Big Wildflower Year?!

Today went to Salt Fork State Park near Cambridge (Ohio, not England, in case any of you are still in royal wedding mode).  I must admit, the first two hours felt like a rerun of yesterday.  Heavy overcast and chilly.  That after two different weather forecasts predicted sunny today.
  One thing I was able to take confidence in about SFSP, I knew there would be awesome wildflowers, and on that I was not disappointed.  I will post several wildflower pics below.  Lots of Trilliums!
  The overcast finally cleared away around 12:30 in the afternoon and the butterflies came out accordingly.  Picked up two new species for the BBY, Eastern-tailed Blue and Spicebush Swallowtail.  I know I will see several of these this year, but was good to get some new ones on the books.  Was able to get a pic (albeit a bad one) of Falcate Orange-tip, so it now officially counts.  Doesn't have to be a good pic, just good enough to ID from.  I am quite confident that I saw a West Virginia White today, but had major camera issues just at that time, so couldn't get a pic.  The white was nectaring on Spring Beauty in the woods and I couldn't find it in the viewfinder, as I was afraid to get to close and scare it away.  All the while the 'battery low' icon is flashing at me.  I got a good look, just not with the camera.  pretty much completely white, about the size of the Falcate, maybe a tad bigger.  Not as big as the common Cabbage WHite.
  Had a great ride home on the bike.  Traffic was light, weather was warm, and the road just curvy enough to make it fun but not scary!

Eastern-tailed Blue

Virginia Bluebells

Toadshade Trillium

Nodding Trillium

Large-flowered Trillium

Sad lesson

  Species for the day: Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Dreamy Duskywing, Falcate Orange-tip, Eastern Comma, Orange Sulphur, Pipevine Swallowtail, Eastern-tailed Blue.

A most discouraging day

Today I was reminded that, from a butterfly's perspective, cold and cloudy is really no different than wet and rainy.  Traveled 243 miles (roundtrip) to Greenbo Lake State Park, Kentucky, walked 5.1 miles, and saw a grand total of three, not a typo, three butterflies.  On the way home from the nearly valueless trip to Greenbo I swung by Shawnee State Forest in southern Ohio.  A fellow butterfly nerd had visited there earlier in the week and had found many Silvery Blues hanging around their larval host plant Carolina Vetch.  I found the correct road, found several batches of Vetch and found a grand total of zero Silvery Blues.  Today was every butterfly nerd's nightmare!
  I was all excited because today was supposed to be dry, which it was.  But, was also chilly and densely overcast.  Butterflies do not mind the chilly part if it is sunny.  For the slightly over two hours I was at Greenbo, the sun shone for perhaps a cumulative total of 15 minutes (during this time is when I saw the three!).  Perhaps the only thing that made the Greenbo trip even marginally worthwhile was the pic below of a Luna Moth, which based on my research may be a Greenup COunty record.  Notice it is attempting to hide under some leaves.  That is what lepidoptera do when conditions are less than ideal, hence the reason my butterfly total today was so skimpy.
  To add insult to injury, some of you have perhaps followed my saga last week about my attempt to greedily hoard Subway rewards points, so that I might eat for free during these ventures.  Learned yesterday the only states that I will be visiting this year that actually accept the points are Ohio and Kentucky.  Well, learned today that is not correct.  Stopped at the Subway in downtown Portsmouth for a late lunch.  In broken Pakistany english, "We do not accept points".  Stopped at the Subway in Lucasville and in more coherent southern Ohio english, "our region does not accept points."  So what the heck is the point in having points if your dining establishments (can't spell restaurraunt) don't honor points!
  Am really starting to rethink my goals for this BBY.  My original species goal of 200 is most likely out of reach.  Have missed my window for several of the early species.  The 200 was going to be stretch anyways, and now with missing several Elfins, several Blues, Grizzled Skipper, Olympia Marble, West Virginia White, and not being able to count Falcate Orangetip (couldn't get a pic), 200 is about impossible.  Today and yesterday I planned my outings specifically in search of specific bugs, and struck out looking.  My personality I think is too adventuresome.  I like to see new places.  I like to land county records.  So far, when I go someplace looking for something specific I fail.

