Butterfly Gardener
Knowing Your Blues: Ceraunus, Marine, and Reakirt’s
Chapter News: In Search of Baltimore Checkerspot
Soldier or Queen: Show Me the Difference, Please! Louisiana Premieres
“Pollination Celebration”
During the past year, Volume 21 of Butterfly Gardener has had the great fortune to feature many voices from talented contributors that include writers and photographers. Many members have written in with suggestions, corrections, and comments. Thank you to everyone who has shown their support to NABA and Butterfly Gardener!
The number of contributors continues to grow each year and the range of their interests widens. Butterfly Gardener strives to encourage and represent all members in their butterfly interests and we are grateful for those who take the time to generously share their expertise and enthusiasm.
Thanks to Steve Cary, Linda F. Cooper, Taryn Cunha, Leslie Gilson, Terri Jabour, Terry W. Johnson, Lenora Larson, Kay MacNeil, Meredith Mays, Gary Noel Ross, Lewis Scharpf, Debra Bowman Straub, Patricia Sutton, and Selvi Viswanathan for writing about their experiences and sharing their hints in all aspects of butterfly gardening.
Photographers who share their photos with Butterfly Gardener inspire readers to get out there and look at the outside world. Great appreciation goes to Jim Alison, Allison Snopek Barta, Angela Jeters, Lew Scharpf, Phil Vachon, and Selvi Viswanathan.
Thanks to poet Pat McCulloch for his continued support of the magazine.
Both the Atala (Palm Beach, Florida) and Georgia-Piedmont Chapters were highlighted in Butterfly Gardener during the past year. Thanks to all NABA chapters for their efforts in bringing butterflying to a local audience. Please consider sharing your chapter news during 2017 with Butterfly Gardener!
Special thanks to the NABA Board of Directors and Officers for their continued efforts of preserving and promoting butterfly habitats and gardens in North America.
And as always, a profound thanks to Sharon Wander whose eagle eye and sharp editing keep Butterfly Gardener moving forward.
Butterfly Gardener is published quarterly by the North American Butterfly Association, Inc. (NABA). © 2016 by the North American Butterfly Association, Inc. All rights reserved. Views of contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of NABA.
We want to hear from you! Please send Butterfly Gardener correspondence and submissions to: Jane Hurwitz, Editor, NABA, 4 Delaware Road, Morristown, NJ 07960; hurwitz@naba.org
Articles, gardening tips and observations, artwork, digital high resolution photographs, poetry and comments will be considered for publication. Please send self-addressed stamped envelope for items to be returned.
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—Jane Hurwitz, Editor
For questions concerning membership issues, magazines, or changes of address, please write to NABA Membership Services, 4 Delaware Road, Morristown, NJ 07960. Occasionally, members send membership dues in twice. Our policy in such cases, unless instructed otherwise, is to extend membership for an additional year.
Front cover photo: Great Spangled Fritillary on Vernonia lettermannii ‘Iron Butterfly’. Credit: Anne Christie
Back cover photo: Hobomok Skipper on Oxeye Daisy. Credit: Jane Hurwitz
Butterfly Musings comments & corrections
Many NABA members noted that the photo on page 7 in the Fall 2016 issue of Butterfly Gardener was mislabeled. The caption was correct—a Queen may overwinter in Georgia—but the photo was of a Soldier, a species that has not been recorded for Georgia. One member, Linda Cooper, has helpfully taken on the task of providing insight into how to identify these two species.
A second identification error was pointed out by Steve Cary, who wrote to say that Selvi Viswanathan’s photo on the back cover of the Fall 2016 issue—incorrectly identified as a Ceraunus Blue—was actually a Marine Blue. I regret this error. Steve has provided some clarification about identifying blues that will be useful for many gardeners and other butterfliers as well.
Soldier or Queen: Show Me the Difference, Please! Text and Photos by Linda F. Cooper
In addition to their similar size and coloration, Soldier and Queen have flight ranges that overlap, particularly in Florida and Texas. Since both readily visit gardens, some basic identification pointers can be useful.
