Midlands Trips 2013 and Earlier

These are the trip reports for all the Midlands Chapter outings from its formation in 2007 up through 2013.

Click on a title to expand the report and to collapse it again.

Property of Evelyn Dabbs, Mayesville, SC, October 12, 2013

 

We began at 10:00 when it was still a little cool out. With partly cloudy skies, the temperature reached a high of 80 degrees. Evelyn, Tommy, and their daughters, Susan and Rhonda were wonderful hosts. We were greeted with coffee and doughnuts on the deck. Evelyn was not able to walk with us this time so we went on our own, first visiting her garden, and then following the edge of a soy field and along part of the creek/river. We met back on the deck for lunch and then headed out again to explore other areas of the property. In attendance were Bobbie McCutchen, Sven Halling and Ann Newsome, Gene Schepker, Jean Prothro, Dennis Burnette, Pat and Jerry Bright and grandson, Cody, Jeff Kline, Jock Stender, Caroline Eastman, Carl Ganser, and Dave and Marty Kastner.

Below are the butterflies we saw:

Cabbage White   2
Little Yellow   1
Sleepy Orange   86+
Cloudless Sulphur   72+
Red-banded Hairstreak   2
Gulf Fritillary   3
Variegated Fritillary   11
Pearl Crescent   5
Question Mark   1
anglewing species   1
American Lady   9
Common Buckeye   5
Red-spotted Purple   7
Southern Pearly-eye   1 (very worn)
Carolina Satyr   10
Monarch   3
Silver-spotted Skipper   9
Long-tailed Skipper   1
Tropical Checkered-Skipper   4 (Sumter County Record)
White/Common Checkered-Skipper species   86+
Least Skipper   6
Southern Skipperling   17
Fiery Skipper   3
Dun Skipper   2
Clouded Skipper   18
Ocola Skipper   1

Totals:

366+ Butterflies   25 Species

Marty & Dave Kastner
Blythewood, SC
Richland County

Blackjack Heritage Preserve and River Park, York County, SC, September 21, 2013

 

We started the mostly cloudy and slightly cool day at Blackjack HP near Rock Hill searching for butterflies from 10:15-1:00. By 1:00 it was drizzling so we decided to check out River Park on the Catawba River. We were not expecting to see butterflies in the slight drizzle, but a few were out. Jerry Bright was our leader. In attendance were Jerry’s grandson, Dennis Forsythe (for an hour in the AM) and Dave and Marty Kastner. Only Jerry and Dave searched at River Park. We were disappointed at Blackjack HP because there was only one “trail” that was accessible. The others that had been there in years past were overgrown beyond recognition. We were able to get into a few areas, but blackberry and huge overgrowth kept us from many areas. The first number below is from BlackJack; the second from River Park.

Cloudless Sulphur 2, 2
Sleepy Orange 13, 0
Cabbage White 3, 0
Red-banded Hairstreak 2, 0
Azure 1, 0
Eastern Tailed-Blue 25, 18
Variegated Fritillary 1, 2
Pearl Crescent 35, 7
Common Buckeye 9, 2
Viceroy 0, 1
Common Wood-Nymph 2, 0
Appalachian Brown 1, 0 (York County record)
Carolina Satyr 75, 24
Checkered Skipper species 1, 1
Fiery Skipper 6, 3 (York County record)
Crossline Skipper 1, 0
Dun Skipper 3, 0
Byssus Skipper 1, 0 (York County record)
Clouded Skipper 15, 2

Common Buckeye caterpillars – many on Gerardia

Albemarle Corporation and The Oaks Retirement Community, September 7, 2013

 

We spent the morning at the Albemarle Corporation’s Hundred Acre Woods and the afternoon on the trails at The Oaks Retirement Community. Diane Curlee was our trip organizer and leader of the trip to The Oaks. While at Albemarle in the morning, we were accompanied by Arthur Sweatman from Albemarle Corporation. In attendance at Albemarle were Diane Curlee and a 7 year old son of a friend, Irvin Pitts, Jerry and Pat Bright and grandson Cody, Jean Fontain, Rusty Wilson, Wayne Grooms, Kathy Boyle, and Dave and Marty Kastner. At the Oaks we were joined by Dennis and Donna Forsythe and a resident, Alice. Wayne Grooms and Kathy Boyle had to leave after lunch.

Albemarle Corporation

Palamedes Swallowtail    5
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail    5
Cabbage White    1
Great Purple Hairstreak    6
Red-Banded Hairstreak    2
Gray Hairstreak    1
White M Hairstreak    1 (Orangeburg County Record)
Red-spotted Purple    2
Cloudless Sulphur    14
Sleepy Orange    19
Goatweed Leafwing    12 (including 1 recently eclosed still holding on the chrysalis)
Common Buckeye    21
Gulf Fritillary    4
Variegated Fritillary    4
White Checkered-Skipper    5
Fiery Skipper    3
Whirlabout    1
Clouded Skipper    2
Southern Skipperling    4

Goatweed Leafwing caterpillars    36+ (It was impossible to count all. I counted 12 on just one young plant. The amount of Croton has greatly increased from last year at this time. We found cats in all instars. First instar cats were green and seemed to eat up the vein of the leaf. Later instar cats were in rolled leaves)

Goatweed Leafwing chrysalis    1 (this was beautiful and green, looking like a small rolled leaf.)

American Lady caterpillar    1 (on Everlasting)

At Albemarle we did not visit as many habitats as we usually do because we spent so much time in and around the fields of Crotons and we were only there from 9:30-noon.

The Oaks

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail    2
Spicebush Swallowtail    2
Palamedes Swallowtail    7
Cloudless Sulphur    18
Sleepy Orange    23 (including 1 mated pair)
Little Yellow    2
Summer Azure    1
Gray Hairstreak    3
Pearl Crescent    1
Gulf Fritillary    7
Variegated Fritillary 7
American Lady    3
Common Buckeye    3
Red-spotted Purple    9
Carolina Satyr    28
White Checkered-Skipper    8
Horace’s Duskywing    2
Wild Indigo Duskywing    3 (Orangeburg County Record – 1 ovipositing on baptisia)
Whirlabout    2
Clouded Skipper    2
Duskywing species    7
Dark skipper species    1

Common Buckeye caterpillars – many on Gerardia
Common Buckeye chrysalis    3

Marty

Marty & Dave Kastner
Blythewood, SC
Richland County

Longleaf Pine Heritage Preserve, June 22, 2013

 

The CBS Midlands Chapter and SCAN (South Carolina Association of Naturalists) held a joint
walk from 10:40-3:30 on Saturday. The day was muggy and warm with highs in the low 80”s, times
of clouds and sun and a light breeze. Parts of the power line area were under water due to recent rains.
Our leader was Gordon Murphy. Between the two groups we had 20 participants. Though people eventually went
off in different directions, these are the butterflies that Dave and I saw or that were reported to us by
those going in areas we had not been to. We were hoping for more skippers, but were happy to have this
many butterflies in such a bad year!

Butterflies – 13 species, 113 Sightings

Common Name Scientific Name Quantity
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Papilio glaucus 1
Palamedes Swallowtail Papilio palamedes 2
Cloudless Sulphur Phoebis sennae 25
Sleepy Orange Abaeis nicippe 18
Gray Hairstreak Strymon melinus 1
Red-banded Hairstreak Calycopis cecrops 1
Eastern Tailed-Blue Cupito comyntas 5
Variegated Fritillary Euptoieta claudia 3
Pearl Crescent Phyciodes tharos 7
Mourning Cloak Nymphalis antiopa 1
American Lady Vanessa virginiensis 23
Common Buckeye Junonia coenia 22
Fiery Skipper Hylephila phyleus 4

Marty & Dave Kastner
Blythewood, SC
Richland County

McBee Wildlife Management Area, McBee, SC, May 25, 2013

 

Saturday was a joint trip with SCAN. There were 7 people who looked for butterflies with us. We began around 10:45 and ended at 3:00. In the beginning we were very disappointed with the lack of butterflies. As the day warmed more butterflies began to show. In the end we did have 19 species, but not a huge number of butterflies.

