Dunback Meadow insects 7/18
Andrea Golden
Saturday's Dunback Meadow insect walk enjoyed beautiful weather.
About 20 people with various interests in butterflies, beetles, dragonflies
and insects in general joined us. Members of the Menotomy Bird Club,
Cambridge Entomological Club, and the Mass. Butterfly Club were all
represented. Here is my (very!) general list. I'm skipping several major
orders. I gave up after awhile.
Butterflies included many azures and commas; cabbage, fritillaries, yellow
swallowtails, monarchs and monarch eggs; skippers, and red admiral.
Numerous day flying moths, and a clear wing moth. Ned Eisner sent this
addendum to the discussion about the small black moth some of us saw:
"The white-striped black moth is, in fact, called a white-striped black moth
as someone suggested. It's scientific name is Trichodezia albovittata
(Hodge's #7430)."
Lots of bees, bumblebees, honeybees, carpenter bees, ants, ect.
Beetles: various long horned, milkweed beetle, tortoise beetle, gallerucella
beetle (this is the beetle that eats purple loosestrife) mating fireflies.
...and several genera of mosquitoes
Surprisingly absent were dragonflies and damselflies. A few dragonflies were
spotted overhead, but in general numbers are very low this year.
Everyone generously contributed their knowledge and observations to this
walk, essential for such a vast community of creatures as insects.
Thanks again to everyone that attended!
Andrea Golden