Washington Area Butterfly Club


Field Reports



June 1998

June 2 and 3 -- Harry Pavulaan
Sterling, VA. Apparently, the Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae) migration is underway in this region. On June 2, one was seen heading north along Towlston Road near Route 7 in Vienna. Later that day, yet another was sighted in my Herndon yard, rushing northward. On June 3, a female was found in my garden, possibly attracted by my numerous Senna plants, for egg-laying. Unfortunately, she was frightened off without leaving any eggs.

June 20 -- Laura Farron

About 15 WABC members and one Washington Post reporter enjoyed a successful search for the beautiful Baltimore Checkerspot on June 20. Dick Smith led the intrepid butterfliers in their search through the tall meadow plants of a powerline in Frederick County, MD. Other butterflies out and about that sunny Saturday included Great Spangled Fritillaries, a few smaller (and faster!) Meadow Fritillaries, the ubiquitous European Cabbages, Orange and Clouded Sulphurs, at least one Monarch, Summer Azures, Silver-Spotted Skippers, European Skippers, a Hobomok Skipper, and Least Skippers. Many butterfliers mentioned that the Monarch was the first they had seen this season, and its appearance was met with applause. Dick obligingly netted several Baltimores so the field trippers could get a close-up look at Maryland's colorful state insect. The group was also treated to a good look at a Baltimore puddling on a recently deceased earthworm.

After the trip, the butterfliers reconvened at the Catoctin State Park visitors center to eat lunch together in the shade. While there, an uncommon Banded Hairstreak delighted them with its presence. It was a good way to end another successful WABC field trip.

June 28 -- Janet Bruner

Butterflies of the Eastern Shore--Field trip led by Dick Smith and Stephanie Mason

New Bridge Landing on the Chicamacomico River, Dorchester County, Maryland
Directions: From Rt. 50 East past Cambridge, past Linkwood Wildlife Management Area, right on Salem Road, right on Ravenwood Road, left on New Bridge Road to New Bridge Landing.
Butterflies: Appalachian Eyed Brown, Monarch, Pearl Crescent, Mulberry Wing Skipper, Great Purple Hairstreak, Least Skipper, Viceroy, Painted Lady, Clouded Sulphur
Griffith Neck Road (Asclepias lanceolata, Narrow-Leaved Milkweed, in bloom--you won't find this one in Newcomb's!)
Directions: From New Bridge Landing on New Bridge Road, right on Steele Neck Road, left on Griffith Neck Road.
Butterflies: Common Wood Nymph
Bestpitch Ferry Bridge
Directions: From New Bridge Landing on New Bridge Road, right on Steele Neck Road, left on Griffith Neck Road to Bestpitch Ferry Bridge near Fishing Bay Wildlife Management Area.
Butterflies: Broad-winged Skipper (feeds on Phragmites and Wild Rice); Common Wood Nymph
Bestpitch Ferry Road (milkweed patch on right side of road)
Directions: Bestpitch Ferry Road between Bestpitch Ferry Bridge and Bucktown.
Butterflies: Monarch, Bronze Copper (rare all over Maryland except in Dorchester County; feeds on curly dock and water dock), American Lady, Variegated Fritillary, Orange Sulphur, Pearl Crescent, Red Admiral
De Coursey Bridge
Directions: From Bestpitch Ferry Road, turn right at Bucktown onto Greenbrier Road; cross the De Coursey Bridge; stop at buttonbushes on right side of road just after the bridge.
Butterflies: Horace's Duskywing, Tiger Swallowtail, American Lady, Common Wood Nymph, Silver-Spotted Skipper, Pearl Crescent, Red Admiral, Dun Skipper, Rare Skipper (threatened in Maryland), Eastern Tailed Blue, Little Wood Satyr

This was a very successful trip. We saw a pretty good variety of butterflies, if not great numbers of them. It rained on the way, and was cloudy and cool until about 12:45. It didn't get uncomfortably hot until the end. We also saw several male ruby-throated hummingbirds -- one perched on a wire, another feeding on common milkweed. They were gorgeous!
Updated 30 June 1998