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

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

On September 23^rd and 24^th 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 23^rd 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

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

Carolina Butterfly Society Trip Report

Chris Talkington led the Carolina Butterfly Society on walks at several sites in North Carolina on June 3rd and 4th. At all sites, the weather was mostly sunny and hot.

Weymouth Woods, Moore County
6/3/17 9:30-12:00
In attendance were Bud Webster, Rob Gilson, Roger Shaw, Taylor Piephoff, Claire Dayton, Susan Campbell and Dave and Marty Kastner.

Spicebush Swallowtail 3
Edwards’ Hairstreak 1 (lifer for many)
King’s Hairstreak 3 (lifer for some)
Gray Hairstreak 2
Summer Azure 2
Azure species 7
Eastern Tailed-Blue 1
Common Buckeye 3
Red-spotted Purple 1
Creole Pearly-eye 1
Horace’s Duskywing 4
Duskywing species 1
Skipper species 1

Sandhills Gamelands, Richmond County
6/3/17 1:00-3:00
In attendance were Bud Webster, Rob Gilson, Roger Shaw, Taylor Piephoff, Claire Dayton and Dave and Marty Kastner.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 1
Spicebush Swallowtail 5
Sleepy Orange 1
Gray Hairstreak 5
Azure species 5
Eastern Tailed-Blue 5
Gulf Fritillary 1
Variegated Fritillary 11
Pearl Crescent 14
American Lady 1
Common Buckeye 51
Red-spotted Purple 1
Southern Cloudywing 1
Cloudywing species 1
Horace’s Duskywing 3
Zarucco Duskywing 2
Least Skipper 1
Fiery Skipper 1
Dun Skipper 1

Sandhills Horticultural Gardens at Sandhills Community College, Moore County
6/3/17 3:30-5:00
In attendance were Rob Gilson, Roger Shaw, Claire Dayton and Dave and Marty Kastner.

Spicebush Swallowtail 1
American Lady 7
Common Buckeye 6
Carolina Satyr 1
Satyr species 2
Silver-spotted Skipper 1
Horace’s Duskywing 3
Duskywing species 1
Fiery Skipper 4
Dun Skipper 1
Dion Skipper 6 (lifer for some)

Carvers Creek State Park, Cumberland County
6/4/17 9:30-12:00
In attendance were Rob Gilson, Roger Shaw, Claire Dayton and Dave and Marty Kastner.

Spicebush Swallowtail 1
Cloudless Sulphur 3
Summer Azure 1
Eastern Tailed-Blue 1
Variegated Fritillary 5
Pearl Crescent 5
Common Buckeye 13
Red-spotted Purple 2
Carolina Satyr 1
Horace’s Duskywing 1
Clouded Skipper 1
Skipper species 1 (possible Dion)

Marty Kastner
Blythewood, SC

Carolina Butterfly Society Trip Report

The Carolina Butterfly Society held walks in Aiken County, SC on April 29 and 30. Both days began cloudy and overcast but there was some sun in the afternoon. Temperatures were in the low to upper 80’s.

Gum Swamp Road
April 29, 2017 10:00-3:30 In attendance were Jerry and Pat Bright, Jackie Hill and Dave and Marty Kastner (leaders).

Spicebush Swallowtail 1
Black Swallowtail 5
Palamedes Swallowtail 2
Zebra Swallowtail 13
Checkered White 1
Cabbage White 10
Cloudless Sulphur 13
Sleepy Orange 3
Orange Sulphur 2
Eastern Tailed-Blue 8
Variegated Fritillary 1
Silvery Checkerspot 1
Pearl Crescent 17
Question Mark 3
Eastern Comma 2
Anglewing species 1
American Lady 6
American Snout 68
Common Buckeye 4
Red-spotted Purple 3
Hackberry Emperor 8
Carolina/Intricate Satyr 1
Gemmed Satyr 2
Satyr species 1
Monarch 2
Horace’s Duskywing 2
White Checkered-Skipper 4

American Lady larva 1

Aiken Gopher Tortoise Heritage Preserve
April 30, 2017 10:00-2:00 In attendance were Caroline Eastman, Jim and Jackie Hill with two guests, John Demko, and Dave and Marty Kastner (leaders who were an hour late due to a flat tire caused by a nail!).

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 1
Palamedes Swallowtail 1
Spicebush Swallowtail 2
Swallowtail species 1 (probably Spicebush)
Cabbage White 1
Cloudless Sulphur 4
Common Buckeye 31

Variegated Fritillary larva 6
American Lady larva 1

Marty Kastner
Richland County, SC

All,

Our group had the following butterflies during our day-long trip to Savannah NWR.

