Past Issue July 2004

1) Upcoming Events for July and August
2) May 2004 Butterfly Sightings
3) First Butterfly Sightings of the Year
4) Suburban Journal Feature
5) Seeking Palm Pilot and Other PDA Users!
6) 4th of July Counts
7) And more

NABA's MISSION STATEMENT:
To promote nonconsumptive, recreational butterflying and to increase
the public's enjoyment, knowledge and conservation of butterflies.

Beginners are welcome on every butterfly walk and count. Directions to each location are found at the end of the Calendar. Water, hat, and sunscreen are recommended for every outing. Tick prevention methods include wearing long pants and using insect repellent.

Sun. July 4. 4^th of July Count on the 4^th of July at Busch Wildlife. Meet at 10:00 a.m. at the Butterfly Garden. There is a $3.00 fee collected for NABA. Participants will be divided in small groups, with each group having a leader. Groups identify species, count individual butterflies, and record data. The count coordinator compiles the total Count results. Beginners are welcome, as each group will have one or more experienced butterfliers assigned to it. Easy walking. Lunch (optional) at Pavilion behind Visitor’s Center. Coordinator: Jim Ziebol.

Sat. July 24. 4^th of July Count at Richard and Susan Day’s farm in Alma, IL. Meet at their house at 10:00 a.m.; driving time is approximately 1.5 hours from Poplar Street Bridge. There is a $3.00 fee collected for NABA. In March, Susan showed slides of the wildlife habitat they have created, including a restored wetlands and extensive butterfly and hummingbird gardens. Butterflies gather at the numerous nectaring sites for outstanding close-up views. Excellent opportunity for photographers and gardeners. Little walking; lunch optional. Coordinators: Richard and Susan Day.

Sun. Aug. 22. 4^th of July Count at Horseshoe Lake. Meet at 10:00 at the front parking lot of Horseshoe Lake on Hwy. 111 side (main entrance). There is a $3.00 fee collected for NABA. Participants will be divided in small groups, with each group having a leader. Groups identify species, count individual butterflies, and record data. The count coordinator compiles the total Count results. Beginners are welcome, as each group will have one or more experienced butterfliers assigned to it. We could see several hard-to-find species such as Checkered White, Southern Dogface, Gorgone Checkerspot, Bronze Copper, Duke’s Skipper, and Dion Skipper. We should have a large variety of butterflies. Moderate walking. Lunch afterwards at the grocery store/restaurant "Tienda El Ranchito" (great food, cold beer) on Collinsville Road between Hwy. 203 and 111. Coordinator: Jim Ziebol.

Sun. Aug. 29. Butterfly Walk at Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge (NEW) in Calhoun County, IL. This outing was canceled last year due to rain. Harvester, Checkered White, Bronze Copper and Dion Skipper are possibilities. Butterflies should be numerous. Moderate walking combined with driving between stops. There are no public facilities on this outing as the Visitor’s Center will be closed and there are no gas stations, etc. with public restrooms. We will meet at Riverlands at 8:30 a.m. (see directions below) and cross over to Calhoun County by ferry. Bring lunch. We will finish around 2:30 but people can leave sooner if necessary. Leader: Dennis Bozzay.

Busch Wildlife: From St. Louis County, take I-64 (Hwy 40) across the Missouri River bridge and exit at Hwy. 94. Go left (south) on Hwy 94 approximately 1 mile to Hwy D. Turn right onto Hwy D and go about 1.5 miles to the entrance on your right. Turn right and at the T intersection, turn right again and proceed to the parking lot at the Visitor's Center. Meet at the Jim Ziebol Butterfly Garden at the bottom of the parking lot.

Horseshoe Lake: From downtown St. Louis, take I-64 (Hwy. 40) across the Poplar Street Bridge and stay on I-55/70 for several miles (do not follow I-64 when it bears to the right - stay on I-55/70 by bearing to the left). Exit at Hwy. 111. Go north (left) on Hwy. 111 and in about 3 miles you will see the entrance sign for Horseshoe Lake State Park on your left. Turn left and you will see the parking lot on your right. Pull in and we will meet here. There are rustic toilets at the parking lot.

