|
|
Post by beetlehorn on Apr 28, 2018 20:11:16 GMT -8
I went on a little tour today, to some of my collecting locations, and was rather saddened by the lack of butterflies I saw. I have been collecting here for a few decades, and as far as I remember I have never seen it so bad. No Orangetips (Anthocharis midea), no Pierids, very few Papilios. I did see one Eurytides marcellus today. Nymphalids are virtually gone. This is the second year we have had an unusually cold-wet spring. I think this is the reason for the low numbers. Blacklighting isn't much better either. If things don't improve here soon, I may take up fishing for a while instead of wasting my time looking for insects that aren't there. Hopefully things will rebound.
|
|
|
|
Post by T.C. on Apr 28, 2018 23:21:21 GMT -8
Yep, same here. Not much for finds, I also have been doing some other stuff. It sucks but what do you do.
|
|
|
|
Post by jhyatt on Apr 29, 2018 6:06:08 GMT -8
It's the same in the East TN mountains, Tom. A few weeks ago lots of leps were flying - orangetips, blues, marcellus and glaucus, all the usual early spring fliers. But then there came a couple of hard freezes and weeks of solid socked-in overcast, wind, rain, and low temps (45-55). Now with the onset of nice weather, I see absolutely nothing on the wing save for the odd Celastrina. I have not even seen a Colias or P. rapae lately.
A trip Apr 12-13 to the Cumberland Plateau in KY hit a rare sunny (but windy) day, and I got a few nice things - I. henrici, augustinus, Hesperia metea, E. gemma, and some decent moths (very fresh big comstocki).
We'll see...
jh
|
|
|
|
Post by exoticimports on Apr 29, 2018 19:21:00 GMT -8
Low. I’ll say. 1.5cm snow today.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 30, 2018 3:21:40 GMT -8
Things are not any better in southern Illinois. After a brief warm up I started seeing the usual spring crew like orange tips. Then temps fell again and they have vanished. I'm not going to try to collect anything but Catocala this year. Unless things drastically improve general collecting will just be a waste of time. Global warming really dropped the ball this year.
|
|
|
|
Post by miguel on Apr 30, 2018 6:50:48 GMT -8
Today I have seen flying Callophrys rubi that usually only flies in the beginning of march,but It´s very strange that this year the most common butterfly at this moment is Iphiclides podalirius that is flying very soon comparing to other years.
Miguel
|
|