  Of course, I still want to see as many species as possible, but i think I will focus my efforts more so on underserved areas, areas which seem to not have been studied as thoroughly.  300 mile trips with failing to get the bug you sought is depressing (and expensive, paid $4.15 a gallon today).  With this in mind, tomorrow is supposed to be gorgeous.  I would rather spend my time looking for, and hopefully seeing, butterflies, rather than driving.  So, rather than going to se PA, I think I will run over to Salt Fork State Park near Cambridge.  Have never lepped there but have done lots of wildflowering.  There are also many trails through a variety of habitats.  I think I may still have a chance at West Virginia White there as its host plant Cardamine diphylla grows there.

Uncharted territory

Visited my old stand-by Clear Creek Metro Park today.  Was a surprisingly nice day, although a cold wind blowing, and as I write this it is raining cats and dogs.  Rain has become a daily thing it seems.  Had heard rumor to look for Pine Elfin at the intersection of Chestnut Ridge and Hemlock Trails, and to look for White-M Hairstreak on Hemlock Trail.  Had to use Fern Trail to get to Hemlock Trail.  I don't normally travel these trails for butterflies but thought I'd give it a try.
  Shook multiple pine trees at CR-HM trails but only got a sticky right hand.  No White-M on the Hemlock Trail, but did see a very boldly marked Juvenal's Duskywing.  Even though my trip into the unknown yielded few butterflies, there was a lot of good wildflower viewing!  And I did scare up a wild turkey along the Hemlock Trail.
  Wrapped up the trip back on my usual Creekside Meadow Trail and fared much better, including three species new to the BBY, although expected for the year: Monarch, Question Mark, and Horace's Duskywing.  I think I saw a fourth, probably Spicebush Swallowtail, but it was blowing past so fast, no way I could get an adequate look.
  Finished the day with a trip to Subway for a late lunch.  I have been greedily hoarding and saving reward points for two years, planning to spend them on my trip to Arizona in September.  Looked at Subway's website this morning to discover the only states I will be in this year that I can actually use the points are Ohio and Kentucky.  Bummer.  So, guess what I will be having for lunch on these day trips?!

No Pine Elfins, just a turkey with sticky fingers!

Very boldly marked Juvenal's Duskywing

New BBY species - Question Mark

Good wildflowers too, like this Jack-in-the-Pulpit.

  Today's butterflies: Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Juvenal's Duskywing, Horace's Duskywing, Orange Sulphur, Clouded Sulphur, Cabbage White, Monarch, Question Mark, Mourning Cloak, and Meadow Fritillary.

Break in the Clouds

About 3:00 this afternoon the rain stopped and the clouds thinned enough to bring forth some sun.  So, got on my clothes (was still in my pj's!) and raced out to the truck.  I knew it was only a matter of time until the clouds rolled back in and it rained more, so I sort of bent the speed limit rules to get to Clear Creek Metro Park as quickly as I could.
  I really feel like I have missed spring this year.  All of these beautiful spring flowers blooming (peak bloom) and I'm seeing them today for the first time.  Will attach a pic of Uvularia grandiflora below.
  Did see some butterflies, a total of 37.  Got my second Mourning Cloak of the year and my 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Meadow Fritillaries.  The 2nd had a deformed right hind wing.  Probably from trying to pump up in the rain, which this year was its only option.  According to Ch. 10 A.J. Smith, we are within an inch of breaking the all time April rain total.  My hunch is that we will break it tonite.

Uvularia grandiflora

Clouded Sulphur

Very swollen Clear Creek

  Added one new species for today, Clouded Sulphur.  While I will see a bunch of these before the year is over, its always nice to get a new species on the books.  Puts me at 16 species on the year.