Riverlands meeting place for Two Rivers NWR outing: Meet at 8:30 am at the Visitor’s Center of Riverlands and we will caravan from there. To get to Riverlands, take I-270 and exit at Hwy. 367 north. Stay on 367 until just before the Clark Bridge that goes to Alton (do not cross bridge!). At the Fisca gas station on the Missouri side of the bridge, turn right into Riverlands and go straight on the main road; the Visitor’s Center is on the left. The Visitor’s Center is closed on weekends; rustic toilets are available a little farther down the road.

May 2^nd was sunny but cool, and the Butterfly Walk at Busch C.A. produced only 7 species: 1 Falcate Orangetip, several Pearl Crescents and Eastern Tailed-Blues, 1 Question Mark, several Horace’s Duskywings, 3 Zabulon Skippers and 1 Silver-spotted Skipper. Jim’s 12-year old grand-niece was the youngest butterflier in the group, which also consisted of Jim Ziebol, Torrey Berger, Margaret Gilleo, Jean Favara and Yvonne Homeyer. Also on 5/2, Yvonne found an American Lady at Epstein Prairie. Jeannie Moe saw Common Sootywing and Gray Hairstreak at Point du Sable Park in St. Charles on 5/3. Mark Peters reported the first Monarch of the year, a worn individual seen on his prairie on 5/3. Its worn condition suggests that it overwintered in Mexico and survived the return journey as far as Missouri. Mark saw a Juniper Hairstreak nectaring on Miami Mist on 5/5. Dave Berry reported Variegated Fritillary at his St. Peters home on 5/5. Ron Goetz found Red-banded Hairstreak and Pepper & Salt Skipper at Hawn State Park on 5/6. Also on 5/6, a male Sachem was seen at his prairie (MP) and a Monarch was observed at Busch C.A. (J Moe, JZ). On 5/8, Jim Ziebol reported a Viceroy and 12 Silver-spotted Skippers at Horseshoe Lake and Yvonne found Tiger Swallowtail and Zabulon Skipper at Tower Grove Park. Hundreds of fresh Gorgone Checkerspots were flying at Valley View Glade on 5/8 and 1 Buckeye and 2 American Ladies were seen at Hilda Young C.A. on 5/8 (YH). Also on 5/8, Scott Marshall found a Juniper Hairstreak at Shaw Nature Reserve. On 5/9, Jim Ziebol and Jeannie Moe found 4 species of skippers at Busch C.A.: ’’s Roadside, Least Skipper, Little Glassywing, and Zabulon Skipper, plus a late Falcate Orangetip. Torrey Berger saw Painted Lady at Weldon Spring/Blue Grosbeak Trail on 5/9. At his prairie in Jefferson county, Mark Peters found another Monarch and Hackberry on 5/9, the first Hobomok Skipper on 5/10, and the first Northern Cloudywing on 5/11. Claudia Noe observed a Monarch in her Chesterfield garden on 5/12.

The weekend of 5/15-16 was a-flutter with first-of-the-year sightings. Ann Earley and Bob Siemer reported Great Spangled Fritillary at Shaw Nature Reserve on 5/15. A Linda’s Roadside Skipper was present at Mark Peters’ prairie on 5/16 (MP) and Jim Ziebol filmed a Linda’s there on 5/17. Mark’s prairie is the only location in the St. Louis area where NABA-St. Louis has seen this species. Also on 5/16, Mark reported Little Wood Satyr, Hayhurst’s Scallopwing, and Southern Cloudywing at his prairie. The Dept. of Conservation Butterfly Count at Busch on 5/16 turned up 21 species, a high number for mid-May. Jim Ziebol, Scott Marshall, Dave Larson, Dennis Bozzay, Ann Earley, Bob Siemer, Dave Berry, Kate Boden, Jack Harris, Tom Krauska and Yvonne Homeyer participated. Highlights of the MDC Count included a Monarch at the Butterfly Garden, Summer Azure, 3 Pepper & Salt Skippers, Giant Swallowtail, Northern Cloudywing, Red-spotted Purple, Hackberry, and Hayhurst’s Scallopwing.

