This morning’s rain (Wednesday 5/2/12 a.m.) might put a temporary hold on yesterday’s massive flight of red admirals seen throughout South Jersey (apparently) as well as northward. If this irruption follows pattern of past years, we should see more of the flight as soon as the weather clears and for the next several days, if not for next couple of weeks.
As with all of these huge flights, numbers can only be guesstimated, but please do so and post on our log. If possible, can you include in the comments column the number of minutes you observed and the apparent direction of the flight?
In a 1970 article about painted lady movements in North America, C. B. Williams, the great investigator of insect migration, noted the challenge of studying these phenomena and closed with a quotation from Homer:
The field study of insect migration is a science in which little can be planned in advance [and] observations can seldom be repeated. The observer must be ready to take advantage of the opportunity of the moment, and all students must depend on the experience of others as well as their own.
By mutual confidence and mutual aid
Great deeds are done, and great discoveries made
Let’s try to document this current flight as best we can.
I’ll post details as they are reported on our log and will add photos too, if folks pass them along: nacotejackATgmailDOTcom.
The Weather Channel says rain will be ending about mid-afternoon, so could we see a resumption of the flight later today?
Keep those reports coming, everyone!
jc