Participants on Cape May’s NABA Count on July 24 totaled a new record high for dion skippers: 143. This mating pair was photo’d by Steve Glynn in his area of the survey.
Michael O’Brien has kindly shared his Compiler’s report of the butterflies seen on the Cape May NABA Count on July 24 — including four record highs and a new species for the count’s all-time total. Here’s his report:
Cape May, NJ. Yr. 29, 39.0167°, -74.8667°, center at middle of Maurice Blvd., Rio Grande. See 1991 report for habitats. Imminent threats to habitat: Invasive plants continue to be a problem in this count area, particularly in southern territories.
24 July 2019; 0800-1800 hrs; sun AM 51-75%, PM 76-100%; 67-82°F; wind 5-15 mi/hr. 13 observers in 11 parties.
Total party-hours 58.5; total party-miles on foot 35.
Observers: Cynthia Allen, Jim Dowdell, Vince Elia, Steve Glynn, Chris Herz, Brian Johnson, Sandra Keller, Michael O’Brien, Jackie Parker, Keith Parker, Tom Reed, Pat Sutton, and Louise Zemaitis.
Species:
Black Swallowtail 52,
E. Tiger Sw. 76,
Spicebush Sw. 102,
Cabbage White 214,
Clouded Sulphur 6,
Orange Su. 54,
Cloudless Su. 58, [Record High Count]
Sleepy Orange 3, [New Species for Count]
Am. Copper 4,
‘Olive’ Juniper Hairstreak 22,
Gray Ha. 22,
Red-banded Ha. 40,
Eastern Tailed-Blue 108,
‘Summer’ Spring Azure 75,
Am. Snout 17,
Variegated Fritillary 28,
Pearl Crescent 37,
Question Mark 13,
Am. Lady 44,
Painted La. 19,
Red Admiral 117,
Com. Buckeye 518, [Record High Count]
Red-spotted Admiral 39,
Viceroy 20,
Hackberry Emperor 1,
Appalachian Brown 3,
Little Wood-Satyr 1,
Com. Wood-Nymph 23,
Monarch 167,
Silver-spotted Skipper 144,
Southern Cloudywing 3,
Hayhurst’s Scallopwing 37, [Record High Count]
Horace’s Duskywing 47,
Wild Indigo Du. 1,
Com. Checkered-Sk. 1,
Com. Sootywing 9,
Swarthy Sk. 1,
Least Sk. 123,
Fiery Sk. 7,
Tawny-edged Sk. 1,
Northern Broken-Dash 23,
Sachem 97,
Delaware Sk. 21,
Rare Sk. 3,
Zabulon Sk. 12,
Aaron’s Sk. 8,
Broad-winged Sk. 368,
Dion Sk. 143, [Record High Count]
Salt Marsh Sk. 40.
Total: 49 species, 2972 individuals. Immatures: Black Sw. 3 eggs 22 caterpillars on Fennel, Queen Ann’s Lace; E. Tiger Sw. 1 caterpillar on Tulip Tree; Monarch 6 eggs 2 caterpillars on Common Milkweed, Tropical Milkweed.
Sandra Keller and Chris Herz found this Hayhurst’s scallopwing in their area of the count.
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Want to join this count next year?
Michael notes that next year’s count will be Cape May’s 30th and it will be held on Wednesday, July 15, 2020. Mark your calendars now!
— Jack Connor