Two Bronze Coppers were a nice find at Horseshoe Lake on 5/19 (JZ). On 5/20, Ron Goetz found Silvery Checkerspot, Hoary Edge, and Swarthy, Crossline, Delaware and Dusted Skippers at Fults Hill Prairie; and Jeannie Moe and Jim Ziebol found Summer Azure, Least and Silver-spotted Skipper, Red Admiral and Red-spotted Purple at Busch C.A.

Peck’s Skipper made an appearance on 5/21 at both Tyson and Hilda Young C.A. (JZ). Also on 5/21, Dave Berry found a Common Checkered Skipper at his Dent County property. The following day, 5/22, Dave Berry led a walk there, accompanied by Jim Ziebol, Ann Earley and Bob Siemer. They found 28 species, including 2 Southern Dogface, 2 Sleepy Orange, 2 Banded Hairstreaks, 1 Red-banded Hairstreak, 100+ Great Spangled Fritillaries, 3 Gray Commas, 25 Little Wood Satyrs, 8 Red-spotted Purple, 5 Red Admirals, 1 Snout, and 4 species of Skippers - Silver-spotted, Northern Cloudywing, Hayhurst’s Scallopwing, and Least. Only 2 Orange Sulphurs and no Cabbage Whites were seen. Jeannie Moe reported a Summer Azure in her garden on 5/22.

The NABA/Friends of Tyson walk at Tyson Research Center on 5/23 produced 26 species, including the female black form of Tiger Swallowtail, 1 Giant Swallowtail, many Silvery Checkerspots, 1 Banded Hairstreak, 1 Variegated Fritillary, Great Spangled Fritillary, Little Wood Satyr, 1 Northern Cloudywing, 1 Hayhurst’s Scallopwing, and 7 Dun Skippers (Jim Ziebol, Dave Larson, Ann Earley, Bob Siemer, Kate Boden, Tom O’Gorman, Dennis Bozzay, John Rickhoff, Yvonne Homeyer, and FOT members). Other sightings in late May at Tyson included a Hoary Edge on 5/24 (JZ) and on 5/28 (YH, JZ), a Little Yellow on 5/27 (JZ), and a Northern Pearly-eye, American Lady, 10 Hayhurst’s Scallopwings and 30 Silvery Checkerspots on 5/29 (JZ, YH). Two Bronze Coppers and 1 Cloudless Sulphur were reported at Riverlands on 5/24 (TB). Gray Comma, Sleepy Orange, Variegated Fritillary, Buckeye, and a female Hobomok Skipper were highlights at Busch on 5/29 (JZ, YH). At Busch C.A. on 5/30, Dennis Bozzay found a Snout and Jim found a Dukes’s Skipper, a rare wetlands butterfly whose population has declined because of habitat destruction; other butterflies of interest were 1 Black Swallowtail, 1 Viceroy, 2 Hayhurst’s Scallopwings,1 Red Admiral, 2 Buckeye, and 1 Red-spotted Purple (YH).

A total of 35 species were seen on our Memorial Day Walk at Young C.A. on 5/31. Dennis Bozzay was the leader and Jim Ziebol, Yvonne Homeyer and guests Sue, Paul and their two daughters participated. Highlights included 5 species of Swallowtail, 1 Variegated Fritillary, numerous Silvery Checkerspots and Great Spangled Fritillaries, 1 Viceroy, Goatweed, N. Pearly-eye, and 14 species of skippers, including Crossline, Northern Broken-Dash, Delaware, Byssus, and ’’s Roadside.

’e Warden reported the following species from her native plant/butterfly garden in Madison, IL: E. Comma and released Black Swallowtail on 5/5; Red Admiral and Horace’s Duskywing on 5/8; on 5/20, a female Pipevine laid eggs on her Pipevine, just planted last year - 7 caterpillars have been seen; 5/21, Little Yellow, and on 5/24, Snout, Little Yellow, Question Mark and Cabbage White. Margie Warden found a Falcate Orangetip and a Harvester on a farm near McLeansboro, IL. The Bringe family saw Pipevine Swallowtails in their garden and have seen caterpillars as well.

As of 5/31, 78 species have been reported, and more than half (43 species) were first seen in May.

Please submit sightings by the last day of the month to Yvonne Homeyer (homeyer@earthlink.net). An asterisk denotes video or photo of unusual or hard-to-find species. Bold means first report of the season.