Queen occurs in the extreme southern United States––in south Florida and along the Mexican border individuals fly throughout the year. They regularly stray northward and sometimes colonize the Plains states. Strays are rarer both along the Atlantic coastal plain to Massachusetts and on the Great Plains.
The similar-looking Soldier also flies year-round in south Florida and Texas, but its U.S. flight range is restricted to south Florida, south Texas, and southern Arizona. Strays do occur north of its typical range but in far smaller numbers than Queens.
When you are in an area where both species—or their strays—occur, here is what to look for to separate Soldier from Queen:
Both Soldier and Queen are a rich orange-brown but Soldiers look brighter or more golden on their dorsal side than Queens. Soldier has strong dark veining on its upperside that Queen lacks.
On the upper forewings Queen has extra white spots (inward of those across the wing apex) that are usually missing in Soldier.. On the under hindwings Soldier has a pale band of blotchy spots in a stylized ‘C’ pattern that Queen lacks.
Left: Queen Right: Soldier
Soldier usually has a brownish band inward of the blotchy spots, though some individuals are very faintly marked. Those pale, blotchy marks show through the hindwings when viewing the dorsal side of Soldier if the wings are strongly backlit. See example to the right.
Some Soldiers are very well marked but others are not. These lightly marked ones (left and right) have to be scrutinized more carefully, but even though the pale, blotchy spots and the brownish band may be faint, they are still visible.
Linda Cooper has been surveying butterflies in Florida since the mid-90s and is the compiler for seven central Florida NABA counts. She and her recently deceased husband Buck conducted year-long butterfly surveys for four state-park butterfly lists as well as for private land parcels. Her current special interest is keeping Arogos Skipper, Florida Dusted Skipper, and other rare skippers protected on large areas of public land in central Florida. She spends six weeks in the Rio Grande Valley each fall.
Left: Queen Right: Soldier
Close examination of the Marine Blue’s left forewing shows the banding pattern of the underside seeping through the upperside blue. That same banding is visible as faint background for the right forewing as well.
Knowing Your Blues: Ceraunus, Marine, and Reakirt’s
by Steve Cary
The blue shown (at left) is not a Ceraunus Blue, as captioned in the Fall 2016 issue of Butterfly Gardener, but is a Marine Blue. Thanks to Steve Cary, who wrote to point out this mistake and then was kind enough to elaborate (and educate) with the following information and photos:
Marine Blues were once considered inhabitants of warm, dry, low-elevation southern New Mexico, only rarely straying to cooler, mountainous, or northern parts of the state. Ceraunus Blues were viewed as subtropical, occurring only as prized, seasonal strays even in southern New Mexico. In recent decades, however, both species have stepped up in both latitude and altitude. Marine Blues now are routinely found throughout the state, even in the mountains, competing for attention with ubiquitous Reakirt’s Blues. Meanwhile, Ceraunus Blues seem to breed more routinely in our southern counties, from where they stray more frequently to northern New Mexico. Ceraunus remains unreported from 11 of New Mexico’s 33 counties, including Los Alamos County. All three blues are early-successional species that complete their life cycles on a variety of weedy legumes thriving in open, disturbed places.
All three of these blues come readily to flowers and show up in gardens frequently, but their diminutive size and ground-hugging behavior often make them hard to see. Their small tongues usually steer them to flowers with short, narrow corolla tubes, typical of fleabanes and other smallish flowers in the Aster family. All three butterflies come readily to damp soil. In New Mexico, Reakirt’s and Marine blues can be seen throughout the warm season, while Ceraunus Blue is most frequently encountered from July though autumn.
