Triad Chapter – Reedy Fork Trail, Guilford County, NC – March 19, 2022

The Triad Chapter of Carolina Butterfly Society held a successful outing on Saturday, March 19, on the Reedy Fork Trail in Guilford County, NC. Our target species was Falcate Orangetips. Shortly after we entered the trail we saw our first one and ultimately counted at least 7 individuals, of which at least three were females.

The chapter usually has morning butterfly outings but we began this trail walk around 1:30 on this official last day of winter when the air was warmer and butterflies were more likely to be flying. The temperature was around 70 degrees under a partly cloudy sky. We were concerned about the unusually high wind but it was quieter along the woodland trail than in the open parking area so presented no problems. We spent about an hour and a half on the trail.

Although there was a lot of blooming Hairy Bittercress, a host plant for our target species, none of the Falcate Orangetips paused long enough to allow photographs. In addition we spotted a larger high-flying orange-brown butterfly that was likely a Common Question Mark or Eastern Comma.

Mark your calendars: We intend to return to this same trail on April 9 in search of Zebra Swallowtails. By that time, the host plant for that species, pawpaw, should be blooming. We expect that Falcate Orangetips still will be flying, and sometimes we see other woodland butterflies along the trail this time of year.

Thanks to Anne Carlson for being the trip coordinator. She also will be the coordinator of the outing on April 9th. Let her know if you would like to join us.

Francis Marion NF and Santee Delta 6-2 and 6-3-18

Carolina Butterfly Society Trip Report
Santee Delta and Francis Marion National Forest
6/2/18 and 6/3/18

Dennis Forsythe led the CBS trip to Francis Marion National Forest and the Santee Delta area in South Carolina. The temperature got up to the low 90’s both days so it was hot and humid with mostly sunny skies. In attendance on 6/2 were John Demko, Lois Stacey, Rob Gilson, Chris Talkington, Alison Smith and Dave and Marty Kastner. In attendance on 6/3 were John Demko, Lois Stacey, Alison Smith, Elizabeth Anderegg, and Dave and Marty Kastner.

6/2/18 – 42 species
Santee Delta East 9:40 -10:15
Black Swallowtail 2 (plus 1 caterpillar)
Palamedes Swallowtail 1
Pearl Crescent 6
American Lady 1
Common Buckeye 1
Viceroy 1
Monarch 1
White Checkered-Skipper 2
Fiery Skipper 4
Rare Skipper 9 (lifer for many)
Broad-winged Skipper 7
Clouded Skipper 1

Santee Delta West 10:20 – 11:00
Variegated Fritillary 1
Pearl Crescent 26
Common Buckeye 1
Red-spotted Purple 1
Viceroy 6
Tawny Emperor 2
Carolina/Intricate Satyr 1
Gemmed Satyr 1
Silver-spotted Skipper 1
Horace’s Duskywing 1
White Checkered-Skipper 1
Rare Skipper 1
Broad-winged Skipper 3
Clouded Skipper 1

FMNF Palmer’s Bridge Road 11:30 – 12:40
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 15 (including 1 dark form)
Palamedes Swallowtail 9
Spicebush Swallowtail 1
Pipevine Swallowtail 2
Summer Azure 2
Pearl Crescent 15
Common Buckeye 1
Red-spotted Purple 1
Viceroy 1
Monarch 1
Southern Cloudywing 2
Horace’s Duskywing 4
Zarucco Duskywing 1
Swarthy Skipper 1
Least Skipper 1
Southern Skipperling 1
Whirlabout 2
Dun Skipper 4
Delaware Skipper 2
Byssus Skipper 13
Clouded Skipper 1
Yehl Skipper 6
Dion Skipper 4
Lace-winged Roadside-Skipper 5
Reversed Roadside-Skipper 3 (lifer for many)
Twin-spot Skipper 13
Brazilian Skipper 1

FMNF NF 211 12:46
Palamedes Swallowtail 2
American Snout 1
Delaware Skipper 1
Twin-spot Skipper 4