CONTRIBUTORS: Torrey Berger, Dave Berry, Dennis Bozzay, Neal & Lyda Bringe, Ron Goetz, Yvonne Homeyer, Dave Larson, Scott & Annie Marshall, Jeannie Moe, Claudia Noe, Mark Peters, ’e Warden, Margie Warden, Jim Ziebol.

As of 6-24-04, there have been 82 species of butterflies reported in the immediate St. Louis area by NABA members. Below are some more first sighting dates, to continue the list from our last newsletter, which ended on 5/23.

Cloudless Sulphur 5/24
Little Yellow 5/27
Northern Pearly-eye 5/29
Dukes’s Skipper 5/30
Northern Broken-Dash 5/31
Byssus Skipper 5/31
Baltimore Checkerspot 6/5
Swamp Metalmark 6/10
Common Wood-Nymph 6/13
Coral Hairstreak 6/17
White M Hairstreak 6/17

Please continue to report your sightings! (Send to Yvonne at: homeyer@earthlink.net )

A newspaper article entitled "Annual count will help keep track of butterfly populations" by Julie Randle was featured in the "Lifestyles" section of the Suburban Journal on Wed. June 9, 2004. It included four color photographs of butterflies taken by NABA-St. Louis members. The article can be viewed on our webpage at: http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabasl/news1.htm#onea

Tom Lewis of Little Rock, Arkansas, has been working on a field guide for butterflies of the Eastern U.S. for a couple of years. But this isn’t a paper guide – it’s software that runs on Palm OS-based handheld devices like the Sony Clie and Handspring Treo (and of course all 16-bit color Palm PDA’s). The program lets the user create a ranked list of butterflies for identification purposes, based on color, location, size, and markings, and has indexes for selection of known butterflies by family, genus, common name, and host plant. There is also a quiz mode. The author is looking for "beta" testers. If you have a color Palm and would like to help "de-bug" the software, drop Tom a line at TD_Lewis@Comcast.net. Testers who find more than 20 "bugs" (errors of fact, not butterflies) will get a free license when the software is released.

The purpose of a butterfly count is to obtain data about which species are found at a particular location (the count territory) and how many individuals of each species are observed. Each count presents a snapshot of the butterflies seen on a particular day but over time, the data will tell us much more. When the count data is analyzed over a period of years, trends in population and range can be seen. For each species counted, we can determine if the population is stable, increasing or declining. For the count location, we can determine if any species has disappeared or if new species are being found there. The count data is turned into NABA and published in a book. The results are also entered into NABA’s electronic database.

Check the NABA-St. Louis Calendar for time and meeting location. The count coordinator will divide the participants into smaller groups, each led by an experienced member. Everyone is welcome, and feel free to bring a friend!

NEW MEMBERS:
Our newest NABA-St. Louis member is Mary-Eileen Rufkahr. Welcome to our Chapter, Mary-Eileen, and we hope to see you at the next Butterfly Walk or event.

NEWSLETTER ARTICLES WELCOME:
Please send articles, stories, photos, or suggestions for this "Flutterby News" newsletter to: Dave Larson.

YOUR CURRENT OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS:
President Ann Earley
Vice President Torrey Berger
Secretary Kathleen O'Keefe
Treasurer Dave Berry
Butterfly Gardening Dennis Bozzay
Conservation Yvonne Homeyer
Education Margaret Gilleo
Membership Scott Marshall
Newsletter Dave Larson
Public Relations Kate Boden
Walks & Counts Jim Ziebol
Web Master Dave Larson
View photo of board members

If you would like to join NABA, please fill out this application. You will become a member of both NABA and the local St. Louis Chapter, if you live within the St. Louis metropolitan area or nearby Illinois area:

Name ____________________________________________
Address ____________________________________________
City ___________________ State _______ Zip__________
Phone (....) _____________ E-mail ___________________

Dues are $30 (regular) and $40 (family) per year. Please make check payable to NORTH AMERICAN BUTTERFLY ASSOCIATION. Please mail this form with your check to: Scott Marshall, Membership, 609 West Lockwood, St. Louis, MO 63119.