Northern Crescents Chapter - NABA
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Butterfly Counts

The Northern Crescents holds butterfly counts at various locations NE Minnesota / NW Wisconsin from June-August. All are welcome to join! No prior knowledge necessary! Contact Jim for more info. You may wish to enter your data in the "Butterflies I've Seen" site.

Our 6th annual Boulder Lake Management Area butterfly count took place on Saturday June 14 2008.  Weather conditions were: sun 30%, temperatures 62-69 degrees F, wind 0-10 mph.

Thanks go to Tim Craig, Lucie Holzemer, Tom Jordan, Jim Larson (DNR), Wally Mattson, and Tanya Peyton for helping to spot and identify butterflies.  We saw the following adults:

  Canadian Tiger Swallowtail – 5  (tallied 38 last year)
  Checkered White – 1
  Mustard White – 1
  Pink-edged Sulphur – 1
  Harvester – 2
  Eastern Pine Elfin – 5
  Spring Azure – 8
  Silver-bordered Fritillary - 3
  Northern Crescent – 2
  Milbert’s Tortoiseshell – 1
  Painted Lady - 1
  Monarch – 7  (tallied 30 last year)
  Dreamy Duskywing Skipper – 14
  Sleepy Duskywing Skipper – 2
  Arctic Skipper - 2
  Indian Skipper – 1
  Hobomok Skipper – 4

17 species, 60 individuals.  Last year on June 9 we tallied 23 species and 150 individuals.  Considering our cool, late spring this year, our count was good; we certainly had an enjoyable time!

on Milkweed looked healthy, but we only saw a few Monarch eggs—and no instars.  In 2007 we tallied 19 Monarch caterpillars including 14 2nd instars.  Once again, apparent evidence of our late spring this year.

Our next count is scheduled for Moose Lake State Park on Saturday June 21.  I will send out an e-mail soon with more information.  And remember: Dave and Bonnie MacLean’s Cook County/Grand Marais count is planned for June 28.

 

Our upcoming Count Schedule:

The NABA official count period for 2008 is Sunday June 1 through Thursday July 31.

Here is the updated list of dates and leaders for our Northern Crescents Chapter's butterfly counts this summer:

Sat June 14 starting 10:30 - Boulder Lake Mgmt Area (Jim Phillips).

Sat June 21 (*) starting 10:30 - Moose Lake State Park (Jim Phillips).

Sat June 28 - Grand Marais/Cook County (Dave MacLean)

Fri July 4 – Laurentian Divide (Jerry McCormick).

Sat July 5 (*) or Sun July 6 (*) starting 10:30 - Bear Trap Junction (Jim Phillips).

Tue July 15 - McNair Site (Jim Phillips).

Sat July 19 - Muriel Shirey Memorial / Enger Park (Pat Thomas/Wally Mattson).

Sat July 26 starting 11:00 - Pederson's Gardens / Anna-Gene Park (Jim Phillips).

The dates marked with an (*) are still flexible. I am willing to change these to other days, including weekdays, if that helps someone participate. My main reason for favoring Saturdays is that it leaves Sundays handy for rain-outs.

If anyone wants to attend one of the (*) marked counts on a Sunday or weekday, please let me know and I will try to accommodate you. I am perfectly willing to lead a count with only one or two other observers.

 

Some things to consider wearing or bringing:

  • Hiking boots or walking shoes
  • Heavy jeans
  • Lightweight long-sleeved shirt
  • Hat or cap to shield your eyes from glare
  • Sunscreen
  • Close-focusing monocular or binocular
  • Field guide (1 favorite lightweight one)
  • Note pad and pen
  • Fanny pack or lightweight shoulder bag
  • Camera (w/ macro close-up capability)
  • Snack and beverage

BUTTERFLY COUNT ARCHIVES

Here is PLAIN TEXT RAW DATA 2005-2007
Here is EXCEL SPREADSHEET DATA 2005-2007

SOME PICTURES FROM PAST COUNTS

2004 Jul 25 - Muriel Shirey Memorial Count
2004 Jul 18 - Grand Marais, MN
2004 Jul 17 - Pederson's Gardens (WI) photos included
2004 Jul 03 - Saginaw, MN
2004 Jun 19 - Moose Lake State Park photos included
2004 Jun 12 - Boulder Lake Area photos included

2003 Jul 26 - Muriel Shirey Memorial Count
2003 Jul 12 - Grand Marais, MN
2003 Jul 2 - Bear Trap Junction
2003 Jun 29 - Moose Lake State Park photos included
2003 Jun 14 - Boulder Lake Area photos included
2002 Jul 26 - Trial count, Enger Park photos included

 

  
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