FMNF Highway 45 1:10
Tiger Swallowtail 2

FMNF NF 223 1:35 – 3:00
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 57+ (including 2 dark form)
Palamedes Swallowtail 46+
Spicebush Swallowtail 1
Gray Hairstreak 1
Hairstreak species 1
Pearl Crescent 8
Variegated Fritillary 1
Common Buckeye 4
Carolina/Intricate Satyr 1
Little Wood-Satyr 1
Southern Cloudywing 3
Duskywing species 1
Swarthy Skipper 2
Whirlabout 18
Dun Skipper 2
Delaware Skipper 5
Reversed Roadside-Skipper 1
Twin-spot Skipper 4

FMNF Halfway Creek Road (Florida Bay and powerline cut) 3:25-4:20
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 1
Palamedes Swallowtail 3
Spicebush Swallowtail 4
Pipevine Swallowtail 1
Sleepy Orange 1
Gray Hairstreak 2
Pearl Crescent 4
Variegated Fritillary 1
Common Buckeye 2
Little Wood-Satyr 1
Georgia Satyr 12 (lifer for some)
Monarch 3
Southern Cloudywing 4
Horace’s Duskywing 2
Swarthy Skipper 1
Dun Skipper 1
Twin-spot Skipper 1

FMNF FS 6419 4:00
Gulf Fritillary 1 (Dennis only)

6/3/18 – 27 species
FMNF Dog Swamp Road 9:45 – 10:45
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 17
Palamedes Swallowtail 7
Sleepy Orange 1
Summer Azure 10
Pearl Crescent 2
Common Buckeye 4
Viceroy 1
Little Wood-Satyr 2
Swarthy Skipper 8
Whirlabout 1
Delaware Skipper 5
Byssus Skipper 3
Clouded Skipper 5
Reversed Roadside-Skipper 10
Twin-spot Skipper 3

FMNF Steed Creek Road 11:26-11:40
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 8
Pearl Crescent 5
Clouded Skipper 1
Reversed Roadside-Skipper 2

FMNF FS 5110
Pearl Crescent 2
Georgia Satyr 1

FMNF ¼ mile past South Hampton Rd. off of Steed Creek Road 12:11
Pearl Crescent 1
Horace’s Duskywing 1

FMNF FS 6319
Summer Azure 1
King’s Hairstreak 1 (Dennis only)
American Snout 1
Horace’s Duskywing 1
Unidentified 1

FMNF Farewell Corner Road 1:10 – 4:00
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 35
Black Swallowtail 1
Palamedes Swallowtail 17
Pipevine Swallowtail 1
Sleepy Orange 1
Summer Azure 1
Variegated Fritillary 2
Pearl Crescent 13
American Snout 2
Common Buckeye 9
Red-spotted Purple 3
Monarch 15 (+ 1 egg)
Georgia Satyr 6
Southern Cloudywing 3
Horace’s Duskywing 6
Swarthy Skipper 1
Fiery Skipper 2
Whirlabout 10
Tawny-edged Skipper 1
Delaware Skipper 8
Byssus Skipper 2
Reversed Roadside-Skipper 3

FMNF Hell Hole Road 4:30 – 5:00
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 6
Pearl Crescent 1
American Snout 2
Common Buckeye 2
Red-spotted Purple 1
Duskywing species 5

Triangle Chapter — Occoneechee Mtn SP — March 29, 2018

We had a great walk with Ellen, Karen & Joe, Barbara & Tom, Lynn, and Carla. It was mostly sunny and 77 degrees. We saw the following butterflies:

Brown Elfin – 1
Henry’s Elfin -1
Elfin sp. – 5
Juvenal’s Duskywing – 24
Falcate Orangetip – 2
Morning Cloak – 2
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail – 2
Spicebush Swallowtail – 1
Eastern Comma -1
Anglewing sp. – 2

