2015 June 27

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  I tried my little bit of the monthly Butterfly Count today along the Munn Road power lines, but it was too hot for me and even for the butterflies and all I saw was a couple of Essex Skippers.  However, I did find a Western Brown Elfin caterpillar, unusually on Ocean Spray.  I have very occasionally found it on Ocean Spray before, although its usual foodplant is Salal.  The head, by the way, is towards the left in the photograph.

Western Brown Elfin Incisalia iroides (Lep.: Lycaenidae) Jeremy Tatum

  Some may doubt that it can be too hot for butterflies, but Annie Pang makes the same observation (particularly for dark butterflies), only she expresses it better than I can:

A Lorquin’s Song on a hot day

Beneath the shadows I retreat
to find respite from scorching heat
before the day is far from done,
I hide myself from too much sun.
My wings are dark, my wings are frail,
I must protect each tiny scale
for life is short and life is rough,
and for a butterfly, it’s tough.
We fight for mates so we can breed
so we’ll live on in next year’s seed,
But in this heat today I hide
and in the shadows I’ll abide
until I’m cool enough to sun
before the day is all but done.
© Annie Pang

Hiding from the sun

Lorquin’s Admiral Limenitis lorquini (Lep.: Nymphalidae)

Annie Pang

 Cool enough to sun

Annie Pang