Comment from Brian Cassie to Massleps

[Steve Mirick]

Below is a post that Brian Cassie, who has many decades of experience
with butterflies, made to Massleps.  Kind of sad.  We'll see how it
plays out this summer.  It could be the severe drought, which continues
in southeastern NH and eastern Mass is the culprit. Fortunately,
northern NH is out of the drought.

https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?Northeast

I have nowhere near the experience that Brian has, but I sometimes
wonder when I walk around some excellent nectar sources and come up with
zero or only one or two butterflies.  So far, I can only say that I've
seen decent numbers of Hobomok Skippers and Little Wood Satyrs.

Steve Mirick
Bradford, MA

> "I did two long walks in Norfolk, MA , one yesterday, June 16, in late
> morning (clear skies, 70F) and one today at lunchtime (clear skies,
> 77F). Yesterday's was along the powerline clearing that crosses
> Seekonk Road; today's was at the abandoned Norfolk Airport and nearby
> Charles River access along Miller St. The powerline clearing features
> excellent shrubby wetland spots and open fields with much Yarrow and
> Red Clover. The Norfolk Airport area has wide wet meadows along the
> Charles River and very extensive dry fields at the airport itself,
> with absolutely abundant Oxeye Daisies and Red Clover as well as many
> other nectar sources in lesser quantities.
>
> I expected to find a good variety of butterflies on these walks. I
> found none whatsoever. In addition, at the Norfolk Airport, on perhaps
> ten million flowers, there was not a single bumblebee or honeybee.
>
> I'm just the reporter. It is a sad state of affairs".
>
> Brian Cassie, Foxboro

[amy highstrom]

Thanks for sharing, Steve!   I have personally wondered about if chemical sprays are used on powerline corridors and there can be untimely mowing to keep them open.   I've seen mixed and little information to the public on that.   Just something I keep in the back of my mind when I'm in those areas.

Amy  

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