John Jarvis
Hillsborough, NC

Left: Brown Elfin; Right: Juvenal’s Duskywing
Photos by Barbara Driscoll

Peachtree Rock Heritage Preserve — Lexington, SC — March 17, 2018

Carolina Butterfly Society Midlands Chapter Trip Report
Peachtree Rock Heritage Preserve and Shealy’s Pond Heritage Preserve
Lexington, SC • March 17, 2018

The day was cool, mostly cloudy and windy with temps in the 50’s and 60’s, but the group was still hoping to see the Brown Elfin. Unfortunately that did not happen. Very few butterflies were found as they searched from 12:00-3:30. Dave Kastner was our leader. In attendance were Alison Smith, Alice Clark, John Demko and James Wilson.

Peachtree Rock HP
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 1
Red-banded Hairstreak 1
Gray Hairstreak 1
Juvenal’s Duskywing 1
Duskywing species 1
Hairstreak species 1

Shealy’s Pond HP
Dave went to this site to search for butterflies from 3:45-4:45.

Silver-spotted Skipper 1
Azure species 1
Duskywing species 1

Submitted by Marty Kastner

CBS — Myrtle Beach, SC — September 23-24, 2017

CBS Trip Report
Myrtle Beach Area
September 23 and 24, 2017

On September 23rd and 24th CBS butterflied various sites in the Myrtle Beach area.  Scott Hartley was our organizer for all of the areas and leader for most.  We began at Myrtle Beach State Park on the 23rd at 8:45 and ended there at 10:10.  In attendance were Dennis and Lynn Burnette, Chris and Cheryl Talkington and Dave and Marty Kastner.

Sleepy Orange   2
Cloudless Sulphur   7
Gulf Fritillary   34
Painted Lady   1
Lady species   3
Common Buckeye   12
Monarch   2
Long-tailed Skipper   8
Horace’s Duskywing   3
Swarthy Skipper   1
White Checkered-Skipper   2
Fiery Skipper   10
Whirlabout   2
Sachem   2
Clouded Skipper   13
Skipper species   3

Our next stop was Hobcaw Barony, a privately owned research reserve near Georgetown, from 11:00-3:30 which included about 30 minutes for lunch.  We visited the butterfly garden around the visitor center and then Wendy Allen drove the passenger van and led us to other areas of the reserve.  In attendance were Scott Hartley, Don Allemann, Dennis Burnette and Lynn Burnette, Maggie Martin, Chris and Cheryl Talkington and Dave and Marty Kastner.

Palamedes Swallowtail   5
Cloudless Sulphur   27
Little Yellow   11
Red-banded Hairstreak   2
Gray Hairstreak   15
Eastern Pygmy-Blue   9
Azure species   2
Gulf Fritillary   19
Zebra Heliconian   3
Pearl Crescent   3
Painted Lady   5
Common Buckeye   2
Long-tailed Skipper   27
Pearly-eye species   1
Carolina/Intricate Satyr   5
Horace’s Duskywing   1
Eufala Skipper   1
Least Skipper   6
Fiery Skipper   4
Whirlabout   3
Sachem   1
Dun Skipper   1
Clouded Skipper   6
Lace-winged Roadside-Skipper   1
Salt Marsh Skipper   8
Ocola Skipper   13

We ended Saturday with a walk along Pier Road to the Winyah Bay Fishing and Observation Pier in Georgetown from 4:10-4:40.

Cloudless Sulphur   4
Little Yellow   1
Gray Hairstreak   1
Gulf Fritillary   7
Painted Lady   1
Silver-spotted Skipper   2
Long-tailed Skipper   1
Clouded Skipper   1
Broad-winged Skipper   1
Ocola Skipper   1

On Sunday, September 24 we headed to Lewis Ocean Bay and butterflied there from 10:00-12:30.  Scott Hartley was again our leader.   In attendance were Dennis Burnette and Lynn Burnette, Sudie Thomas and her son, Garrett and his friend, and Dave and Marty Kastner.

