Washington Area Butterfly Club


Field Reports



August 1998

August 17 and 18 -- Harry Pavulaan
Sterling, VA. On August 17, my 10-year old daughter, Sandra, found several fully-grown Monarch caterpillars on our Orange Butterfly Weed, and a yellow pupating caterpillar on one of our Buddleia shrubs. It turned out to be a Cloudless Sulphur larva, no doubt having fed on Senna plants in our garden. The following day, I found one additional Cloudless Sulphur caterpillar feeding on a nearby Senna. I found no documented literature references on this species breeding in northern Virginia, though the species had been found breeding at Point Lookout, MD once in the late 1980's. It, no doubt, breeds in this region after mild winters such as this year, when adults migrate north early in the season.

Additionally, on August 18, there seemed to be a dramatic increase of butterfly activity in my garden, possibly due to temperatures in the 90's. Apparently, the Joe Pye stand seems to be at peak attractiveness, as evidenced by an incredible amount of bee and butterfly activity. A total of 21 butterfly species were recorded that day, on the Joe Pye and several blooming Buddleia shrubs. A maximum count included: 18 Silver-spotted Skippers, 1 Wild Indigo Duskywing, 2 Least Skippers, 4 Peck's Skippers, 1 Tawny-edged Skipper, 26 Sachems, 3 Zabulon Skippers, 1 Dun Skipper, 2 Fiery Skippers, 1 Black Swallowtail, 3 Tiger Swallowtails, 1 Clouded Sulphur, 1 Little Sulphur (nectaring on Orange Butterfly Weed), 1 White-M Hairstreak, 1 Gray Hairstreak, 1 Summer Azure, 2 Monarchs, 1 Great-spangled Fritillary, 2 Pearl Crescents, 1 Variegated Fritillary and 1 Buckeye. A lone Silvery Checkerspot, one of many which we bred and released on Aug. 16, had remained or returned to nectar. Additionally, a Pipevine Swallowtail was observed on August 15, 3 Olive Hairstreaks and an Ocola Skipper were seen on August 16, and a Red-spotted Purple appeared on August 17. A variety of nectar and host plants helps!
Page created 23 August 1998