Butterflies – 19 species, 75 Sightings

Common Name Scientific Name Quantity
Black Swallowtail Papilio polyxenes 2
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Papilio glaucus 2
Spicebush Swallowtail Papilio troilus 14
Palamedes Swallowtail Papilio palamedes 2
Cloudless Sulphur Phoebis sennae 18
Sleepy Orange Abaeis nicippe 1
Banded Hairstreak Satryium calanus 2
Gray Hairstreak Strymon melinus 2
Red-banded Hairstreak Calycopis cecrops 1
Eastern Tailed-Blue Cupito comyntas 1
Summer Azure Celastrina neglecta 2
American Lady Vanessa virginiensis 10
Common Buckeye Junonia coenia 7
Red-spotted Purple L. arthemis astyanax 1
Carolina Satyr Hermeuptychia sosybius 2
Silver-spotted Skipper Epargyreus clarus 2
Hoary Edge Achalarus lyciades 3
Northern Cloudywing Thorybes pylades 1
Zabulon Skipper Poanes zabulon 1

Marty & Dave Kastner
Blythewood, SC
Richland County

McAlhany Nature Preserve Report, May 11, 2013

 

McAlhany Nature Preserve Bio-Blitz 5/11/13

Butterflies – 17 Species, 98 Sightings

Common Name Scientific Name Date Quantity
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Papilio glaucus 05/11/13 3
Spicebush Swallowtail Papilio troilus 05/11/13 6
Palamedes Swallowtail Papilio palamedes 05/11/13 6
Cloudless Sulphur Phoebis sennae 05/11/13 6
Red-banded Hairstreak Calycopis cecrops 05/11/13 1
Eastern Tailed-Blue Cupito comyntas 05/11/13 4
Variegated Fritillary Euptoieta claudia 05/11/13 8
Pearl Crescent Phyciodes tharos 05/11/13 1
Question Mark Polygonia interrogationis 05/11/13 8
American Lady Vanessa virginiensis 05/11/13 25
Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta 05/11/13 2
Common Buckeye Junonia coenia 05/11/13 15
Red-spotted Purple L. arthemis astyanax 05/11/13 2
Carolina Satyr Hermeuptychia sosybius 05/11/13 4
Little Wood-Satyr Megisto cymela 05/11/13 3
Southern Cloudywing Thorybes bathyllus 05/11/13 3
Northern Cloudywing Thorybes pylades 05/11/13 1

Marty & Dave Kastner
Blythewood, SC
Richland County

Sumter National Forest, Enoree District, April 13, 2013

 

Our chapter butterflied several different roads in the Enoree District of Sumter NF from 10:15 until the last of us headed home at 5:00. In attendance were: Dennis Forsythe, leader, Carl Ganser, Irvin Pitts, Susan Creed, Anne Quigley, Caroline Eastman, Jeff Kline, Jock Stender and Dave and Marty Kastner.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail   42

Spicebush Swallowtail   9
Zebra Swallowtail   1
Pearl Crescent   3
Red Admiral   1
American Lady   3

Eastern Tailed-blue   125
Carolina Satyr   1
Gemmed Satyr   2
Silver-spotted Skipper   1

Northern Cloudywing   1
Juvenal’s Duskywing   9
Orange Sulphur   1
Cloudless Sulphur   16
Sleepy Orange   13
Falcate Orangetip   26

Red-banded Hairstreak   4
Juniper Hairstreak   8
Mourning Cloak   3
Question Mark   2

Azure species   1
Duskywing species   4
Anglewing species   2
Possible Horace’s Duskywing   1
Unidentified   3

Marty & Dave Kastner
Blythewood, SC
Richland County

Peachtree Rock Heritage Preserve and Shealy’s Pond Heritage Preserve, March 30, 2013

 

This morning the sky was cloudy and rain was slightly north and south of us. The temperature was in the low 50’s so I had doubts about seeing butterflies today. As we were on the road to Peachtree Rock, the sun came out and it ended up being a beautiful day with a high of 70 degrees. On our walk today were: Sudie Thomas, our leader, Sudie’s son Garrett (4 years old), Pat and Jerry Bright and their grandson, Cody(11), Jeff Kline, Jock Stender, Kathy Boyle, Jean Fontaine, Carl Ganser and Dave and Marty Kastner.

Peachtree Rock HP

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail   6
Palamedes Swallowtail   2
Cloudless Sulphur   1
Sleepy Orange   4
Great Purple Hairstreak   1 (very fresh)
Brown Elfin   10
Red-banded Hairstreak   3
American Lady   1 (ovipositing on cudweed)
Juvenal’s Duskywing   2
Duskywing species   4
Orange Sulphur or Sleepy Orange   2
Sulphur species   2
Unidentified   2

Shealy’s Pond

Cloudless Sulphur   1
Blue species   1

Marty
Marty & Dave Kastner
Blythewood, SC
Richland County

Aiken Gopher Tortoise Heritage Preserve, July 21, 2012

 

Saturday was hot and humid but mostly cloudy. We butterflied from 10:00 – 2:45. Jerry Bright was our trip leader. In attendance were Pat Bright, Carl Ganser, Diane Curlee, Dennis Forsythe and Dave and Marty Kastner. We enjoyed a great meal at Goodland BBQ following our walk.

Wild Indigo Duskywing   2
Variegated Fritillary   2
White Checkered Skipper   1
Eastern Tailed-Blue   1
Southern Skipperling   1
Spicebush Swallowtail   6
Gray Hairstreak   3
Pearl Crescent   1
Cloudless Sulphur   1
Little Yellow   1
Pipevine Swallowtail   1
Palamedes Swallowtail   2
Sleepy Orange   2
American Lady   1
Duskywing species   3
Swallowtail species   3

14 species
31 butterflies (pretty sad!)

Marty

Marty & Dave Kastner
Blythewood, SC
Richland County

Sesquicentennial State Park, June 16, 2012

 

The Midlands Chapter spent from 9:45-3:00 at the park. Stacey Jensen, Park Interpreter, led us to various locations in the park. The day was beautiful with temperatures in the 70’s and low 80’s and lower humidity than we usually expect in June. In attendance were Carl Ganser, Irvin Pitts, and Dave and Marty Kastner.