On the dirt road leading to Lewis Ocean Bay we had:

Cloudless Sulphur   13
Sleepy Orange   2
Gulf Fritillary   2

At Lewis Ocean Bay we had:

Palamedes Swallowtail   13
Sleepy Orange   27
Cloudless Sulphur   66
Little Yellow   9
Red-banded Hairstreak   2
Gray Hairstreak   5
Eastern Tailed-Blue   6
Gulf Fritillary   7
Variegated Fritillary   1
Pearl Crescent   3
Painted Lady   1
Common Buckeye   16
Silver-spotted Skipper   1
Long-tailed Skipper   13
Horace’s Duskywing   2
Zarucco Duskywing   1
Checkered-Skipper species   1
Fiery Skipper   1
Whirlabout   1
Dun Skipper   2
Clouded Skipper   12
Ocola Skipper   5

When other folks headed home, Dave and I headed to Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge and walked the yellow trail to Cox Lake from 1:00-3:30.

Palamedes Swallowtail   3
Sleepy Orange   3
Cloudless Sulphur   6
Red-Banded Hairstreak   1
Gray Hairstreak   1
Eastern Tailed-Blue   1
Gulf Fritillary   8
Pearl Crescent   6
Lady species   1
Red-spotted Purple   1
Southern Pearly-Eye   2
Creole Pearly-Eye   1
Carolina/Intricate Satyr   5
Zarucco Duskywing   2
Checkered-Skipper species   1
Fiery Skipper   1

Submitted by Marty Kastner

Midlands Chapter — Orangeburg, SC — September 16, 2017

Carolina Butterfly Society Midlands Chapter
Trip Report
SI Group (formerly Albemarle)
Orangeburg, SC
September 16, 2017

On September 16 the CBS Midlands Chapter visited the Si Group’s Hundred Acre Woods. It was sunny and warm with the high reaching the upper 80’s. Numbers of many species were lower than our visit on September 19, 2015. These are shown with an asterisk. Missing this year were Black Swallowtail, Great Purple Hairstreak, Red-Banded Hairstreak, Red Admiral, Southern Skipperling, Least Skipper, Zabulon Skipper, Whirlabout, and Ocola Skipper.
Diane Curlee organized and Arthur Sweatman from SI Group led our walk. In attendance were Alison Smith and Marty and Dave Kastner.

Palamedes Swallowtail 2* (+ 1 caterpillar)
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 5* (1 dark female)
Sleepy Orange 44+
Cloudless Sulphur 25+
Gray Hairstreak 4*
American Lady 1 (on Goldenrod being eaten by a spider)
Gulf Fritillary 19* (+ 2 caterpillars)
Variegated Fritillary 3*
Common Buckeye 15 (+ 4 caterpillars)
Red-spotted Purple 3*
Viceroy 1*
Goatweed Leafwing 4* (no caterpillars, one ovipositing)
Southern Pearly-eye 2
Carolina/Intricate Satyr 6*
Monarch 1
Silver-spotted Skipper 1
Long-tailed Skipper 1
Horace’s Duskywing 1
White Checkered-Skipper 5
Tropical Checkered-Skipper 1
Checkered-Skipper species 4
Fiery Skipper 2*
Dun Skipper 3*
Clouded Skipper 8*

Marty Kastner
Richland County, SC

Mt. Mitchell State Park & Savannah Nat’l Wildlife Refuge, SC — August 26-27, 2017

Five members of the north Florida NABA Hairstreak Chapter (Travis & Karen MacClendon, Brian Lloyd, Amy Sang, and myself) made a whirlwind visit this past weekend Aug. 26 & 27) to Mt. Mitchell State Park, NC, and Savannah National Wildlife Refuge, SC, specifically targeting Green Comma and Rare Skipper. The weather on Mt. Mitchell was mostly overcast with cloud banks rolling in on top of us, punctuated with occasional bouts of sunshine. We spent roughly 4 hours there, beginning at 9:30 a.m. The weather at Savannah National Wildlife Refuge was mostly cloudy with a light drizzle at times (tropical system moving by offshore). We only drove the Laurel Hill Wildlife Drive at Savannah NWR, beginning at 9:00 a.m. and finishing up 2.5 hours later. Results:

Mt. Mitchell State Park:
Pipevine Swallowtail – abundant (40+)
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail – 2
Orange Sulphur – 2
Summer Azure – 3
Eastern Tailed-Blue – 2
Pearl Crescent – 4
Painted Lady – approx. 12
Red Admiral – 1
Monarch – 1 (unexpected at this elevation)
GREEN COMMA – 5
Clouded Skipper – 2
Sachem – 3
Unknown Fritillary (male, either Great Spangled or Aphrodite, we could not get close but have photos)

Savannah National Wildlife Refuge:
Cloudless Sulphur – common (at least a dozen)
Sleepy Orange – 2
Red-banded Hairstreak – 1
Gulf Fritillary – common (at least 8)
Zebra Heliconian – 1
Red-spotted Purple – 1
Zarucco Duskywing – 1
Long-tailed Skipper – 1
Tropical Checkered-Skipper – 2
Broad-winged Skipper – 3
RARE SKIPPER – 7
Unknown Skipper (probable Tawny-edged)

It was a good, although exhausting, trip. Special thank you to Dennis Forsythe for information about Savannah NWR and Rare Skippers. Past Carolinaleps trip reports were also invaluable.

Triad Chapter — Reynolda Gardens, Winston-Salem, NC — August 26, 2017

The Triad Chapter of the Carolina Butterfly Society held a butterfly walk in Reynolda Gardens, Winston-Salem, Forsyth Co., NC, on 8-26-17. This was a substitute location for the trip scheduled for the Greensboro Arboretum that was announced earlier.

It was a comfortable morning for butterfly watchers, although a bit cool and cloudy at the start for the butterflies. We began at 9:30 with a temperature of 68 degrees and an overcast sky. Butterflies were scarce. However, as the clouds blew away and revealed the sun, the air began to warm and butterflies became more active. It was about 80 degrees and sunny when we finished just before noon.

We saw 12 species of butterflies, including 11 Black Swallowtail caterpillars on one dill plant. There were no real surprises, although we saw two Painted Ladies but no American Ladies.

One plant in the garden caught just about everyone’s attention: a vine with hundreds of racemes of small deep orange to pale yellow flowers, Ipomoea lobata, which is in the same genus as morning glories. This plant, known variously as Firecracker Vine, Spanish Flag, and Exotic Love Vine, is a native of Brazil, according to Wikipedia. It was well attended by hummingbirds, in addition to drawing many pollinators of different species.

We had 8 participants for this field trip including Don Allemann, Gerry & Diana Berry, Dennis Burnette, Barbara Cullen, Lois Koufman, Maggie Martin, and Gene Schepker.

Here is our butterfly list for the morning:

Black Swallowtail caterpillars 11
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 3
Cabbage White 3
Cloudless Sulphur 1
Painted Lady 2 (no American Ladies)
Red-spotted Purple 2
Monarch 3
Silver-spotted Skipper 5
Clouded Skipper 3
Fiery Skipper 4
Sachem 8
Ocola Skipper 1

Dennis

Midlands Chapter — Wee Tee State Forest, SC — August 23, 2017

Carolina Butterfly Society
Midlands Chapter Trip Report
Wee Tee State Forest, Williamsburg County, SC
8/23/17

On August 23rd, five of us braved the heat and humidity to look for butterflies in the Wee Tee State Forest. We were out from 10:00 – 3:00 and were rewarded with 45 species. Dennis Forsythe was our trip leader. In attendance were Tom Austin, Salley Dupree and Dave and Marty Kastner.

