Green Ridge Count update and path forward

[Rick Borchelt]

The announced 2026 Green Ridge spring count is 3 weeks away and I have only 2 firm commitments and one tentative to participate.  That means it's nail-biting time again, something I go through for every GRSF count.  And my least favorite part of the spring and summer counts. 

In order to provide relatively comparable (and thus scientifically useful) data, we need at least eight observers in the field for a formal spring count (ten or more for summer, since there are more metalmark locations than there are Olympia Marble locations).  

That's the bad news.

The good news is that, since we no longer run the count through NABA, any individuals can do a count at any time and report it on either eButterfly (now with a considerably more friendly interface, but still not as intuitive as eBird) or iNaturalist (where there is a project portal for Green Ridge State Forest, but you have to specify this as your location in order to be included, i.e., not Allegany Co. or Little Orleans or Flintstone).  

This also gives us flexibility to avoid inclement weather.  

So my plan for 2026 is to abandon the formal group count in favor of encouraging individuals to count anytime -- just be certain not to obscure the date on your observations. The risk of direct duplicate counting is minimal with this approach, and we might also develop a better snapshot of when Olympia Marbles fly during what I expect we will see as an extended flight season.  This avoids the pitfall of missing the peak flight if the marbles emerge early or late, and might give a better picture of their flight period (which we have never successfully nailed down).  

It also doesn't necessarily lose the social aspects of our long-standing count, and my chance to celebrate with you all with a White Russian Milkshake at BuddyLou's. We can still keep in touch and coordinate to the extent we wish to here at MDLepsOdes.  Just drop a note if/when you expect to be counting in Green Ridge during that period and then let us know where you've filed your observation data. The iNat project portal is https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/butterflies-of-green-ridge-state-forest-md

I'll also follow up with all observers from March 20-April 20 to create a narrative season summary. 

This new scheme will let us do a better job of capturing data on early butterflies (the new Northern Azure subspecies, for example) and those which emerge later (Cobweb Skipper, Silvery Blue).  It's always a crap shoot what we might see, depending on how the season progresses. I'm guessing this will be an early season. 

The peak spring butterfly biodiversity in GRSF will still probably be around April 15-20, for what that's worth. My guess is that both azures and marbles are already on the wing. 

And of course drop me a note if you want to know the areas we are most interested in surveying for marbles to ensure we get a good handle on their population dynamics. However, I will be out of pocket myself, butterflying and botanizing in Italy, for much of April.

Let's try it this way for spring 2026 and see if it is workable. And maybe test how it works for the summer count.  If it's a successful experiment we can tweak it; if not, I'm happy to cede planning a formal count in future years to a successor organizer.  

[Tom Feild]

Hi Rick,

Jim Brighton and I will be there, and we will also have a third person in our party, Chris Evans.  We are looking forward to it and hoping for good weather and good leps!

Thanks for you work coordinating the count!

Tom

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[Judy Gallagher]

I’m in Sri Lanka but will be back in time for the count.

I’m looking forward to it!

Judy

Sent from my iPhone

On Mar 15, 2026, at 8:33 PM, Tom Feild <tomf...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[MARION BUNDENS]

Hi Rick - I had previously emailed I will be there on the 4th with potentially one other person, but this opens it up for another count day during the time period with my graduate student son. Will let you know on a date for that and consult on route.

Thanks for organizing!

Marion

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[Rick Borchelt]

Terrific news.  We have reached the minimum number of required participants so will go with the original plan of April 4/6.  

Only remaining question for you folks is whether Chris will come equipped with his Captain America shield ...

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Rick Borchelt
College Park, MD
preferred personal email:  rborchelt |AT| gmail |DOT| com

http://leplog.wordpress.com

[Rick Borchelt]

Judy, safe travels back and look forward to having you in the field with us April 4. 

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[Max Ferlauto]

Won't be able to make it this year but I will be out the week after (4/13) to check on the marbles. Anyone is free to join me. Also, just a reminder that this work is super important for guiding our spongy moth spray exclusion zones so if you see interesting rare things please add them to iNat and the MBP project even if the occurrences are in the same old areas.

-Max

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Max Ferlauto, PhD (he/him)

State Entomologist

Wildlife and Heritage Service

Department of Natural Resources

580 Taylor Ave. E-1

Annapolis, Maryland 21401

443-223-5939

Max.Fe...@maryland.gov

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[Jeff Shenot]

Rick-

I am wrapped up in moving (crazy busy) and just seeing this thread now.  I want to let you know I plan to do surveys 1 or 2 days sometime in the Apr 1-6 period, depending on which days have the best weather. I hope to cross paths with some of you if you-re out during that time frame!

On another note, I just saw my first 2026 Azure, and at first assumed it was a Summer since they are often out before Springs here on the coastal plain, but a closer look led me to C ladon. It's in my yard at Jug Bay (PG County).. what do folks think?  https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/343858285.   So far, we've had Eastern Commas on 3 days here (Mar 10 was foy) and a Morning Cloak (Mar 11).

Cheers-

Jeff

[Rick Borchelt]

Is this your only photo? Looks like neglecta to me, and in any event it's about three weeks or more too early for ladon, even at Jug Bay.  Is there still a good population of flowering dogwood (not ornamental)? I've surveyed the area along the drive into the park (where there are a few trees) several times over the years but never turned up ladon.  

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[Jeff Shenot]

I have other imaghes but no other angles, all were similar.  I will go out and see if I can relocate it today.  There are flowering dogwoods around here mostly in yards but I see them in the woods also. I would say they are pretty uncommon in the woods.  None are in bloom now of course.

[Jeff Shenot]

Hey all-

Request for advice - and wondering what others are planning. Weather forecast for this weekend looks sunny but prohibitively cold (Fri night low ~ 28 and Sat high ~ 50; Sat night low ~ 30 and Sun high ~ 60).  Mon and Tues seem a little better (39/66 and 49/73) but I can't go Tuesday, so I'm considering possbly going Sun/Mon.  Is there a general temperature threshold when marbles aren't likely to fly?  Since it's a long drive I don't want to waste time if they won't be out even if its sunny!

Fwiw, I was excited to read about the Cow Path Tiger Beetle Rick reported from Mar 21, and I want to look for one!  If anyone sees one please let me know...!

Thanks for advice and any thoughts-

Jeff  

[Rick Borchelt]

Turns out the tiger beetle was even more interesting -- Maryland's second report of Common Claybank Tiger Beetle.  But Cow Path occurs there too and is much more common, usually in short-grass areas over shale.  

The overnight low isn't very important -- these early butterflies are quite adept at hunkering down.  And it's less about the ambient air temperature than it is microhabitats at ground level.  Generally butterflies will be on the wing at temps above 55F in GRSF; the sweet spot is about 65F ambient.  But if you put a thermometer on the ground on those shale slopes, an ambient air temp could easily be 75F on those south-facing shales.  

Having said that, in the spring the activity slows down much earlier in the day than in summer, so the best window is 10 am - 2 pm.  The angle of the sun is still low. 

Check the UV index.  You want a UV index of 5 or above, indicating a mix of clouds and sun. You don't get warm ground temps with low UV.  Both Sunday and Monday show good UV indices. You may find yourself standing around during some cloudy periods, but those sun breaks can be very productive. That goes for tiger beetles, too. Cloud cover on Sunday is predicted to be 14% with almost no chance of rain; on Monday 45% with a 25% chance of rain (which is a killer).  But the weather conditions in GRSF can be very tricky and change on a dime. 

I am tentatively planning a foray on Sunday myself if the forecast holds. 

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