GWC Prior Butterfly Stories 2003 continued ( Page 9 )

On Saturday (June 21) I got my first hairstreak of the season while butterflying at Crosswinds Marsh (southwest Wayne county). It was a dark, almost black Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus) and was most likely a representative of the boreale subspecies. This subspecies is quite uncommon in our area and I think I have seen it maybe three or four of them over the past five years.

When I first saw this butterfly drop into the grasses near a stand of oaks, I thought I was viewing another small duskywing probably a Dreamy. But as I went closer to check out the butterfly I could see it had a blue patch and white lines on the hindwings. Tails were also evident. Surprisingly this 'black' Banded Hairstreak was the only hairstreak I saw on either Saturday or Sunday.

Despite the lack of hairstreaks both Saturday and Sunday were nice days for butterflying with a good diversity of species flying. For the day at Crosswinds Marsh alone, I tallied 31 species. Of course the Banded Hairstreak was the top highlight but other goodies lincluded four species of Swallowtails, four late Dreamy Duskywings, a couple of Long Dash, my first Baltimore of the season, a Southern Cloudywing, six Bronze Coppers, and one lone Monarch. Adding more spice to the butterflying was the presence of two very talkative Yellow-breasted Chats (uncommon bird species) discovered while checking out a new meadow area filled with plenty of blooming, butterfly-attracting clover.

Butterflying on Sunday was also very good with a total of 29 species seen in various spots in nw Washtenaw county. Two fresh Hackberry butterflies were discovered along a forested section of Cassidy road. One was spending time landing on patches of sunlight on the dirt road and the other seen perched on the trunk of a tree. Also on the dirt road I saw my first summer form Eastern Comma. At Park Lyndon North, I found a Silver-bordered Fritillary, two Harris' Checkerspots, and two Long Dashes where the trail winds its way through the fen. On nearby Embury road I saw Gray Comma and the first members of the summer brood Mustard White. The Boyce road meadows and wetlands produced Northern Cloudywing, Bronze Copper, Long Dash, and another Mustard White.

Alltogether a very nice weekend of butterflying. Things seem to be shaping up well for our first two NABA Butterfly counts--Noggles Road Area [ June 30 ] and Chelsea Area [ July 5 ].

Saturday Species                                              Sunday Species
=================                                             =======================
Papilio glaucus                                               Papilio glaucus
Lycaena hyllus                                                Epargyreus clarus
Phyciodes tharos                                              Limenitis arthemis astyanax
Limenitis archippus                                           Pieris rapae
Vanessa virginiensis                                          Ancyloxypha numitor
Limenitis arthemis astyanax                                   Papilio troilus
Megisto cymela                                                Polygonia interrogationis
Celastrina neglecta                                           Thymelicus lineola 
Poanes hobomok                                                Phyciodes tharos
Epargyreus clarus                                             Asterocampa celtis
Thymelicus lineola                                            Polygonia comma
Erynnis icelus                                                Megisto cymela
Polites themistocles                                          Poanes hobomok
Polygonia interrogationis                                     Polites peckius
Pieris rapae                                                  Boloria selene
Polites mystic                                                Chlosyne harrisii
Polites peckius                                               Polites mystic
Satyrium calanus boreale                                      Satyrodes eurydice
Nymphalis antiopa                                             Limenitis archippus  
Papilio cresphontes                                           Everes comyntas
Ancyloxypha numitor                                           Polygonia progne
Papilio troilus                                               Pieris napi
Euphydryas phaeton                                            Nymphalis antiopa
Vanessa atalanta                                              Polites themistocles
Papilio polyxenes                                             Thorybes pylades
Colias eurytheme                                              Lycaena hyllus
Everes comyntas                                               Erynnis baptisiae
Colias philodice                                              Euphydryas phaeton
Thorybes bathyllus                                            Colias eurytheme
Erynnis juvenalis
Danaus plexippus

Roger Kuhlman
Ann Arbor, Michigan

July 19 Lenawee County Fens: ========================================================================
Goose Creek Fen--I checked for Powesheik Skipperling but did not find it. Good numbers of Dorcas Copper, Black Dash, Eyed Brown found here. Also saw two Mulberry Wings. This fen has major difficulties with both Glossy Buckthorn and Purple Loosestrife. It also seemed a little dry. If the two major invasive plants could be controlled, habitat at site might sustain Powesheik Skipperling.

Onsted State Game Area wetlands--had historical records of Swamp Metalmark and Mitchell's Satyr? The areas I viewed were heavily shrubbed up and afflicted with abundant amounts of Purple Loosestrife. A few Black Dash and Mulberry Wing were noted in the wetland edges and Appalachian Eyed Brown were in wettish Woodland edges. Chances of finding either Metalmark or the Satyr here are probably non-existent.

Ives Road Fen--has some very nice rehabilitating fen and wetland habitat with forest edges. Was there for only slightly more than an hour but saw 21 species of butterfly. The major find was two Swamp Metalmarks but other good butterflies included a late Long Dash, two Acadian Hairstreaks, a Silvery Checkerspot, a Black Dash, a Mulberry Wing, several Appalachian Eyed Browns, and numerous Eyed Browns. Habitat looks to be good for continuing presence of Swamp Metalmark especially if hydraulics are maintained and Glossy Buckthorn can be suppressed. ===========================================================================

July 20 Crosswinds Marsh and Vicinity (southwest Wayne County) ===========================================================================
31 species found for the day. The state threatened species Duke's Skipper was found at two locations in the park and one outside the park along Sherwood road north of Willow road. The habitat at Sherwood road is particularly good for the species in terms of abundant shaded Carex lacustris. It also contains that fabulous skipper-attracting flowering plant Buttonbush. Interestingly I vouchered a Dukes Skipper at Crosswinds Marsh that was nectaring on Common Milkweed. The Milkweed was located in a drier meadow away from possible larval host plants.

Other notable butterfly finds at Crosswinds besides Duke's included a single Aphrodite flying in the dry sandy region and a single Harvester along one of the horse trails. A first for the park, a Black Dash was seen nectaring on Swamp Milkweed. Some other good butterflies were 40+ Appalachian Eyed Brown, Delaware Skipper, Dun Skipper, Northern Pearly Eye, Coral Hairstreak, Northern Cloudywing, Eyed Brown, and Banded Hairstreak.

Subsequent to writing this post I learned that Roger Wykes found three Dukes Skippers at the Botanical Gardens in Ann Arbor on Tuesday July 22. One of them was a female. Very good news indeed.