These three small blues can most confidently be distinguished by the pattern of their undersides. Dorsally, however, males of Ceraunus and Reakirt’s are identical iridescent, sky blue with a variably expressed black eyespot toward the trailing edge of the hindwing. Glassberg’s Swift Guide to Butterflies shows Reakirt’s as having a black FW border above, which is much narrower on Ceraunus. Females of these two species also have similar uppersides—dark gray except for some iridescent blue toward the body. A clear view of the underside is usually needed to tell Ceraunus from Reakirt’s. Marine Blues and Ceraunus Blues are very similar above. The photo in the Fall 2016 issue can be
Ceraunus Blue
Steve Cary
pegged as Ceraunus only because the ventral white/tan banding “seeps through” and is visible as a faint ghost pattern. Females above are much more brown than blue and quite distinctively banded, thus are easily separable from Reakirt’s and Ceraunus. Glassberg’s Swift Guide to Butterflies does an excellent job of illustrating these diagnostic features. [NOTE: The photo of the male Marine Blue upperside in Glassberg shows the banding VERY faintly, and this is not labeled as a noteworthy feature.]
Steve Cary has been chasing, photographing, and writing about butterflies in New Mexico for more than 35 years. His recent book, Butterfly Landscapes of New Mexico, offers a uniquely insightful perspective on butterflies in the Southwest and remains a must-have source about New Mexico butterflies. Steve is an avid butterfly gardener who shares his expertise with the public through a variety of guided butterfly walks, talks, counts, and workshops.
Butterfly Gardener www.naba.org
Marine Blue
Reakirt’s Blue
Steve Cary
Steve Cary
In Search of Baltimore Checkerspot
The Georgia-Piedmont chapter of the North American Butterfly Association enjoyed a series of field trips in 2016, two of which were species specific. During an early April trip participants visited Sweetwater Creek State Park, hoping to see Zebra Swallowtail. Although the group unfortunately did not find any Zebras, the visit to the state park did allow the group to observe Silvery Checkerspots, which are relatively uncommon. The “goal species” of the second field trip was Baltimore Checkerspot. Details of that field trip follow below.
The busy Georgia-Piedmont chapter held a variety of events in 2016, including two counts in the greater Atlanta area. On the Spring Monastery–Panola–Arabia Mountains count Juniper Hairstreaks were abundant, and the Fall count produced the elusive Cofaqui Giant-Skipper along with Northern, Southern, and Creole Pearly-eyes. During 2016 the Georgia-Piedmont chapter also supported the Rosalynn Carter Butterfly Discovery Day, during which the former First Lady hosted a number of like-minded organizations at the Carter Center in downtown Atlanta, bringing attention to the plight of butterflies and other pollinators. Two chapter-led walks were held at the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park—the banner species observed there in September was Common WoodNymph.
When talking about butterflies in Georgia, certain species are familiar to most people. Georgia’s state butterfly, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, is one such species. It flies throughout the state during warm weather, with sightings reported as early as February and often as late as into November. Another well-known species is Monarch, and organizations such as Monarchs Across Georgia play
Baltimore Checkerspot
a key role in educating the public about this iconic butterfly. What is less commonly known is that more than 160 different butterfly species live in Georgia, some of which can only be seen in certain parts of the state and during certain times of year. One such less-familiar species is Baltimore Checkerspot.
Although it is the official insect of Maryland, Baltimore Checkerspot does occur in Georgia. If reviewing maps in butterfly field guides, you might conclude that this butterfly can be found from Southern Canada to the North Georgia mountains, but in fact, its occurrence is highly localized. However, an established Baltimore colony is present in Cobb County, and Susan Meyers, Chapter Treasurer and Monarchs Across Georgia Pollinator Habitat Restoration Grant Administrator, coordinated a butterfly field trip there on May 15, 2016, during which participants were able to see this rare butterfly. It is medium-sized—the open-winged spread from wingtip to wingtip is just over two inches—and displays a spectacular black, white, and orange color combination.