Totals as of April 20, 2011

Species - 15
Mourning Cloak, Spring Azure, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Eastern Comma, Cabbage White, Gemmed Satyr, Dreamy Duskywing, Juvenal's Duskywing, Falcate Orangetip, Common Roadside Skipper, Pearl Crescent, Zebra Swallowtail, Orange Sulphur, Black Swallowtail, Meadow Fritillary


Individuals - 100
unidentified species - 1
inidentified individuals - 4
Road miles (motorcycle) - 703.6
Road miles (truck) - 38.8

Foot miles - 12.55

Lepping partners - 4
County Records - 3

Lawrence County, Kentucky county records

Did some research and discovered that four of my sightings yesterday at Yatesville Lake State Park are in fact county records for Lawrence County, Kentucky.  The Falcate Orangetip will not be recognized since I did not get a pic of it.  County records that I did get pics of are Gemmed Satyr, Common Roadside Skipper, and Dreamy Duskywing.  Have already posted pics of GS and CRS, so here is pic of DD.  The next nice day that I have off I think I will take a trip to Greenbo Lake State Park in Greenup COunty, Kentucky, another Kentucky county that has not been thoroughly studied.  Suspect I can pull 3 or 4 more county records from there!

And God took pity on me and brought forth light.

The weather report for Yatesville Lake State Park in Kentucky this morning was partly cloudy and 10% chance of rain, so I thought I'd give it another try.  Although, I must admit, I was concerned as I was riding to Kentucky, with constantly overcast skies.  As I approached Louisa, Kentucky I reminded God that he had both the power and authority to make the clouds part and bring forth sunshine.
   Pulling into the marina was still overcast.  I parked and took up position behind a bush (to do what guys do behind bushes in nature).  As I concluded the bushly activities, the clouds parted, and blue skies and sunshine presented themselves.  The sun shone for most of the remaining two and a half hours!
   Saw a total of nine species and 78 individual butterflies.  Was finally able to get the shot I needed of the underside of the duskywings I kept seeing on my last trip to Yatesville.  Two white marks on the underside of the hindwing made it clear that I was looking at Juvenal's Duskywing.  On top of a ridge overlooking the lake I noticed a considerable smaller duskywing.  This one proved to be a Dreamy Duskywing.  Saw a total of two of these smaller dusky's.
   Of the species I saw, all were expected 'cept for one, the Common Roadside Skipper.  Found this one in a very sparsely treed successional area.  Very small butterfly.  The triangular white mark on the back of the forewing, along with a light frosting on the back of the hindwing gave this one away.  I'm very happy to get this one.  In two years in Ohio, this is only the second CRS I have seen.
   On the ride back home I stopped at a rest area near Pomeroy, Ohio.  Added a Black Swallowtail to the list shortly after getting off the bike.  And then, while taking a break behind a bush (again), had a Meadow Fritillary fly by.  Something I have noticed, Some of the most interesting things I have seen in nature have typically been while behind bushes.  I guess because you're just kind of standing there, captive, with nothing to do but look around.  You tend to notice things.

Gemmed Satyr

Common Roadside Skipper

   Total for the day included 25 Eastern Tiger Swallowtails (19 yellow form, 6 dark form), 21 Juvenal's Duskywings, 12 Spring Azures, 7 Falcate Orange-tips, 5 Gemmed Satyrs, 3 Zebra Swallowtails, 2 Orange Sulphurs, 2 Dreamy Duskywings, and singletons of Common Roadside Skipper, Black Swallowtail, Meadow Fritillary, and Pearl Crescent.

