08 July 2013

Results of a butterfly field trip


Here are several not-perfectly-composed-or-focused photographs taken on a field trip this past weekend to the Sandhill Wildlife Area - a 9,000 acre site managed by the Wisconsin DNR.  The habitat varies from forests to sandy uplands (one with a herd of American bison) to marshes and flowages.


I was one of a group of eleven butterfly enthusiasts who spent about five hours exploring the area.  We didn't need to venture farther than the roadsides to find butterflies such as this Acadian Hairstreak -


- and its relative, the Coral Hairstreak (similar, but note the orange spots and the absence of a tail). 


Also Edwards' Hairstreaks, Banded Hairstreaks, and Striped Hairstreaks. In all, about 150 butterflies of 33 different species were seen, including Sulphurs, Coppers, Fritillaries, Checkerspots, Admirals, Buckeye, Wood-satyr, Monarchs, and six kinds of Skippers, such as this Two-Spotted one:


My favorite was one I encountered on the way back to my car when I noticed a brightly-colored (almost wasp-like) butterfly on the road.  It was patiently probing with its proboscis into the sand in a process called "puddling" - needed by butterflies to extract minerals they can't derive from the nectar of flowering plants.


In their quest for salt and trace elements, butterflies will even land on humans, especially those with sweaty clothes.  I sat down next to this one and slowly moved my hand in front of him, and he hopped on, tasting the palp of my fingers.  This is a Baltimore Checkerspot.


I learn something on every field trip.  On this one I found a magnificent caterpillar which I didn't recognize.  He had been actively browsing willow and was big - almost as long as my little finger - thus probably nearly ready to pupate.  I had willow available at home, so I thought I would bring this guy back to Madison to rear and release.  BIG MISTAKE!!!.


I was in the process of carrying him back to the car, and showed him to two of the people in the group, neither of whom knew what species he was.  But the third person was a forest ecologist (or forest entomologist, I forget which), and he with 100% assurance informed me that I had found the larva of a gypsy moth - a major, invasive, defoliating pest. 

I think it's worth reminding readers about once a year that butterfly field trips are available to anyone.  You don't have to join any clubs and you don't have to know anything about butterflies.  Butterfly people are some of the nicest people you will ever hang out with, and they will welcome you to join them on walks.  Those in Wisconsin can check the website of the Southern Wisconsin Butterfly Association (a half-dozen more trips coming this summer - next week to a bog).  Those in other states should be able to find a local group by navigating the website of the North American Butterfly Association, or by checking with your local librarian (librarians know how to find stuff).

17 comments:

  1. So what did you do with the gypsy moth caterpillar?

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    1. The forest ecologist photographed him for documentation, then squished him.

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    2. Great butterfly pix! As to the gypsy moth caterpillar: Do they usually get that big? Any caterpillar that grows oversize is usually parasitized and will not pupate, from what I've read.

      Lurker111

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  2. The Google image search [gypsy+moth+caterpillar] agrees with your ecologist / entomologist that it was indeed a gypsy moth larva.

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  3. Sounds like catching the butterflies would spoil the view for other visitors? My nephew just got his first butterfly net last week.

    We're also going to go to Olbrich Botanical Gardens this month for the butterflies and to talk to a real live insect collector.

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    1. Most enthusiasts "catch" them only digitally nowadays, although when children are involved the situation is a bit different, especially re school projects.

      p.s. - encourage him sometime to sweep his net through a field of tall grass/weeds which appears "empty." He will be surprised how many small insects will magically appear in the net.

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  4. Did you see the Sandhill cranes? I would like to see them on land.

    We see them twice a year -- spring and fall -- while they are migrating. They never land as they are on their trek, however it seems they use a local hill (old volcano crater which we live on) as a gathering point. They circle above gathering the stragglers and then once everyone has caught up, they continue migrating. We always know it's the Sandhill cranes because of the distinctive honking sound.

    http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/okanagan/esd/atlas/species/crane.html

    --gem

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    1. We did not see any cranes (or, surprisingly, any waterfowl) that afternoon. There's lots of them around, and in some parts of the state they are claimed to be a nuisance to farmers:

      http://www.startribune.com/local/214533731.html

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    2. It boggles my mind that the gov't may give out licenses to shoot the cranes. They used to nest in our valley (Okanagan Valley) but are long gone now.

      --gem

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  5. MinnesotaStan, you always amaze me with your wonderful journeys and posts. Thanks for taking us along with you!

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  6. Minnesotastan,

    I am wondering, how does one tell the difference between a moth and a butterfly? Is there a sure fire way to know the difference?

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    1. I just googled it. It isn't as easy as I thought it might be.

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    2. Brad, I think you'll need to keep Googling, because I don't have a short answer to give you. For most part butterflies are solar-powered and active in the daytime, while moths are nocturnal or crepuscular. The antennae tend to be quite different, but that's hard to determine without binoculars. I think the only "sure fire way" to tell the difference is my examining the genitals with a microscope.

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    3. And some moths don't even look like moths. Check out the Ailanthus webworm moth, e.g., which looks like some kind of gorgeous flying beetle (it's an invasive species, BTW).

      Link here:
      http://bugguide.net/node/view/418520

      Saw one of these on the door of a diner in midtown Richmond, Va.

      Lurker111

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    4. Or the hummingbird moth, which looks more like a hummingbird than a moth (had one in the garden last evening - beautiful).

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  7. Heh, I didn't even have to read the description. I saw the photo and I'm yelling at the screen, "GYPSY MOTH! GYPSY MOOOOOOTH!!!" We had a few massive infestations back when I was in grade school here in the California Bay Area. That is a thing you do not forget. The teachers supervising us at recess carried umbrellas cause the larvae kept falling down from the trees above.

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  8. Great collection! Thanks for sharing!

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