The next generation emerging: a checkered white caterpillar, photo’d by Dave Amadio in Salem County, 7-28-12.
Have you been pulling out your maps to calculate the drive time to Featherbed Lane and environs?
Dave Amadio reports on his day in the field yesterday (7-28-12):
Just had to go down there again. Found a total of 36 checkered whites (23 males & 13 females ) at 5 separate locations. Was able to photograph a mating pair (both checkereds this time), a female laying eggs (picture also shows an egg), and two caterpillars on Virginia peppergrass.
Also, I was reading the comments of David L. Wagner in his caterpillar book [Caterpillars of Eastern North America]. He mentions that the parasitic wasp (Cotesia glomerata ) brought in to control cabbage whites has eliminated mustard whites from much of New England. He also asks the question “Might Cotesia glomerata or other introduced biological control agents be responsible” for the decline in checkered whites?
At any rate it is great to see this thriving (for now) colony in Salem County!
Dave
Female checkered white ovipositing, egg just visible, photo by Dave Amadio in Salem County, 7-28-12.
Checkered whites are not the only rarity in flight at the moment in Salem. Sandra Keller found and photo’d the meadow fritillary below, our 86th species in South Jersey for 2012.
Rev up your engines!
Meadow fritillary photo’d by Sandra Keller in Salem County, 7-27-12.