Fiery Skipper   1
Red-banded Hairstreak   11
Common Buckeye   5
Palamedes Swallowtail   13
Zabulon Skipper   1
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail   5
Spicebush Swallowtail   6
Black Swallowtail   1
Byssus Skipper   1
Carolina Satyr   6
Summer Azure   1
Red-spotted Purple   1
Southern Cloudywing   1 (very worn)

Marty

Marty & Dave Kastner
Blythewood, SC
Richland County

Sumter National Forest, Enoree District, May 19, 2012

 

Our chapter met at 10:00 and traveled several roads in and around Rose Hill State Park in the Sumter NF, Union County. We found six species that were Union County records! It was another good butterflying day! In attendance were: Dennis Forsythe (trip leader), Carl Ganser, Roger Wellington and Dave and Marty Kastner.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail   5 (1 dark female)
Pipevine Swallowtail   2 (Union County record)
Pearl Crescent   1
Red Admiral   4
American Lady   22
Common Buckeye   33 (1 Rosa form)
Red-spotted Purple   4
Eastern Tailed-blue   103+
Orange Sulphur   2
American Snout   4
Variegated Fritillary   1
Great Spangled Fritillary   1 (Union County record)
Gray Hairstreak   14
Banded Hairstreak   1
Striped Hairstreak   3 (Union County record)
Carolina Satyr   5
Gemmed Satyr   2
Little Wood Satyr   18
Appalachian Brown   7 (Union County record)
Northern Pearly-eye   1 (Union County record)

Hackberry Emperor   4
Mourning Cloak   8
Question Mark   6
Northern Cloudywing   11
Southern Cloudywing   2
Zabulon Skipper   4
Clouded Skipper   1
Silver-spotted Skipper   3
Hoary Edge   12
Crossline Skipper   6
Little Glassywing   1 (Union County record)
Dun Skipper   1

Checkered Skipper species   4
Satyr species   1
Pearly-eye species   2

33 Species

299 Butterflies

Marty

Marty & Dave Kastner
Blythewood, SC
Richland County

Evelyn Dabbs’ Property, Mayesville, SC, May 5, 2012

 

The Carolina Butterfly Society took a field trip to the property of Evelyn Dabbs’ on the Black River Swamp in Mayesville, SC on May 5. Evelyn had been concerned because she had not seen many butterflies recently. She shouldn’t have worried because they sure showed up for this walk! After visiting her spectacular garden, Evelyn and Tommy treated us to cool drinks, blueberry muffins, and jelly doughnuts on the shaded front porch. We then walked in a damp wooded area near a small creek. Around 1:00, we said we would take our time exploring areas along and off of the long road to their home as we made our way out. In attendance were Evelyn Dabbs, Ellen Blundy, Kathy Boyle, Wayne Grooms, Carl Ganser (who couldn’t arrive until the afternoon) and Dave and Marty Kastner. Carl, Dave and I finally left the property at 5:00.

Palamedes Swallowtail   5
Spicebush Swallowtail   6
Pipevine Swallowtail   2

Red Admiral   1

Red-spotted Purple   2
Variegated Fritillary   26
Cloudless Sulphur   50
Sleepy Orange   83
Gray Hairstreak   6
Red-banded Hairstreak   1
Banded Hairstreak   2
American Lady   39
Common Buckeye   14
Pearl Crescent   6
Seminole Texan Crescent   1
Eastern Tailed-Blue   6
Hackberry Emperor   1
Carolina Satyr   1
Creole Pearly-eye   1
Horace’s Duskywing   2
Fiery Skipper   5
Whirlabout   1
Clouded Skipper   4
Silver-spotted Skipper   12
Crossline Skipper   1
Zabulon Skipper   1
Dun Skipper   1
Twin-spot Skipper   1
Sachem   1
Southern Broken-Dash   1
Least Skipper   1
Southern Skipperling   10
Checkered Skipper sp   4
Swallowtail sp   3

Species   33

Butterflies   301

Marty

Marty & Dave Kastner
Blythewood, SC
Richland County

Sumter National Forest, Enoree District, April 14, 2012

 

Our chapter met at 10:00 and traveled several different roads in the Sumter NF. Our targeted species was the Cobweb Skipper and we were successful in finding one. We had a great day finding two life butterflies for most of us and got a county record as well! In attendance were: Dennis Forsythe, Jerry Bright, Carl Ganser and Dave and Marty Kastner. The first number below is from Laurens County, the second is from Newberry County.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail   2, 17 (1 dark female in Newberry Co,)
Spicebush Swallowtail   0, 12
Pipevine Swallowtail   1, 4
Zebra Swallowtail   2, 14
Palamedes Swallowtail   0, 3 (Newberry County Record)
Pearl Crescent   5, 36
Red Admiral   1, 2
American Lady   9, 14
Common Buckeye    0, 6
Red-spotted Purple   0, 4
Eastern Tailed-blue   4, 21
Summer Azure   0, 1
American Snout   0, 4
Variegated Fritillary    1, 0
Carolina Satyr    2, 12
Gemmed Satyr    0, 4
Cobweb Skipper    1, 0 (life butterfly for 4 of us)
Zabulon Skipper    0, 8
Common Roadside Skipper   0, 2
Pepper and Salt Skipper    0, 2 (life butterfly for 4 of us)
Clouded Skipper   0, 2
Silver-spotted Skipper    0, 11
Hoary Edge    2, 4
Sachem    0, 1
Northern Cloudywing    1, 5
Southern Cloudywing    0, 1
Juvenal’s Duskywing    0, 1
Hoarace’s Duskywing    1, 0
Orange Sulphur   0, 1
Cloudless Sulphur    0, 10
Gray Hairstreak    0, 2
Red-banded Hairstreak   7, 2
Checkered Skipper species    3, 0

Satyr species   0, 33
Skipper species    0, 5
Duskywing species   6, 8
Cloudywing species   0, 2

American Lady caterpillars   1. 2

33 Species
288 Butterflies

Marty
Marty & Dave Kastner
Blythewood, SC
Richland County

Wannamaker Nature Preserve, April 7, 2012

 

Wannamaker Nature Preserve is owned by the Audubon Society and is not open to the public; however our trip leader, Caroline Eastman is also an Audubon Society member and was able to lead us on this walk. The day started out cool but sunny so it warmed up nicely. In attendance were: Caroline Eastman, Jeff Kline, Kathy Boyle, Patricia Voelker, Steve Dennis, Wayne Grooms, Dennis Forsythe, Jerry and Pat Bright, Sudie and Garrett (3years old) Thomas and Dave and Marty Kastner.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail   5
Palamedes Swallowtail   4
Spicebush Swallowtail   9
Pipevine Swallowtail   1
Pearl Crescent   1
Red Admiral   1
American Lady   6
Red-spotted Purple   1
Mourning Cloak   1
Carolina Satyr   8
Gemmed Satyr   8
Appalachian Brown   1
Eastern Tailed-blue   4
Red-banded Hairstreak   3
Hackberry Emperor   1
American Snout   4
Question Mark   1 (fresh)
Zabulon Skipper   22 (all males)
Satyr species   7
Swallowtail species   1

18 Species
89 Butterflies

Marty
Marty & Dave Kastner
Blythewood, SC
Richland County

Stevens Creek Heritage Preserve, March 24, 2012

 

Butterfliers,

Though the weather prediction called for a 50% chance of rain, our day was beautiful spending from 10:30-4:00 at the preserve. This was a joint trip with SCAN (South Carolina Association of Naturalists). CBS members in attendance were Caroline Eastman, Wayne Grooms, Pat and Jerry Bright and Dave and Marty Kastner.

Horace’s Duskywing  2
Common Buckeye   1
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail   11
Gemmed Satyr   1
Red-banded Hairstreak   2
Cabbage White   1
American Snout   1
Spicebush Swallowtail   3
Red Admiral   3
Falcate Orangetip   2
Eastern Tailed-Blue   3
Black Swallowtail   2
Palamedes Swallowtail   1
Zebra Swallowtail   1
Pipevine Swallowtail   1
Cloudless Sulphur   3
Pearl Crescent   2
American Lady   1
Comma or Question Mark   3
Sleepy Orange or Orange Sulphur   3   (I think Sleepy Orange but they never landed)
Duskywing species   1
Swallowtail species   5
Satyr species   1

Other members reported seeing butterflies that I did not see, but they did not give me a count.

Checkered Skipper species
Zebra Swallowtail
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Pipevine Swallowtail
Gemmed Satyr
Pearl Crescent

Our next walk is to Audubon’s Wannamaker Nature Preserve in St. Matthew’s on April 7. We will be looking for Harvester butterflies. Hope you can come.

