Mourning Cloak in Sackville, no butterflies north of Amherst

[John Klymko]

I had a Mourning Cloak in Sackville's Waterfowl Park this morning so I thought I'd try my luck north of Amherst in square 20MR18. Didn't see a thing there though. I walked around the woods poking at mayflower in the hopes of finding Hoary Elfin but no luck. Was also hoping to add Mourning Cloak, Green Comma or Gray Comma to the squares list, but again nothing. Weather wasn't the best though, it was 15 but only partly sunny. Still patches of snow in the woods too.

Cheers,

John

[Phil Schappert]

No snow here in Halifax, John. Yesterday, despite it being only 15, I
ventured out to my usual haunt, Roaches Pond park in south Spryfield,
and found my first spring azure, a single tiny male. We reached 19 or
20 here today and despite another foray out, this time to the
McIntosh Run Trail, I found no azures or other butterflies. Lots of
solitary bees, many syrphid and bombylid flies, even a few tachinids
(and the odd biter!) but that was about it. Still, spring has
sprung...

We're in for another cool down with rain for the next few days but
the end of next week is forecast to be sunny and get back to seasonal
temperatures (14 to 15 high). I look forward to visiting a few of my
other local trails and parks!

Phil

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Phil Schappert, PhD

27 Clovis Ave.
Halifax, NS, B3P 1J3
902-460-8343 (cell)

philschappert.com
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(Michael Hedges)

[Phil Schappert]

Hi all,

Looks like the migrants are starting to arrive...my favorite luthier,
Russel Crosby, the guy who made my concert guitars and bouzar,
photographed the attached yesterday, May 6, "on the Brighton road
just outside Lockeport" (square 20LP24).

[Peter Payzant]

On 2014-05-07 9:23 PM, Phil Schappert wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> Looks like the migrants are starting to arrive...my favorite luthier,
> Russel Crosby, the guy who made my concert guitars and bouzar,
> photographed the attached yesterday, May 6, "on the Brighton road just
> outside Lockeport" (square 20LP24).
>
> Phil
>

That's in awfully good shape for a migrant - wonder if it over-wintered
as a pupa and just emerged?

Peter Payzant

[Phil Schappert]

At 10:13 PM -0300 5/7/14, Peter Payzant wrote:
>That's in awfully good shape for a migrant - wonder if it
>over-wintered as a pupa and just emerged?

Considering how rare V. cardui was here in NS last year (Were any
reported? I didn't see a single individual in 2013 and found that
even V. virginiensis were somewhat rare last year), where would an
over-wintering pupa have come from? I think it's a pretty good bet
that it has "come from away," Peter.

[John Klymko]

That is really interesting. To get an idea of how many Painted Lady had been
seen in the northeast I tried checking 2014 eButterfly reports but their
mapping page doesn't seem to be working. I don't think Painted Lady has been
seen in Ontario this year though. I checked the Ontario Butterfly Google
Group and there are no reports. In Butterflies of Canada there is mention of
a suspected overwinterer in the Ottawa area
(http://www.cbif.gc.ca/spp_pages/butterflies/species/PaintedLady_e.php),
mind you that followed a mild winter.

Given that Painted Lady isn't in Ontario yet, and that the photographed
individual does appear quite fresh, I'm leaning toward it being a butterfly
that overwintered here or at least nearby. Mind you, there were just six
reports of the species last year.

Cheers,
John

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[jim.edsall]

There were a few on the move in Maryland over a week ago

Jim Edsall
Check out my new website at http://jimedsall.com

[Phil Schappert]

At 10:37 AM -0300 5/8/14, John Klymko wrote:
>Given that Painted Lady isn't in Ontario yet, and that the photographed
>individual does appear quite fresh, I'm leaning toward it being a butterfly
>that overwintered here or at least nearby. Mind you, there were just six
>reports of the species last year.

A migrant butterfly need not show a great deal of wear and tear,
John. I've seen tagged Monarchs that had flown long distances (and
had been handled!) that did not show significant wing damage or wear.
To me, the rarity of this species last year (six reports for the
entire region!) really argues against an overwintering individual.
Given that the lifetime mortality rate of medium-size Nymphalid
butterflies is routinely greater than 95%, and often approaches 99%
(or higher!), the tiny chance that an unseen very rare (but gravid)
female from last year laid an egg that managed to survive to
adulthood this year is so slim as to be non-existant. It's not
impossible but highly improbable. In short, you'll not convince me
that it isn't a migrant based on its apparent freshness!

[Phil Schappert]

Just thought I'd add - for anyone who's not also on the ONButterfly
list - that Bill & Sarah Lamond photographed a fresh-looking painted
lady on the west beach at Point Pelee on May 7.