzen Gardens, Douglas Co., NE, the Goatweed Leafwing was the first for the garden and the fifth new species for the year; David L. Amadio observed in the Lititz business district, Lancaster Co., PA five species, including an American Snout on Sweet Alyssum in a storefront windowbox; and, on October 28, Bart Jones, in the Ghost River State Natural Area and WMA, Fayette Co., TN, reported 13 species including Carolina Satyr and Ocola Skipper.

Western Western butterflies of note included a Yellow Angled-Sulphur, only the second yard record, observed on August 3 by Robert A. Behrstock at the Behrstock/LeMay residence, Hereford, Cochise Co., AZ; on August 3 William D. Beck observed 32 species including Valeriana Skipper, Sheep Skipper, and Pahaska Skipper along Ruby Road, near Arivaca and Pena Blanca Lakes, Santa Cruz Co., AZ; 21 species were reported on August 4 by Dennis Holmes, including Edith’s Copper, Blue Copper, Lilacbordered Copper, and Sooty Hairstreak along FR 20 west of Mt Ashland over to Dutchman’s Peak, Jackson CO., OR; and 28 species including Dull Firetip, Drusius Cloudywing, Nais Metalmark, Large Roadside-Skipper, and Moon-marked Skipper were observed on August 11 by William D. Beck in the Santa Catalina mountains, Santa Cruz Co., AZ. 46 American Butterflies, Winter 2018

Other western butterflies of note included an August 17 report by David H. Bartholomew in Long Ridge Open Space Preserve, San Mateo, Co., CA of an Unsilvered Fritillary, the target species for the trip; 15 species, including 82 Green Commas, were seen by Venice Kelly on August 30 in James Peak Wilderness East Portal, Gilpin Co., CO at over 9000 ft in elevation; Barbara Peck, on September 13, reported a very fresh Juba Skipper at the Wyntour Nursery in Redding near the city border of Anderson, Shasta Co., CA, a very unusual location for this skipper; and a Milbert’s Tortoiseshell seen on October 27

by Jeanette Klodzen at Twin Lake Pass (Big Cottonwood Canyon), Davis Co., UT, just shy of the 9960 ft. pass on a sunny day with a high of near 50 degrees.

Florida Florida butterfly sightings of note included a report by Ron Smith of 21 species on August 19 including the first record of a Malachite at Fort De Soto State Park and the first in Pinellas Co. for some time; on August 22 Edward Perry IV observed abundant Atalas along Highway 1-92 in Melbourne, beachside in the town of Indialantic, Brevard Co., a far northern location for this species; an aberrant Gulf Fritillary photographed on August 25 by Gina Sousa in Palm Beach Co.; and 10 species including superabundant White Peacocks reported on September 8 by Mark and Holly Salvato at Green Cay Nature Center and Wetlands, Boynton Beach.

Other Florida sightings included an NABA Conference field trip reported by Linda Cooper and led by Brian Lloyd and Eric Shaw on September 17 to Spring Creek Unit part of Big Bend WMA of 49 species including 150 Cloudless Sulphurs, 400 Gulf Fritillaries, and 150 Long-tailed Skippers; a report by Edward Perry IV, from September 28, of 41 species including three of the target species — Dion Skipper — at Jennings Forest WMA, Clay Co.; an October 3 sighting by Ron Smith of 18 species including many, well worn, Long-

John Rosford

tailed Skippers passing through Fort De Soto Park, Pinellas Co.; and an October 7 report from Linda Cooper and eight others on the “bullied by skippers” field trip to Bull Creek WMA, Osceola CO., of 46 species including 26 species of skippers.

William Beck

Texas Texas butterfly sightings of note, all from Hidalgo Co., include a Mexican Longtail, a very rare stray, seen August 16 by John Rosford at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park; an October 11 submission from Daniel Jones of 29 species including three species of white-skippers, two Erichson’s WhiteSkippers, 10 Laviana White-Skippers, and one Turk’s-cap White-Skipper from his backyard in Progreso; and several pre-Texas Butterfly Festival scouting trips by Linda Cooper, Steve Moore and Barbara Volkle. Highlights of the scouting trips included Guava Skippers at Estero Llano Grande State Park on October 29 and a White Angled-Sulphur at the Hidalgo Pumphouse on October 31.

Top One of the very few Mexicoan Longtails ever seen in the United States. Aug. 18, 2018. Bentsen-Rio Grande State Park, Hidalgo Co., TX.

Andy Birkey

Whether you see an unusual butterfly, an early or late sighting of a common species, or have a complete list of the species you have seen, we would appreciate hearing from you. Please send your butterfly sightings to sightings@naba.org. Those who record your sightings to the Butterflies I’ve Seen website can just click on “email trip” and send it to the address given above. Your sightings will go into the larger database and will also be available for others to see on the Recent Sightings web page.

Middle Valeriana Skipper. July 24, 2018. Ruby Rd., Santa Cruz Co., AZ.

Bottom One of more than 30 Leonard’s Skippers seen in Bunker Hills Regional Park, Anoka Co., MN Aug. 27, 2018.