Marty

Marty & Dave Kastner
Blythewood, SC
Richland County

Albemarle Corporation, Orangeburg, SC, September 10, 2011

 

Saturday was a beautiful, warm September day with an occasional refreshing breeze. Arthur Sweatman of Albemarle lead our trip. Diane Curlee was our organizer. In attendance were: Diane Curlee, Dennis and Donna Forsythe, Carl Ganser, Elaine Stoncypher, Irvin Pitts and Dave and Marty Kastner. We began around 10:00. The Forsythe’s and Elaine had to leave after lunch, but the rest of us stayed until 4:00. Butterflies were plentiful. It got to the point where I had to stop counting a few species since there were so many flying around that I wasn’t sure if we had already counted them. Those species have a + following their number.

Goatweed Leafwing   3
Palamedes Swallowtail   30+
Tiger Swallowtail   14 (including 4 dark females)
Spicebush Swallowtail   3
Red-spotted Purple   3
Cloudless Sulpher   25+
Sleepy Orange   36+
Clouded Sulphur   1
Orange Sulphur   1
Buckeye   25+
Gulf Fritillary   22
Variegated Fritillary   16+
Carolina Satyr   10
Horace’s Duskywing   1
Checkered Skipper   13 (probably White)
Fiery Skipper   12
Whirlabout   4
Clouded Skipper   2
Least Skipper   1
Silver-spotted Skipper   1
Zabulon Skipper   1
Zarucco Duskywing   1
Southern Cloudywing   1
Gray Hairstreak   9
Red-banded Hairstreak   7

Goatweed Leafwing caterpillars   2
Buckeye caterpillars   52+ (all on Gerardia)
Cloudless Sulphur caterpillars   3 (on sickle-pod)
Sleepy Orange caterpillars   3
Buckeye Chrysalises   4
Sleepy Orange Chrysalis   1
Sleepy Orange and Cloudless Sulphur eggs    “tons” on sickle-pod

25 Species
242+ Butterflies

Marty

Marty & Dave Kastner
Blythewood, SC
Richland County

Congaree National Park, May 21, 2011

 

At Congaree NP on Saturday, Dave and I led a butterfly identification workshop followed by a short walk near the old visitor’s center and down a short part of the Sims Trail. We then went on our own to the Bates Fork Landing and ended our day walking down the park trail off of 601. The first numbers reflect the ID walk and around the Visitor’s Center. The second was at the Bates Fork Landing and the third number is from our walk on the trail. Photos can be viewed at the Flickr site below.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail – 1, 0, 0
Orange Sulphur- 0, 0, 1
Gray Hairstreak – 0, 3, 1
Eastern Tailed-Blue – 0, 0, 2
American Snout – 1, 10, 3
Variegated Fritillary – 0, 0, 2
American Lady – 0, 1, 0
Common Buckeye – 0, 2, 5
Pearl Crescent – 0, 6, 2
Red-spotted Purple – 0, 0, 2
Carolina Satyr – 0, 0, 2
Silver-spotted Skipper – 0, 1, 1
Dun Skipper – 0, 3, 0
Lace-winged Roadside-Skipper – 2, 0, 0
Zebra Swallowtail – 13, 1, 3
Tawny Emperor – 3, 0, 0
Hackberry Emperor – 8, 1, 4
Eastern Comma – 1, 0, 0
Mourning Cloak – 1, 0, 0
Spicebush Swallowtail – 0, 1, 0
Horace’s Duskywing – 0, 1, 0
Yehl Skipper – 0, 1, 0
Red Admiral – 0, 0, 1
Monarch – 0, 0, 1

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14738738@N03/sets/72157626788416500/

Marty and Dave

Sumter National Forest, May 14, 2011

 

On May 14, our chapter went to the Sumter National Forest in Newberry County. Dennis Forsythe was our leader. In attendance were Donna Forsythe, Carl Ganser, James Wilson, Irvin Pitts and Dave and Marty Kastner. The nectar sources were Prunella (American heal-all) and Sandhills Thistle. We walked along Cromer Road and found the following:

Spicebush Swallowtail 7
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 3 (including 1 dead one caught in a spider web)
Common Buckeye 7
American Lady 3
Eastern Tailed-blue 4
Silver-spotted Skipper 2
Hoary Edge 17 (lifer for Irvin)
Hackberry Emperor 5
Question Mark 15
Eastern Comma 1
Variegated Fritillary 1
Banded Hairstreak 12
Mourning Cloak 1
Little Wood Satyr 13
Northern Cloudywing 38+
Southern Cloudywing 46+
Swarthy Skipper 10 (lifer for Dave, Irvin and me)
Southern Broken-Dash 2
Common Roadside-Skipper 3 (lifer for Dave, Irvin and me)
Crossline Skipper 4 (lifer for Dave and me)
Red-spotted Purple 4 (1 was ovipositing)
Carolina Satyr 3
Pearl Crescent 7
Summer Azure 2
American Lady 3
Silver-spotted Skipper 2
Zabulon Skipper 5
Least Skipper 2
American Lady caterpillars 2
Monarch caterpillar 1

Following our walk on Cromer Road, Carl, Dave and I drove/walked along Shannon Road also in Sumter NF. We saw:

Hackberry Emperor 7
Banded Hairstreak 2
Northern Cloudywing 1
Common Buckeye 2
Question Mark 2
Carolina Satyr 1
American Lady 1
Eastern Comma 3 (1 dead in the road)

Prior to the start of our walk James, Carl, Dave and I scouted out the area behind the BP Station off of I-26 at exit 60 where we met. We found the following:

American Lady 7
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 2
Clouded Sulphur 1
Variegated Fritillary 1
Orange Sulphur or Sleepy Orange (never landing for and ID) 5

Photos of some of the butterflies can be viewed at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14738738@N03/sets/72157626640422161/

Marty & Dave Kastner
Blythewood, SC
Richland County

Albemarle Corporation, Orangeburg, SC, April 9, 2011

 

Saturday, April 9 was sunny and warm. Even though afternoon thunderstorms were predicted, they did not materialize so we were able to look for butterflies from 10:15 until around 3:00. Arthur Sweatman of Albemarle was our leader. In attendance were Pat and Jerry Bright, Dennis and Lynn Burnette, Diane Curlee, Jim Nottke, Lois Schneider, Gene Schepker, Jim Seal, James Seal and Dave and Marty Kastner.

Orange Sulphur 4
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 8
Palamedes Swallowtail 37
Goatweed Leafwing 9 (males)
Variegated Fritillary 5
Common Buckeye 5
Pearl Crescent 3
Red Admiral 4
Cloudless Sulphur 5
American Lady 4
Red-spotted Purple 5
Horace’s Duskywing 1
Duskywing species 2
Sachem 1
Monarch 3
Mourning Cloak 1
Azure sp. 1
Carolina Satyr 9
Spicebush Swallowtail 1
Silver-spotted Skipper 1
Unidentified white 1

Buckeye Caterpillars 29 (on Toadflax)

20 Species

110 Butterflies

Marty
Marty & Dave Kastner
Blythewood, SC
Richland County

Albemarle Corporation, Orangeburg, SC, Sept 4, 2010

 

We spent the day at Albemarle Corporation’s Hundred Acre Woods with Arthur Sweatman as our walk leader. Diane Curlee was our trip organizer. Also in attendance were Dennis and Lynn Burnette, Jerry Bright, Sudie Thomas, Wayne Grooms, Carl Ganser, Ellen Blundy, James Seal, Jim Seal, and Dave and Marty Kastner. We were again hoping to see the Goatweed Leafwing and were not disappointed. There were patches of the host plant, Croton (Croton capitatus), in several places in The Hundred Acre Woods. Albemarle has wonderful habitat for many varied species. Three species had so many butterflies flying in all directions that a good count was impossible so there is no number by them in the report.

