Harvester and Cherry Gall Azure

[Joe Bartok]

May 26, 2015
Hastings County
East of Tweed, near intersection of Sulphide Road and the trans-Canada Trail
Square 18UQ12
44.48083, -77.29861
Habitat – vegetated border of the trail, near a sand-bottomed woodland stream.

Harvester (Feniseca tarquinius), female? not sure, but the abdomen looks chunky ... a new site, all encounters in previous years were along the Moira River. Nice to see the local population isn't confined to one area.

Cherry Gall Azure (Celastrina serotina), female ... my first encounter that I know of, as I can't separate this species reliably in the field from the Spring Azure. The butterfly oviposited near several galls over a period of about two minutes.

[Gary Tetzlaff]

Good discoveries, Joe.  You've got the underside trailing edge spots and fringe well enough to separate from what's flying now in Leamington where it is actually tough to find a Spring Azure (of either possible type, or a C. serotina. May 26 was my first white ventered female with a completely white fringe ovipositing. The Eastern-tailed blues here fly differently and much less powerfully. themale dorsal color in flight is also different.

Our taxonomists need specimens of Celastrina for the revision underway. Harry Pavulaan in Virginia published some findings about even some Summer Azures (C. neglecta, that oviposited on galls) making it necessary for some specimens to be collected from across Ontario in aid of the reclassification process.) TTR-7-7.pdf

Yesterday I left a sole female ovipositing because she will attract males that seem to hold more taxonomic answers. Earlier in the day I had seen a male on the wing searching for females. Both would have been called Summer Azures until this year, despite the inked indications to the contrary.

To read about what's gone on in the last year, search for David Wright and Harry Pavulaan's work, but definitely get in touch with Ross Layberry.

Try to get images with the hind wings spread slightly up her six.  Also try to capture images just before she flies, especially if there are encapsulating surrounding leaves, because she might just leave here wings open a little bit longer. ISO 1600 at f/16 with shutter speeds higher than reciprocal 1000 seconds might net you a full dorsal image that can be compared to spread specimens.

Gary is heading out the door in one hour to find the male suitors of his white-ventered friend.