insects on April 4th, in Rockland County, NY

[Thomas Fiore]

Spring-greetings,

The odd weather of this early spring was in effect on April 4th at Hook Mt. (elevation: over 700 ft. above mean sea-level) in eastern Rockland County, NY - a fairly well-known site for butterfly and other insect observations over many decades.  This location and the ridges nearby seem to support both early and late dates of emergences and occurrence in a number of butterflies, as well as perhaps for some other types of insects. It is known in part for a population of Falcate Orangetip, which thankfully continue on these ridges, with the host plants still found where White-tailed Deer are unable to browse all of such delicate herbaceous plant life, partly due to very steep slopes which include rock cliffs - the Palisades of northeast New Jersey and parts of NY state in Rockland County.  Similar habitat for Falcate Orangetips are also seen on a few traprock outcrops of south-central Connecticut, and farther up the Hudson River in NY, there are some areas of rocky-habitat which support the spring-brooded-only butterfly. Oddly or not, the Falcate Orangetip is mostly in a rather different habitat in much of its known range in the eastern U.S. which gets down into Florida, and in many areas of its range may be in sandy or partly-sandy plains and level areas, but of course with the host plants that will support the species.

On the day of 4-4, the clouds appeared rather thick and often-dark to the south, while on Hook Mt., warm sun shone more than 2/3 of the day, and further north, sun was clearly shining brightly most of that day.  The first-observed Falcate Orangetips of the year here came out, with at least 3 males seen fluttering all around the summit and nearby ridges.  Also seen later in the afternoon were a rather more-surprising 2 Gray Hairstreaks, and a poor photo of one of those, as it sat briefly on summit grasses, is attached here. The 2 hairstreaks spent most of the time flitting and flying and twirling around a small red-cedar tree at the summit, and were quite hard to get close views even for positive ID as which hairstreak species, although this would be somewhat most-likely, for date and location. (However there are the possibilities here for both Red-banded and White-M Hairstreaks early in spring, even if not quite expected or really regular in this location in most years. Neither are Gray Hairstreaks fully expected here, but in most years in recent decades, the species is found at least a few times in a year, and in various months. April 4 is rather early, of course for this in this state, even in this somewhat southern county. It may be typical that the peak flights here for Falcate Orangetip can be in mid to late April, some years going into early May with more females seen by then.

The species noticed for the day on Hook Mt., Rockland County were:  Cabbage White, Falcate Orangetip (at least 3 males, nearly constantly in flight in midday to early afternoon, not seen at any of very minimal flowers on the summit or ridge), Spring Azure (undetermined azure forms, at least 4 individuals and possibly more, very active), Gray Hairstreak (2 seen twirling about together and briefly sitting separately, one quickly photographed), Eastern Comma (2), Mourning Cloak (at least 4, most in very crisp condition as likely-overwintered, although the chance of some or all having migrated in from points-south is also realistic for this species here), and American Lady (one small individual which was very shy and also very skittish of any efforts to photograph, and would hide in the most inaccessible areas on the rocky steep summit or in the top of a cedar where impossible to even see at times.) Thus 7 species of butterflies were out in the sun at this one location on 4-4.  There were also a number of small to very-small moths in flight, none seen well enough to hazard a guess to even family or to genera. The moth fauna might be interesting here, as anywhere, particularly for how much diversity could be found if the site was studied well. Aa seen in all too-many areas of the world, many moths and many other insects seem to be in diminished numbers from what was found in the same location[s] in past decades. The decline in numbers and in diversity is real and is beyond worrisome for so many kinds of insects.

Other insects seen on 4-4 included a slightly-surprising Cicindela sexguttata, also known as the (common and widespread) Six-spotted Tiger Beetle, on one of the warmest sections of a bare-earth trail in full sun and where no wind reached, at midday. Other small beetles included a few ladybug species, perhaps all of same species, not determined and some additional very small beetle species.  For flies there were a multitude of species, and also of bees, with at least one good-sized Bombus - a bumblebee - seen nicely on a few non-native honeysuckle blooms just-out over recent days there. Multiple wasps in the genus Polistes were seen, a few of that type have been flying at Hook Mt. For more than a week, so also seen there in late March. There were a number of other insect families represented as well, and there also were a few kinds of spider actively crawling over sun-warmed rocks and grassy-covered earth or leaf-litter.

The Gray Hairstreak shown on grasses and plants on the summit of Hook Mt. On April 4th, with the 2nd individual of the same species nearby on a small red cedar tree.

Signs of spring are...arriving….  

Good observations to everyone - Tom Fiore, Manhattan/N.Y. City.