Cloudless Sulphur
Sleepy Orange
Common Buckeye

Goatweed Leafwing   7 (one female ovipositing)
Palamedes Swallowtail   13
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail   11
Spicebush Swallowtail   5
Pipevine Swallowtail   1
Red-spotted Purple   4
Variegated Fritillary   7
Gulf Fritillary   15
Red Admiral   2
Viceroy   1
Monarch   1
Orange Sulphur   1
Carolina Satyr   4
Gray Hairstreak   12
Red-banded Hairstreak   4
Great Purple Hairstreak   6 (Orangeburg County record)
Silver-spotted Skipper   3
Fiery Skipper   8
Whirlabout   7
Little Glassywing   2
Twin-spot Skipper   1 (Orangeburg County record)
Ocola Skipper   1
Southern Skipperling   1
Checkered Skipper species   7+
Zarucco Duskywing   1 (Orangeburg County record)
Horace’s Duskywing   6
Cloudless Sulphur caterpillars   2
Gulf Fritillary caterpillar   1
Common Buckeye caterpillars   38
Goatweed Leafwing caterpillar   1

29 Species

Marty

Marty & Dave Kastner
Blythewood, SC
Richland County

Blue Ridge Parkway, August 7-8, 2010

 

The Midlands Chapter of the Carolina Butterfly Society spent August 7 and 8 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. On August 7, we counted butterflies we could definitely identify as we drove to our first stop at the Mills River Valley Overlook. From there we took the Shut-In Trail. In the afternoon we walked Frying Pan Gap. On August 8 we scouted around the Pisgah Inn and then headed for the trail at Flat Laurel Creek. Below the first number is for butterflies sighted on August 7 and the second number is for August 8. Jerry Bright was our trip leader. In attendance were Pat Bright and Dave and Marty Kastner.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail   101(one intermediate), 33
Pipevine Swallowtail   257, 244
Black Swallowtail   0, 1
Possible Spicebush Swallowtail   0, 1
Common Buckeye   1, 4
Eastern Tailed-Blue   8, 31

Silver-spotted Skipper   95, 21
Great Spangled Fritillary   7, 1
Aphrodite Fritillary   0, 1
Meadow Fritillary   2, 6
Variegated Fritillary   0, 3
Gulf Fritillary   0, 1
Fritillary sp.   0, 17
Pearl Crescent   10, 6
Red Admiral   2, 2
Painted Lady   2, 0
Gray Hairstreak   1, 0
Orange Sulphur   15, 16
Cloudless Sulphur   1, 1
Azure sp.   25, 4
Horace’s Duskywing   1, 0
Eastern Comma   1, 0
Monarch   0, 2
Snout   0, 1
Checkered White   0, 1
Unidentified white   5
Unidentified yellow   1
Pipevine caterpillars  several hundred (varying instars)
Red-spotted Purple egg   1, 0

Species   18, 19
Butterflies   537, 397

Total Species   37
Total Butterflies   934

Marty

Marty & Dave Kastner
Blythewood, SC
Richland County

Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge, May 8, 2010

 

Doug DeNeve was our trip leader. In attendance were Pam DeNeve, Dave and Marty Kastner and five guests.

Palamedes Swallowtail 18
Spicebush Swallowtail 5
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 7
Zebra Swallowtail 1
Common Buckeye 42+
American Lady 2
Eastern Tailed-blue 1
Orange Sulpher 9
Cloudless Sulpher 1
Hoary Edge 2
Southern Cloudywing 3
Variegated Fritillary 17
Viceroy 1
Cabbage White 1
Unidentified dark swallowtails 2

14 Species
112 Butterflies

Marty

Marty & Dave Kastner
Blythewood, SC
Richland County

Albemarle Corporation, Orangeburg, SC, May 1, 2010

 

We spent the day at Albemarle Corporation’s Hundred Acre Woods with Arthur Sweatman as our walk leader. In attendance were Pat and Jerry Bright, Jules Fraytet, Dennis Forsythe, Billy McCord, Derb Carter and Dave and Marty Kastner. We looked at all butterflies, but were especially interested in looking for Goadweed Leafwings to see if they were still flying. They were! We also searched for their host plant, Croton. We found old stems and flower heads from last year, but no new growth. The Goatweed Leafwings that we found looked to be all males. So questions about their life cycle remain. When will the crotons begin to grow? When will females appear and where have they been? Hopefully Arthur will keep us up to date on his observations and some of these questions can be answered.

Goatweed Leafwing 8
Palamedes Swallowtail 38
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 7
Spicebush Swallowtail 7
Red-spotted Purple 6
Variegated Fritillary 31
Cloudless Sulphur 1
Sleepy Orange 1
Cabbage White 2
American Lady 3
Common Buckeye 7
Silver-spotted Skipper 4
Carolina Satyr 13
Southern Pearly Eye 1
Least Skipper 1
Zabulon Skipper 1
Satyr sp 1 (not Carolina Satyr)
Azure sp 1
Duskywing sp 1

Species 19
Butterflies 134

Marty

Marty & Dave Kastner
Blythewood, SC
Richland County

Santee National Wildlife Refuge, Cuddo Unit, April 24, 2010

 

Our walk was actually a driving tour, getting out at various points to search for butterflies. In attendance were Bob Grosek from New York, Diana and Phil Perkins from Maryland, Doug and Judith Allen from upstate South Carolina and Dave and Marty Kastner, trip leaders. The walk was from 1:00-5:00. The day was partly cloudy with cool winds at times.

Tiger Swallowtail 6
Southern Cloudywing 2
Sleepy orange 7
Hoary Edge 1
Spicebush Swallowtail 5
Carolina Satyr 2
Variegated Fritillary 1
Cloudless Sulphur 7
Question Mark 1
American Lady 1
Checkered Skipper sp 1
Common Buckeye 1
Eastern Tailed-Blue 1
Silver-spotted Skipper 2
Unidentified dark swallowtail 1
Possible Little Yellow 1

Species 14
Butterflies 40

Marty

Marty & Dave Kastner
Blythewood, SC
Richland County

Albemarle Corporation and The Oaks Retirement Community, Orangeburg, SC, April 17, 2010

 

We spent the morning at the Albemarle Corporation’s Hundred Acre Woods and the afternoon on the trails at The Oaks Retirement Community. Diane Curlee was our trip organizer and leader of the trip to The Oaks. While at Albemarle in the morning, we were accompanied by Arthur Sweatman from Albemarle Corporation. In attendance were Diane Curlee, Robert and Stephanie Eaddy, and Dave and Marty Kastner.

Albemarle Corporation

Palamedes Swallowtail 28
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 7
Spicebush Swallowtail 4
Red-spotted Purple 7
Juvenal’s Duskywing 1
Sleepy Orange 2
Goatweed Leafwing 5
American Lady 1
Harvester 1
Silver-spotted Skipper 4
Carolina Satyr 1
Possible Viceroy 2
Duskywing sp 1

Species 11
Butterflies 64

The Oaks

Black Swallowtail 1
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 10 (including 2 dark females)
Spicebush Swallowtail 10
Palamedes Swallowtail 30
Red-spotted Purple 3
Cloudless Sulphur 2
American Lady 1
American Lady caterpillars 3
Carolina Satyr 23
Little Wood Satyr 2
Common Wood Nymph 1
Horace’s Duskywing 1
Silver-spotted Skipper 2
Zabulon Skipper 2 (Orangeburg County Record)
Dun Skipper 1
Henry’s Elfin 1
Snout 1
Harvester 1
Eastern Tailed-Blue 1
Unidentified Blue 1
Duskywing sp 1
Small brown satyr-like butterflies 8+

Species 18
Butterflies 108

It was another great trip!