A rare sunny day

   Today was rather odd in that there was blue sky mixed among the clouds and a large yellow object in the sky which made me feel very warm.  I hear tell it is the sun, so rare a sight in Ohio that most Buckeyes have never seen it!  So my son escorted me to a nearby stomping ground, Clear Creek Metro Park.
   We first tried the creekside trail which runs along the edge of Clear Creek.  Had always seen Eastern Comma along this trail in the past, but today no luck.  Our creekside hike netted two Spring Azures.  Upon our return to the parking lot, on the other side of a meadow, saw something white flitting about.  Most likely would be a Cabbage White, but in southeast Ohio there is an outside chance it could be a West Virginia White.  We decided we would try to roust it out when we finished up for the day. 
   We then continued up Fern Trail which runs along an oak covered ridgeline to some hilltop meadows.  I was hoping we might come upon some Duskywings as that is where I saw them in Kentucky yesterday was along oak ridgelines.  Once again, no luck.  However, my son's keen eye caught site of something orange flitting about.  As close as we could get was about 20 feet, but was able to get a photo good enough to identify the shy creature.  An Eastern Comma!  Not where I was expecting it but it counts all the same.  Once we reached the meadow at the top of the hill we also saw a Mourning Cloak.

   Upon our return, we walked the meadow that the white had been seen, but no luck.  It stayed hidden.  Still, a good afternoon.  Added a fourth species to the BBY total and had a good time with my son.  And some great wildflowers popping up.  Pictured here are Bloodroot and Hepatica.
  

Not so great a start

    Made my trip to Louisa, Kentucky and Yatesville Lake State Park yesterday.  Very overcast, nearly foggy, in the morning, which is not positive for butterfly hunting.  And the weather went downhill from there.  In the morning the weather had said 50% chance of showers.  I now know what 50% means!
    Encountered one heck of a swap meet in Lucasville, Ohio.  The line to get in to this swap meet from the north was 1.1 miles long.  Did some math while I was riding and I estimate just under 300 cars in that line.  Wonder what they sell at this swap meet?!
   If there is a bright side to the 321 mile trip, I did see eleven butterflies, only seven of which I could identify; three Spring Azures and four Eastern Tiger Swallowtails.  The other four bugs were duskywings of some sort.  Unfortunately, in the Ohio River Valley there are two species which look painfully similar, the Juvenal's Duskywing and the Horace's Duskywing.  To tell the two apart you have to look for two small silver spots on the underside of the hindwing.  The lone duskywing I could get a pic of would not show his underside, and I was afraid to try to reposition myself underneath of it for fear of scaring it to flight, and being left with no pic at all.  The pic I did get at least narrowed it to those two species.  There are other spring flying duskywings as well, so I thought the upper surface pic of higher priority.  I was treated to three swallowtails puddling in a grassy area near the parking lot.  Always enjoy those puddle parties.
    The weather man had talked as if the weather would be better in Ohio, so after about 90 minutes in Louisa I thought I'd race north to see if I could find some sun north of the river.  Well, on my way out of the park it started sprinkling and continued sprinkling, thunderstorming, and raining for the next 160.5 miles (all the way home).  Not only does rain put a damper on butterfly activity, it also puts a damper on my attitude, seeing as how all of my rain gear leaks . . . in the same spot . . . taking me back to diaper wearing days we'll say.
  Only got lost twice, and they were only sort of losts.  Wrong road, right direction.
  Lets hope the next outing is more productive.

Anxiously awaiting Spring

The week and a half of 60 degree weather three weeks ago has me in a real funk, as since then it has been wet and in the 30's.  I was doing well controlling my cabin fever until now.  The warm spell got my hopes up only to be crushed!

Next Saturday is a trip to Yatesville Lake State Park in Louisa, Kentucky.  Very little has been done there as far as butterfly observation, so I'll be in uncharted waters.  But certainly they will be ahead of where the bflies are in southeast Ohio.  Hoping for West Virginia White, Elfins, and Azures.  Will probably be some early season Duskywings as well. 

Weather forecast currently is 40% chance of scattered thunderstorms and temps in the 60's.  Am hoping that precip number will go down as we get closer.  That is one of the challenges of doing a big butterfly year on the back of a motorcycle.  So much more exposed to the elements.