Lake Wampanoag, Gardner field trip 8/16

[Wendy Howes]

There were three MBC members on this 3+ hour walk through some promising habitat. Obvious nectar sources were goldenrod, black-eyed Susan, and boneset, but there were other wildflowers in bloom. Except for one Clouded Sulphur and - at the very end of the walk - two Monarchs, there were no butterflies flying over the expanse of open fields. Two species were about in good numbers, but diversity, sadly, was lacking. In past years we've been very successful at finding a lot more butterflies.

1 Clouded Sulphur

1 Great Spangled Fritillary

1 Eastern Tailed-Blue

10 Pearl Crescent

1 Red-spotted Purple

50+ Common Ringlet, abundant; surely the numbers would have been into the hundreds if the areas without trails were counted

13 Common Wood-Nymph, likely more staying low in the fields

2 Monarch

1 Dun Skipper, worn

Wendy Howes

Hardwick