Marty

Marty & Dave Kastner
Blythewood, SC
Richland County

Shealy’s Pond Heritage Preserve, Lexington, SC, March 27, 2010

 

The day was sunny, but cool when we started at 11:00. The high was expected to be 66 degrees. The only nectar sources we found were plum shrubs which were almost done blooming. Shealy’s Pond has both Atlantic White Cedar and Red Cedar trees.

In attendance were: Dennis Forsythe, our trip leader, Caroline Eastman, Amy Novack and Marty and Dave Kastner.

Azure species 16
Henry’s Elfin 10 (Lexington County record)
Juniper Hairstreak 4 (Lexington County record)
Eastern Pine Elfin 1 (Lexington County record)
Question Mark 1
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 1

Spicebush Swallowtail 1
Sleepy Orange 2
Gray Hairstreak 1
Jevenal’s Duskywing 1

Total butterflies: 38
Total species: 10
County records 3

The Henry’s Elfins and Juniper Hairstreaks were life butterflies for Dave and me.
Marty

Marty & Dave Kastner
Blythewood, SC
Richland County

Albemarle Corporation and The Oaks Retirement Community, Orangeburg, SC, Sept 5, 2009

 

This field trip was a joint trip which included The Carolina Butterfly Society Midlands Chapter and the Environmental Education Association of South Carolina. We spent the morning at the Albemarle Corporation’s Hundred Acre Woods and the afternoon on the trails at The Oaks Retirement Community. Diane Curlee was our trip organizer and leader of the trip to The Oaks. While at Albemarle in the morning, we were accompanied by Arthur Sweatman and Tom Kerr, both from Albemarle.

In attendance at Albemarle were: Diane and Don Curlee, James Seal, Jim Seal, Lynn and Dennis Burnette, Pat and Jerry Bright, Ileen and Joe Grange, Tim Taylor, Susan and Bobby Creed, Pam and Doug DeNeve, John Madden, Bob and Fran Bundy, Roger Hux, Wayne Grooms, Ellen Blundy and Dave and Marty Kastner.

Palamedes Swallowtail 26
Tiger Swallowtail 20
Black Swallowtail 1
Spicebush Swallowtail 4
Red-spotted Purple 1
Viceroy 4
Cloudless Sulpher 10
Sleepy Orange 5
Buckeye 17
Gulf Fritillary 5
Variegated Fritillary 5
Carolina Satyr 2
Gemmed Satyr 1 (Orangeburg County Record)*
Horace’s Duskywing 1
Spreadwing skipper species 1
Checkered Skipper species 1
Longtail Skipper 1
Fiery Skipper 2

Buckeye caterpillars 58+
Gulf Fritillary caterpillars 1

18 Species

107 Butterflies

In attendance at The Oaks were: Diane and Don Curlee, James Seal, Jim Seal, Lynn and Dennis Burnette, Pat and Jerry Bright, Doug and Pam DeNeve, Tim Taylor, Nancy Thompson, Ileen and Joe Grange, Wayne Grooms, Ellen Blundy and Dave and Marty Kastner.

Palamedes Swallowtail 23
Tiger Swallowtail 10
Spicebush Swallowtail 1
Red-spotted Purple 8
Viceroy 1
Cloudless Sulpher 15
Sleepy Orange 15
Little Yellow 3
Gulf Fritillary 10
Variegated Fritillary 5
Goatweed Leafwing 1 (Orangeburg County Record) *
Carolina Satyr 73
Gemmed Satyr 1
Red-banded Hairstreak 6
Gray Hairstreak 1
Eastern-tailed Blue 3
Harvester 1 (Orangeburg County Record)
Horace’s Duskywing 2
Common Sootywing 1
Southern Cloudywing 1
Checkered Skipper species 19
Silver-spotted Skipper 1

Gulf Fritillary caterpillars 2
Variegated Fritillary caterpillars 1

22 Species
200 Butterflies

Though both the Gemmed Satyr and the Goatweed Leafwing had not been reported by September 5, we found out later that both of these butterflies had been photographed at Albemarle by Arthur Sweatman. The Goatweed Leafwing was photographed on 3/29/09. I do not know when the Gemmed Satyr was photographed.

Marty

Bluffs Heritage Preserve Count, July 18, 2009

 

Our field trip began on roadsides surrounded by planted farmland near Fort Motte, SC. We then went to Congaree Bluffs HP walking a short distance on a sandy road and then following a trail through the woods down close to the Congaree River. Our leader was Dennis Forsythe. In attendance were Pat and Jerry Bright, Diane Curlee, James Seal, Stephanie and Robert Eaddy, Caroline Eastman, Ray Bennett, Emily Bennett, Ray’s two sons, a family friend and Marty and Dave Kastner.

Black Swallowtail 2
Palamedes Swallowtail 1
Spicebush Swallowtail 1
Tiger Swallowtail 4
Zebra Swallowtail 1
Gulf Fritillary 5
Variegated Fritillary 5
American Lady 1
Painted Lady 2
Lady Species 1
Question Mark 3
Hackberry Emperor 8
Snout 3
Carolina Satyr 3
Creole Pearly-eye 2 (Calhoun County Record)
Pearl Crescent 3
‘Seminole’ Texan Crescent 2 (a lifer for many of us!)
Red-spotted Purple 5
Buckeye 12
Horace’s Duskywing 2
Zarucco Duskywing 1
Hoary Edge 1
Silver-spotted Skipper 3
Least Skipper 1
Common Checkered Skipper 30+
Fiery Skipper 5
Whirlabout 2
Dun Skipper 1
Summer Azure 4
Cabbage White 6
Checkered White 1
Cloudless Sulpher 11+
Sleepy Orange 6
Orange Sulpher 150+

33 Species

Marty

Marty & Dave Kastner
Blythewood, SC
Richland County

Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge, SC, May 16, 2009

 

The weather called for isolated thunder showers with a high of 82 degrees. Though clouds were present, the sun broke through often.

Doug DeNeve was our trip leader. In attendance were Pam DeNeve, Lynne Smith, Robert and Stephanie Eaddy, Jerry and Pat Bright, Jill Banks, Mary Beth Sheppard, Dennis and Lynn Burnette and Dave and Marty Kastner.

Palamedes Swallowtail 29
Spicebush Swallowtail 5
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 1
Pipevine Swallowtail 1
Common Buckeye 76
American Lady 16
Eastern Tailed-blue 3
Orange Sulpher 3
Cloudless Sulpher 4
Sleepy Orange 7
Silver-spotted Skipper 1
Hoary Edge 1
Hackberry Emperor 2
Question Mark 1
Variegated Fritillary 8
Gulf Fritillary 2

16 Species

160 Butterflies

For those who attended this walk, after we broke up due to the rain, Dave and I drove around a little and the weather cleared up. It was then that we spotted 64 of the 76 Common Buckeyes listed in the report.

Marty

South Congaree, SC Count, May 9, 2009

 

South Congaree is near Lexington. In the morning we went to the property called Laurel Graydon owned by Donna Denton. In the afternoon we went to the property of the late Clara Mack now owned by her daughter and son-in-law, Annie Laura and Edwin Corley.

In attendance were Tommie Moody, Elaine Stonecypher and Dave and Marty Kastner.

Morning at Laurel Graydon:

As we pulled up we saw a Red-spotted Purple ovipositing on cherry. We saw more caterpillars than butterflies.