With Henning Von Schmeling, Director of Operations, Chattahoochee Nature Center, serving as the field-trip guide, participants met at the Chattahoochee National Recreation Area on a sunny Sunday. Common Buckeyes were numerous and we also saw Cabbage White, Sleepy Orange, Eastern Tailed-Blue, Spring Azure, Painted Lady, Red-spotted Purple, Carolina Satyr, Least Skipper, Fiery Skipper, and Zabulon Skipper. After walking approximately a mile, and turning along a pathway directly adjacent to a marshy area, there it was—a Baltimore Checkerspot, basking in the sun near the marsh. As the walk continued, we saw other species that love the wetlands—Red Admirals and numerous Question Marks. But we were treated to only the single sighting of a Baltimore. In Maryland, the state’s Department of Natural Resources reports that Baltimore Checkerspot has Baltimore Checkerspot
Baltimore Checkerspot eggs
declined significantly in recent years and has been designated as an imperiled species. Whether you are in one of the few areas in Maryland that still supports a population of Baltimore Checkerspot, or in Georgia, you will need to look for this butterfly in spring. Henning Von Schmeling has recorded five years of Baltimore sightings, occurring May 9, May 14, May 18, May 21, and May 27. The fieldtrip sighting on May 15, 2016, adds a sixth year to the records, and Jim Alison also has information from a May 1, 2011 sighting. Jim reported seeing many Baltimore Checkerspots near their host plant, turtlehead.
In spring, adult Baltimores emerge from their chrysalises to mate, and they fly for only about a month, which is why spring is the best time to look for this species. After mating, female checkerspots lay hundreds of eggs on turtlehead. Eggs take approximately 20 days to develop before the small caterpillars emerge and begin eating; they continue to feed in groups on turtlehead as they grow larger. In fall, the caterpillars stop developing and overwinter in leaf litter. The next spring, they become active and begin eating again (often on plants other than turtlehead), eventually reaching full size and forming a chrysalis. Approximately two weeks later, the adult butterflies emerge. These new Baltimore Checkerspots are what you may be lucky enough to see some Georgia spring.
The article “In Search of the Baltimore Checkerspot” was originally printed in The Chrysalis, Emerging News from Monarchs Across Georgia, page 4, Fall 2016 Enewsletter. The article has been revised for NABA’s Chapter News
Meredith Mays grew up in Washington State, and her love of nature began with family camping trips to the San Juan Islands. Atlanta, Georgia, has been home since she graduated from Emory Law School, and she balances working as in-house counsel for AT&T with spending time outdoors butterflying, biking, and traveling with her husband; marveling as her two daughters grow into young women; and romping with her Scottish terriers. Learning from experienced butterfliers inspires her and she dreams of completely transforming her home garden into a butterfly haven, traveling to Mexico to see overwintering Monarchs, and sharing her love of butterflies with others.
For the Love of Butterflies
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Articles, gardening tips and observations, artwork, digital high resolution photographs, poetry and comments will be considered for publication. Contact Jane Hurwitz, Editor, hurwitz@naba.org
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LOUISIANA PREMIERES “POLLINATION CELEBRATION”
by Gary Noel Ross
With nearly 400 different festivals logged in with the Louisiana Office of Tourism, the state must now add one more: “Pollination Celebration.” The single-day event premiered on Saturday September 24, 2016, as a cooperative venture between Tangipahoa Parish Master Gardener Association (TPMGA) and Louisiana State University AgCenter Hammond Research Station/Southeast Region Office. The picturesque research center site is ideal for such an event: 140 acres of gardens carved from lush piney woods, and an entranceway flanked by a pair of historic live oak trees. In addition, the location is just east of the college/agricultural community of Hammond, and barely 40 miles from metropolitan Baton Rouge and New Orleans—all easily accessed by the interstate highway system.
Butterfly Gardener www.nababutterfly.com
The live oaks that greet festival goers at the front gate are registered/historic trees with a girth of 29 feet and age estimated at 400-500 years.
12 Winter 2016
Firebush is one of the many pollinator plants growing at Hammond Research Station.
