Carroll County Count 2009-07-04

The weather was abnormally rainy from April through June, so butterfly sightings were low. But with optimism in our hearts and a good forecast from weather.com, we embarked on the annual Carroll Co., MD butterfly count.

Alas, the numbers were low. In all, we saw a mere 24 species. However, the favorites were accounted for.

Swallowtails:

None!!!

Sulphurs:

Orange Colias eurytheme
Clouded Colias philodice -- I'm slightly skeptical inasmuch as we only went by the lemon-yellow color, which is not a reliable separator from the Orange.

Hairstreaks:

Coral Hairstreak Satyrium titus
Edwards Hairstreak Satyrium Edwardsii

We have definitely established the presence of a colony of Edwards' in northern Carroll.

Red-Banded Hairstreak Calycopis cecrops

Coppers:

American Copper Lycaena phlaeas

Blues:

Summer Azure Celastrina neglecta/ladon
Eastern Tailed Blue Everes (Cupido) comyntas

Brushfoots:

Great Spangled Fritillary Speyeria cybele
Pearl Crescent Phyciodes tharos
Baltimore Checkerspot Euphydryas phaeton

The state insect of Maryland, but not so common ...

Buckeye Junonia coenia
Hackberry Emperor Asterocampa celtis
Monarch Danaus plexippus
Little Wood Satyr Megisto cymela
Common Wood Nymph Cercyonis pegala

Found a mating pair.

Appalachian Brown Satyrodes appalachia

These are common in wetlands.

Skippers:

Dun Euphyes vestris

This is a male, as indicated by the tawny patches above. The golden head is the key to separating this "which?" from Little Glassywing and Crossline.

Little Glassywing Pompeius verna

The identification keys are the white "glassy" patches on the wings of the female, and a white band on the antenna just behind the antennal club. Wouldn't ya know, the white band can't be seen in any of these pics. But we checked for it! In the last picture, a male is trying to wiggle his abdomen around to convince the female to mate.

Least Ancyloxypha numitor
Mulberry Wing Poanes massasoit

These bog denizens have a distinct landing habit: they land with wings closed for 1-2 seconds, then casually open up into the jet plane position seen here. As a result, I have yet to get a good shot of the underside.

Silver-Spotted Skipper Epargyreus clarus
Wild Indigo Duskywing Erynnis baptisiae
Horace's Duskywing Erynnis horatius

The silver spot on the forewing cell distinguishes this from the more common Wild Indigo Duskywing.

JRC