Butterflies:

Red-spotted Purple 2
Spicebush Swallowtail 1
Hoary Edge 2
Black Swallowtail 1
Swallowtail species 1

Caterpillars:

Silver-spotted Skipper 1
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 1
American Lady 6
Unidentified moth on cherry 3

Afternoon at the property of Annie Laura and Edwin Corley:

Silver-spotted Skipper 1
Palamedes Swallowtail 9
Variegated Fritillary 1
Carolina Satyr 3
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 3
Cloudless Sulpher 1
Hoary Edge1
Buckeye 1

American Lady Caterpillars 5

Marty

Manchester State Forest Count, April 18, 2009

 

It was a beautiful, sunny day with temperatures in the 70’s. Dave and Marty Kastner were in attendance.

Juvenal’s Duskywing 4
Horace’s Duskywing 6
Sleepy Orange 3
Little Yellow 1
Cloudless Sulpher 12
Spicebush Swallowtail 16
Tiger Swallowtail 3
Palamedes Swallowtail 16
Pipevine Swallowtail 3
Red-spotted Purple 12
Southern Cloudywing 3
Silver-spotted Skipper 2
Hoary Edge 2
Eastern Tailed-blue 2
American Lady 8
Pearl Crescent 2
Red Admiral 1
Carolina Satyr 1

18 Species

95 Butterflies

We also saw 2 either Monarchs or Viceroys. They were too far away for positive ID.

Harbison State Forest, SC, March 21, 2009

 

The day was sunny, but cool with a predicted high of 64 degrees. We began around 12:45 and ended at 4:15. In attendance were Diane Curlee, Stephanie and Robert Eaddy, Susan and Bobby Creed and Dave and Marty Kastner.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 8
Zebra Swallowtail 6
Juvenal’s Duskywing 4
Horace’s Duskywing 4
Red-banded Hairstreak 3
Common Buckeye 1
Eastern Pine Elfin 1 (County record for Richland County)

Other possibilities:
Unidentified Duskywing Species 5
Possible Henry’s Elfin 1
Possible Eastern Tailed-Blue 1
Azure species 2
Possible Little Yellow or Sleepy Orange 1
Total identified butterflies 27
Unidentified butterflies 10

Marty & Dave Kastner
Blythewood, SC
Richland County

Property of Evelyn Dabbs, Mayesville, SC, October 19, 2008

 

CBS Midlands Chapter Trip Report
Property of Evelyn Dabbs
Mayesville, SC
October 19, 2008

Our original trip date was 10/18, however the predicted weather called for a cool, cloudy morning with some sun late in the day so we postponed our walk until Sunday, 10/19 at 1:00. The day was sunny with a predicted high of 64 degrees. As we arrived and began to look in Evelyn’s garden, we were pleasantly surprised at the number and diversity of butterflies that we saw. Most of the butterflies we saw were in her garden. A few were in the woods. In attendance were: Evelyn Dabbs, Johnny Hardaway, Pat and Jerry Bright, Pam and Doug DeNeve, Susan and Bobby Creed, and Marty and Dave Kastner. Below are the butterflies we saw:

1 Carolina Satyr
3 Variegated Fritillary
9 Cloudless Sulpher
3 Longtail Skipper
3 American Lady
4 Painted Lady
3 Gulf Fritillary
2 Sleepy Orange
2 Red-banded Hairstreak
4 Common Checkered Skipper
3 Clouded Skipper
4 Buckeye
1 Fiery Skipper
5 Least Skipper
1 Pearl Crescent
2 Silver-spotted Skipper
1 Little Yellow
1 Southern Pearly Eye
3 Dun Skipper

Totals:
55 Butterflies
19 Species

Congaree National Park, SC Count, September 27, 2008

 

CBS Midlands Chapter Trip Report
Congaree National Park
September 27, 2008

Our field trip to Congaree National Park on September 27, 2008 was led by Christina Hulslander and was also a count for NABA. In attendance were: Louise Watkins, Robert and Stephanie Eaddy, Susan Creed, Creed Branham, Elaine Stonecypher and Dave and Marty Kastner.

We met at 11:00. It had rained all day the day before the walk, was foggy and cloudy in the morning, but by 11:00, the sun began to shine. The temperature was 83 degrees.

In addition to butterflies, we observed wolly aphids, the food for Harvester caterpillars, on beech trees.

Below are the butterflies we saw:

Orange Sulpher 1
Cloudless Sulpher 7
Little Yellow 7
Red-Banded Hairstreak 1
Eastern Tailed Blue 5
Unidentified Blue 2
Gulf Fritillary 25
Phaon Crescent 2
Pearl Crescent 56
Unidentified Question Mark or Comma 1
American Lady 2
Common Buckeye 3
Red-Spotted Purple 4
Hackberry Emperor 1
Southern Pearly-Eye 24
Creole Pearly-Eye 2
Appalachian Brown 58
Gemmed Satyr 4
Carolina Satyr 12
Monarch 1
Silver-spotted Skipper 2
Long-tailed Skipper 5
Clouded Skipper 26
Least Skipper 3
Fiery Skipper 3
Zabulon Skipper 3
Dun Skipper 27
Lace-winged Roadside Skipper 24
Little Glassywing 2

Total:
313 butterflies
29 Species

Neeses, SC, June 21, 2008

 

Diane Curlee’s Mom’s Property
Neeses, SC
6/21/08

When I got up on June 21, I was sure we would not have a good day of butterflying. It had rained recently and rain was predicted in the morning with thunderstorms forming in the afternoon. I called Diane who lives one hour and forty minutes from my home in Blythewood. She told me that it was not raining, but it was overcast. Radar showed rain within a couple of hours of Neeses where Diane lives. We decided not to cancel our walk and that we would just discuss butterflies if it rained.

This walk was important to our chapter since we had a photographer from Southern Living Magazine and some children from a 4-H group attending our walk. The writer from Southern Living Magazine who was originally scheduled to come with the photographer was unable to make it. We will make sure that he has information about our chapter and our walk for the article he will write for the South Carolina People and Places section of Southern Living.

When I arrived in Neeses, the sun was shining and it stayed that way for our walk which ended around 12:30. The hard rain came when we were in a restaurant eating lunch around 1:30. Before the walk began, Diane taught the children and newcomers about identifying butterflies in the field. She also discussed a little about where we were located: on the boarder between the coastal plain and the sandhills, on a ridge between two rivers: North Fork and South Fork of the Edisto River. Diane also talked about watersheds. During the walk she pointed out poison ivy and oak, frogs, tadpoles, plants and sedimentary rocks as well as butterflies. The lessons were informative for all.

We walked in a hay field (owned by neighbors, Archie and Clark Stillinger) and down a dirt road through some other land areas to a pond (owned by Polly Davis, Diane Curlee’s mom). In the field we were elated to find Checkered White butterflies and their host plant mustard. Another great find was the Eufala Skipper right in Diane’s front yard on the lantana.

In attendance were: Angel Bates, Debra Wade, MyCierra Cooke, Lisa Saxon, Drey Snider (all from the 4-H group), Nicole Carrico, Elaine Stonecypher, Elise Hanlan, Diane Curlee, Johnny Hardaway, Sudie Daves, Dave Kastner, Marty Kastner and Gary Clark (Southern Living Photographer). Below are the butterflies we saw:

2 American Lady
18 Variegated Fritillary
22 Common Buckeye
4 Tiger Swallowtail
2 Gray Hairstreak
1 Fiery Skipper
1 Palamedes Swallowtail
2 Horace’s Duskywing
5 Checkered White
1 Snout
1 Orange Sulpher
1 Gulf Fritillary
3 Sleepy Orange
1 Sachem
2 Eufala Skipper
1 Red Spotted Admiral

Total:
16 Species
67 Butterflies

Cleveland Swamp, SC Count, June 1, 2008

 

Cleveland Swamp is private property located just east of Fort Jackson. Sudie Daves, our trip leader, has done some work there and knows the land owners who welcomed our chapter on their property. We began our walk at 10:00 near the vegetable and flower garden planted by one of the land owners. From there we proceeded down the dirt road by car, stopping when we sighted butterflies. We drove through wooded areas, open sunny areas, swampy areas and near the Wateree River. In attendance were Sudie Daves, John Hardaway and Dave and Marty Kastner.