Planning began nearly a year in advance. Because I bear the title “Director of Butterfly Festivals” for NABA and live in Baton Rouge, I was asked to serve as consultant. The selected date coincided with regional maximum populations for most butterflies and early migrating Monarchs. The event was marketed as “An Educational Experience for All Ages,” with an entrance fee of $10 per private vehicle and $2 per person for commercial vehicles. Because TPMGA is a non-profit organization, the event was intended to serve as a fundraiser to assist local students with hands-on education centered on plant-based projects.
The committee was ambitious. As a preliminary event, an art contest was launched. The winning entry was to be sold at a special pre-festival banquet, and the design would be incorporated into the logo for a future festival.
Staying true to theme, formal presentations by professionals were scheduled for two indoor venues. Topics included History of the Research Station, Plant Pollination, Effects of Pesticides on Pollinators, Native Plants and Their Importance to Caterpillars and Nectar for Butterflies and Moths, and Why Vegetable Gardens Need Pollinators. I presented my special 30-minute multi-media
Teaching the next generation about raising caterpillars.
Demonstration tables taught how to plant seeds.
program titled “An Enchantment of Wings” four times during the day. Outside, a local high-school student conducted guided tours through the gardens to identify pollinator-friendly plants—especially milkweeds. Additionally, 17 tented exhibits informed visitors about beekeeping, hummingbird banding, photography, and butterfly biology/identification. Childfriendly exhibits offered “hands-on” activities that included rearing caterpillars, planting seeds, creating a container garden, constructing hummingbird feeders, and constructing tubular houses for mason bees.
Vendors marketed food and drink as well as regional pollinator-friendly plants, nature-based crafts, and the latest garden and farm equipment.
Because the station specializes in ornamental horticultural plants—including the annual selection of “Louisiana Super Plants”—a kaleidoscope of flowers for pollinators was on display. Several flowerbeds featured host plants for butterfly reproduction, including Emperor’s Candlesticks shrub for sulphurs and Gray Hairstreak; Canna Lily for Brazilian Skipper; citrus trees for Giant Swallowtail; grasses (ornamental and lawn) for satyrs and grass-skippers; passionflower for Gulf Fritillary and Variegated Fritillary; pipevine for Pipevine Swallowtail; snapdragon for American Painted Lady and Common Buckeye; spiderflower for Great Southern White; wisteria and indigofera for Long-tailed and Silver-spotted Skippers; and yellow alder for Variegated Fritillary. Nearby forest and field habitats
served as reservoirs for native sources of nectar and pollen as well as host species.
I identified 24 species of adult butterflies in the gardens that day. In descending order of abundance these were Gulf Fritillary, Cloudless Sulphur, Common Buckeye, Monarch, Pipevine Swallowtail, Long-tailed Skipper, Ocola Skipper, Giant Swallowtail, Dainty Sulphur, Fiery Skipper, American Lady, Horace’s Duskywing, Common Checkered-Skipper, Great Southern White, Sleepy Orange, Whirlabout, Sachem, Eufala Skipper, Silver-spotted Skipper, and Spicebush Swallowtail, with one each of Red Admiral, Carolina Satyr, Brazilian Skipper, and Gray Hairstreak. The most noteworthy was Great Southern White, which is normally restricted to Gulf Coast habitats. However, in early 2016 a periodic population explosion triggered a massive northward emigration, with butterfly enthusiasts reporting individual butterflies as far north as the LA-AR border.
Attendance was roughly 1,000—not bad for a first-time event held only one month after historic rain and flooding. Dr. Allen D. Owings, Professor and Research Coordinator, was pleased, too, noting “I think the festival brought in the highest number of visitors to the station to date.” I would say that by most reckonings, LSU had scored another touchdown!
“Pollination Celebration—2017” is scheduled for Saturday, September 16, 2017. For information, contact: GNRoss40@yahoo.com.
Gary Noel Ross is NABA’s Director of Butterfly Festivals and a Research Associate at the McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida. Gary is a retired Professor of Biology (Southern University) and lives in Baton Rouge, LA.
A festival guide shows visitors butterflies and caterpillars on a passionvine.