Spicebush Swallowtail 1
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 1
Palamedes Swallowtail 1
Little Yellow 13
Sleepy Orange 28
Cloudless Sulphur 21
Summer Azure – 1
Red-banded Hairstreak – 1
Gray Hairstreak 3
Gulf Fritillary 29 (no Variegated Fritillaries)
Zebra Heliconian 7 (a nice surprise)
Pearl Crescent 38
Painted Lady 1
Red Admiral 1
American Snout 1
Common Buckeye 4
Red-spotted Purple 1
Hackberry Emperor 2
Tawny Emperor 1
Southern Pearly-eye 2
Monarch 25 (another nice surprise!)
Viceroy 2
Carolina Satyr 14
Intricate Satyr 4 (confirmed by Tom Austin – photographed)
Carolina or Intricate Satyr 6
Gemmed Satyr 1
Silver-spotted Skipper 2
Long-tailed Skipper 3
Southern Cloudywing 1
Horace’s Duskywing 2
Zarucco Duskywing 1
Duskywing species 3
Tropical Checkered-Skipper 8
White Checkered-Skipper 2
Checkered-Skipper species 5
Swarthy Skipper 1
Least Skipper 2
Fiery Skipper 16
Whirlabout 4
Southern Broken-Dash 2
Little Glassywing 2
Dun Skipper 44
Byssus Skipper 8
Zabulon Skipper 15
Clouded Skipper 22
Lace-winged Roadside Skipper 5
Ocola Skipper 3

Marty Kastner
Richland County, SC

CBS — Richland County, SC — July 28-30, 2017

Carolina Butterfly Society Trip Report
Heathwood Hall Episcopal School
Richland County, SC
July 28, 2017

On July 28, CBS butterflied on the grounds of Heathwood Hall from 2:45-4:20. The weather was partly cloudy, hot and humid. This was one of the walks of the symposium weekend. In attendance were Donnie Bain from Heathwood Hall, Pat and Jerry Bright and their grandson, Caroline Eastman, James Wilson, Susan Creed, Barb Driscoll, Cyndy Hummel, and Dave and Marty Kastner.

Zebra Swallowtail 4
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 4 (including one dark form female)
Dark Swallowtail species 1
Cloudless Sulphur 1
Sleepy Orange 8
Red-banded Hairstreak 2
Gulf Fritillary 2
Variegated Fritillary 5
Silvery Checkerspot 13
American Lady 1
Red Admiral 3
American Snout 3
Common Buckeye 3
Hackberry Emperor 3
Carolina/Intricate Satyr 2
Satyr species 1
Silver-spotted Skipper 8
White Checkered-Skipper 1
Hayhurst’s Scallopwing 3
Fiery Skipper 1
Clouded Skipper 2

Carolina Butterfly Society Trip Report
Cayce Riverwalk Timmerman Trail
Lexington County, SC
July 30, 2017

On July 30 CBS held a post-symposium butterfly walk on the Timmerman Trail from 9:50-1:45. The weather was sunny with lower humidity. Temperatures ranged from the mid 70’s to the mid 80’s. In attendance were John Demko, Barb Driscoll, Jerry Bright, Jim Boylston, Salley Dupree, Alison Smith, Susan and Bobby Creed, James Wilson and Dave and Marty Kastner.

Zebra Swallowtail 5
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 3 (including two dark form females)
Dark Swallowtail species 1
Spicebush Swallowtail 2
Cloudless Sulphur 7 (one ovipositing)
Sleepy Orange 8
Red-banded Hairstreak 2
Summer Azure 1
Variegated Fritillary 2
Silvery Checkerspot 5
Pearl Crescent 5
Eastern Comma 1
American Lady 1
Red Admiral 2
Common Buckeye 2
Red-spotted Purple 1
Hackberry Emperor 7
Silver-spotted Skipper 2
Horace’s Duskywing 22
White Checkered-Skipper 4
Least Skipper 1
Fiery Skipper 2
Clouded Skipper 4
Skipper species 2

Marty Kastner