Our sightings were:

1 Variegated Fritillary
6 Common Buckeye
2 Cabbage White
8 Palamedes Swallowtail
1 Spicebush Swallowtail
1 Pipevine Swallowtail
3 Tiger Swallowtail
31 Zebra Swallowtail
5 Horace?s Duskywing
1 Sleepy Orange
1 Common Checkered Skipper
1 Morning Cloak
1 Gemmed Satyr
2 Gray Hairstreak
1 Fiery Skipper
2 Red Admiral
22 Pearl Crescent
7 Snout
1 Red Spotted Admiral
2 Tawny Emperor
3 Hackberry Emperor
2 Eastern Tailed Blue
1 Least Skipper
1 Question Mark
1 Lace-winged Roadside-Skipper
3 Carolina Satyr
1 American Lady
1 Anglewing species
1 American Lady Caterpillar
18 Caterpillars on Baptisia (probably moth caterpillars, but I couldn’t identify the exact one.

Totals:
28 butterfly species
2 caterpillar species
1 egg (probably Red Spotted Admiral)
112 butterflies

Lee State and Sandhills NWR, SC, May 10, 2008

 

Our trips to Lee State Natural Area near Bishopville and Sandhills NWR were led by Doug DeNeved. In attendance were Pam DeNeved and Dave and Marty Kastner. We began at 10:00 on a warm, mostly sunny day at Lee. We walked a little then followed a road by car, stopping when we saw butterflies. The Palamedes and Buckeye butterflies were the most common species we saw. At 3:00 we decided to drive to Sandhills NWR to see butterflies, but also to see the bog of Pitcher plants. When we turned onto a sand road that had been recently grated with moist edges, the area was thick with Buckeyes. After the first five minutes, I stopped counting because I had already reached 30 individuals!! As we drove on, we observed many other Buckeyes in flight, obtaining nectar and getting nutrients near puddles. The number of Buckeyes present in about 2.5 hours was at least 200!! This was a very exciting site to see! The pitcher plant bog that we wanted to see had been burned either by a prescribed burn or other means. We were disappointed, but we sure loved seeing the Buckeyes! One of my field guides says that they are migratory. They may have been on their migration. I would like to go back to see if they have moved on or have reproduced in the area.

Lee State Natural Area

Palamedes 12
Tiger Swallowtail 5
Cloudless Sulphur 4
Red Spotted Purple 7
Buckeye 11
American Lady 5
Spicebush 2
Pearl Crescent 3
Sleepy Orange 1
Red Admiral 1
Question Mark 3
Comma 4
Southern Pearly Eye 1
Creole Pearly Eye 2
Zabulon Skipper 2
Eastern Tailed Blue 1
Carolina Satyr 1
Snout 1
Spring Azure 1
We also observed a very small skipper, possibly Least Skipper.

Total species 21
Total individuals 68

Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge

Palamedes 13
Spicebush 1
Tiger Swallowtail 5
Variegated Fritillary 11
Sleepy Orange 1
Cloudless Sulphur 3
Eastern Tailed Blue 2
Spring Azure 1
Pearl Crescent 1
Buckeye 200+

We also observed many small Sulphur butterflies that never landed long enough to identify.

Total Species 10
Total individuals 38 plus 200+ Buckeyes plus 30-50 small yellow Sulphurs.

It was a very good butterfly day!!
Marty

Audubon’s Wannamaker Preserve, SC, April 6, 2008

 

Carolina Butterfly Society Midlands Chapter Trip Report

Our trip originally scheduled for April 5 was rescheduled for April 6 due to inclement weather. Four people were able to make it on April 6. They were: trip leader, Robin Carter, Elaine Stonecypher, and Dave and Marty Kastner. The day began with very overcast skies. After 10:00 the sun began to break through. Wannamaker Preserve has a trail that winds through a mostly wooded area. Our targeted butterfly was the Harvester. We found nine adult Harvester butterflies in three separate areas of the preserve. One was a tattered female who appeared to be ovipositing eggs on smilax. The Harvester caterpillars feed on Woolly Aphids on or near beech and alder trees. Though we found beech trees, we did not see any Woolly Aphids on them. An internet site had alerted us to the fact that Woolly Aphids and Harvester caterpillars may be on smilax (also known as catbrier and greenbrier). Smilax was abundant, but we did not see any Woolly Aphids on it either.

During our walk, we saw many low flying duskywing species, satyr species and dark swallowtails that did not stop for us to obtain an accurate identification. Even with a digital camera, at times it was difficult to distinguish between the female Horace’s Duskywing and Juvenal’s Duskywing.

The following are the totals that we could count:

Harvester 9
American Lady 4
Carolina Satyr 10
Gemmed Satyr 6
Tiger Swallowtail 6 (1 was a dark female)
Spicebush Swallowtail 5
Black Swallowtail 2
Horace’s Duskywing 2
Juvenal’s Duskywing 3
Cloudless Sulpher 5
Pearl Crescent 1
Silver-spotted Skipper 2
Red-Banded Hairstreak 1
Comma or Question Mark species 1
Morning Cloak 1

Total species: 15
Total Butterflies: 58

Marty Kastner

Methodist Oaks, SC, July 21, 2007

 

On July 21, The Midlands Chapter of The Carolina Butterfly Society visited The Methodist Oaks, a retirement center in Orangeburg. Five members attended the walk. We chose to walk through fields and down old roads the majority of the time. One of the fields was filled with Cassia, the host plant for the Cloudless Sulpher, Sleepy Orange and Little Yellow butterflies. The main pond had been drained, but left some wet areas where two species of butterflies were puddling. The weather started out cloudy, but soon changed to sunny. We were lucky in that July 21 was one of the days that the temperature only rose into the 80’s. In attendance were: Diane Curlee, Tommie Moody-Riewaldt, Elaine Stonecypher and Dave and Marty Kastner.

We observed the following butterflies:

14 Sleepy Orange
7 Little Yellow
11 Cloudless Sulpher (5 puddling)
1 Red-banded hairstreak
3 Tiger Swallowtail
2 Palamedes Swallowtail
4 Spicebush Swallowtail (3 puddling)
1 Pipevine Swallowtail (laying eggs)
4 Horace’s Duskywing
2 Zarucco Duskywing
2 Silver-spotted Skipper
12 Common Checkered Skipper (4 puddling)
1 Northern Cloudywing
1 Red Admiral
3 Summer Azure
5 Variegated Fritillary
2 Common Buckeye
1 American Lady

Total: 76 butterflies, 18 species

Marty

Clemson Sandhills Research Center, SC, May 6, 2007

 

The first Garden Walk of the Midlands Chapter was held on May 6 at the Clemson Sandhill Research Center in Columbia, SC. Six people attended, 4 members and 2 from the Triad Chapter. We began at 2:00 and ended at 4:30. The day was sunny and warm. There were very few nectar sources, mostly blackberry bushes. The following butterflies were observed:

Common Buckeye 11
Variegated Fritillary 14
Sleepy Orange 1
Cloudless Sulphur 1
Azure sp. 9
Silver-spotted Skipper 1
American Painted Ladies 3
Eastern Comma 1
Clouded Skipper 1
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 1

Marty Kastner