47

Contributors

University School of Law in 1993 and is a member of the New York bar. He is an adjunct professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Rice University.

Erin Diehm holds degrees in Chemistry and Slavic Languages and Linguistics. She has always felt a deep connection with the natural world and is now working in her community to help promote habitat for insects and birds. She is grateful to the active butterfly community in the San Francisco Bay area who organize ‘gateway’ activities like butterfly counts, and help promote butterfly gardening in our area. Although she is relatively new to formal aspects of butterflying, she and her husband (who is enthusiastically ‘on the team’) have planted a yard full of caterpillar host plants, and are astounded by the number of butterflies and birds that visit regularly in our densely populated metropolitan area. Plant it and they will come!

David Harder’s field experience began in upstate New York when he took up birding at age 10. He did behavioral genetic research at Florida State University for more than 20 years. He began butterflying two decades ago and has done numerous butterfly surveys at dozens of sites in northern Florida for a regional database. He is currently vicepresident of NABA’s Hairstreak Chapter, compiler for the Tallahassee and Big Bend WMA counts, and often leads butterfly and dragonfly walks in the area.

Jeffrey Glassberg is a director and president of NABA. Jeff has followed butterflies since he was 5 years old living on Long Island, New York. He detoured to take an undergraduate degree in civil engineering and a Ph.D. in molecular genetics, then worked at Stanford University and Rockefeller University. In 1981 he invented DNA fingerprinting and co-founded a biotechnology company (Lifecodes) that commercialized this technique. Jeff is a past-president of Xerces Society, the author of the ‘Butterflies through Binoculars’ field guide series, the editor of the ‘through Binoculars’ series (including Caterpillars, Dragonflies and Wildflowers) and the author of A Swift Guide to the Butterflies of Mexico and Central America and of A Swift Guide to Butterflies of North America. He graduated from the Columbia

48 American Butterflies, Winter 2018

Jane Hurwitz is editor of NABA’s Butterfly Gardener magazine.

She is also the author of Butterfly Gardening: The North American Butterfly Association Guide and of numerous nonfiction works for young adults.

Meredith Mays lives in Atlanta, Georgia and has worked as in house counsel for AT&T for many years. In her spare time, she enjoys butterfly gardening, butterfly related outdoor activities, and spending time with her husband, daughters and Scottish terriers.

(Continued on inside back cover)

Readers Write

Contributors (continued from pg 48)

Is it Frosted or Iced?

I appreciated the article by Dean Jue regarding the Frosted Elfin survey in East Texas in the latest issue of American Butterflies. In Northwest Ohio we are fortunate enough to have Frosted Elfins. It is an Ohio Endangered Species and I would like to try to conduct a similar survey here following the protocol described in the article, providing information to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. I have a question regarding the subspecies (Callophrys irus hadros). What is different about this subspecies in comparison to the Frosted Elfin of Northwest Ohio? Why is it considered a subspecies?

Mike Reese updates the NABA Recent Sightings web pages. He enjoys photographing wild flowers, birds, dragonflies, and, of course, butterflies. He is an educator in Wautoma, Wisconsin and has been recording and documenting the butterflies that are found there for over 15 years.

He also maintains a website on the Butterflies of Wisconsin.

Jan Dixon, Perrysburg, OH Most serious biologists don’t think that the concept of subspecies is very useful. Subspecies are often described based upon someone saying “oh, the ones from place A have buffy spots while the one from place B have white spots.” In many cases, genetic variation within a species doesn’t track with named subspecies. However, in the instant case, Frosted Elfins in Texas do look recognizably different and there appears to be a significant geographic gap between the TX/OK/AR population and other Frosted Elfins. Ed.

Contributors continued environmental consultant who investigates wetlands and does surveys for threatened and endangered species. She has long been an active New Jersey naturalist, interested in birds, herptiles, plants, and of course, butterflies. Sharon is the immediate past president of the New Jersey Butterfly Club chapter of NABA, and frequently leads field trips and presents programs for the club and for outside organizations. She is the former editor of the annual NABA Butterfly Count Report, and served on the state committee that evaluated the status of New Jersey butterflies in 2013. She and Wade and have compiled the Springdale, NJ, Fourth of July count since 1992, and are especially proud of their Fredon Township, NJ, butterfly garden, which has attracted a state-record 84 species to date.

Rob Santry has been a butterfly enthusiast for many years and has focused on butterfly photography since retiring as the Geographic Information Systems Manager for the City of Redding, California in 2010. He specializes in the butterfly fauna of his home state of California. His pictures have been included in butterfly field guides, books, magazines, scientific papers, regional newsletters and a childrens coloring book. He participates in many of the various NABA counts in the Northern California area. Expect to see Rob on some of California’s mountaintops, desert washes, volcanoes, or riparian areas with camera in hand.

Sharon Wander joined NABA in its earliest days.

After earning a B.A. in English and enjoying a brief career as an editor and copywriter, she escaped her cubicle and returned to college for her doctorate in Ecology, studying the breeding biology of ovenbirds.

Along with her husband, Wade, she is a self-employed (but trying to retire)

continued at left