Tupelo Trail 9:45-10:15
Cloudless Sulfurs 6
Gulf Fritillary 5

Near maintenance area N of Alligator Alley 10:15-11:30
Cloudless Sulfur 3
Gulf Fritillary 1
Zebra Longwing 2
Hackberry Emperor1
Long-tailed Skipper 4

Wildlife Drive Parking Lot 10:30-10:45
Cloudless Sulfur 5
Gulf Fritillary 9
Long-tailed Skipper 2

Laurel Hill Wildlife Drive 10:50-12:45
Palamedes Swallowtail 1
Cloudless Sulfur 15
Sleepy Orange 1
Gulf Fritillary 4
Zebra Longwing 13
Common Buckeye 2
Tropical Checkered Skipper 1

Hy 170 at exit to wildlife drive 12:45-12:55 massive stand of Spanish Needles
Cloudless Sulfur 4
Gulf Fritillary 8
Long-tailed Skipper 10
Duskywing sp
Fiery Skipper 2
Broad-winged Skipper 7
Ocola Skipper 100

Refuge Visitors center 1-2 PM
Palamedes Swallowtail 1
Cloudless Sulfur 1
Red Admiral 1
Common Buckeye 2
Gulf Fritillary 15 + cats
Zebra Longwing 2
Variegated Fritillary 1
Ocola Skipper 3

Dennis
—
Dennis M. Forsythe PhD
[email protected]

On Saturday, Sept. 24, twenty folks gathered at the Blue Ridge Music Center on the Parkway for a nature field trip. This was a joint trip with Carolina Butterfly Society, NC Native Plant Society, Piedmont Bird Club, and Audubon, so we had lots of knowledgeable people to help identify butterflies and other critters. By the end of the trip, we had recorded 18 species of butterflies.

This date was chosen because it’s near the peak of migration for Monarch Butterflies. These butterflies tend to follow the Parkway on their journey south to Mexico. We didn’t see a huge number this time, but we did see two adults and four caterpillars. Several people got to watch as Meadow Fritillaries, a higher elevation species that we don’t have in the Piedmont, were laying eggs in a meadow near their caterpillar host plant, violets.

After exploring the music center, we had a picnic and then proceeded south on the Blue Ridge Parkway for a few miles. The early autumn wildflowers were blooming in profusion. As hoped, there was something to see for just about everyone on this beautiful, sunny, cool fall day.

With 20 people scattered around seeing different things in different places, it turned out to be impossible to get an accurate count of individual butterflies. Consequently, the numbers next to the species below are estimates and in some cases probably low.

Butterfly List BRP 9-24-16

Black Swallowtail 1 + 1 cat
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 2
Cabbage White 10
Clouded Sulphur 10
Orange Sulphur 10
Cloudless Sulphur 20
Sleepy Orange 5
Gray Hairstreak 1
Variegated Fritillary 5+
Great Spangled Fritillary 10
Meadow Fritillary 5+
Pearl Crescent 15
Common Buckeye 3
Red-spotted Purple 1
Monarch 2 + 4 cats
Horace’s Duskywing 1
Least Skipper 2
Sachem 5+

18 species
——-
Dennis Burnette

On Sunday afternoon, Sept. 11, we had a joint field trip with NC Native Plant Society, TG Pearson Audubon, and Piedmont Bird Club to a farm in Jamestown, Guilford County that the owner, Marie Poteat, has turned into a wildlife preserve with Piedmont prairies, woodlands, and ponds.

It was a beautiful day with temperatures in the mid to upper 80s, partly cloudy sky, and a slight breeze. The large group of 32 participants was divided into three smaller groups that went in different directions.

With birders and native plant enthusiasts on hand, there was a lot knowledge in the groups. Marie’s property already had a lot of beautiful native plants, and she has spent the last several years reintroducing native grasses, many insect- and bird-friendly nectar and pollen plants, and fruit-bearing native shrubs.

Highlight for the butterfliers included a Hackberry Emperor that landed on the sign-in table as people were gathering, a fresh Variegated Fritillary laying eggs on native Passionflower vine (spotted by Maggie Martin), and numerous Cloudless Sulphurs. We also saw several Eastern Tiger Swallowtails, mating Eastern Tailed-blues, a Summer Azure, Sleepy Oranges, and a Common Buckeye. Missing from the various reports were most skippers. Only one, a Fiery Skipper, was reported.

Dennis Burnette