Sighting for July 7, 2013
Bill Berthet
Osceola National Forest N.W. Block Sandlin Bay Area West Central Block W. of Big Gum Swamp
Columbia County, FL
- Zebra Swallowtail 3
- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 27
- Spicebush Swallowtail 189
- Palamedes Swallowtail 1113
New Sighting
Windshield Survey #3 Osceola N.F. Swallowtails only
9:30A.M. - 4:30P.M.
Hi 80’s Partly Cloudy Winds S.E. 5-10
Most FR roads driven had to turn around due to flooding.
Parts of FR287, 289, 291, 274, 281, 237, 234, 218, 272, 285, 262A, 262, 236, and 233.
Most are freshly emerged and mineralizing along Forest Roads or nectaring on Carolina Redroot (Lachnanthes caroliniana) or Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
Several areas of observation included about 20 Palamedes mineralizing on the FR and flanked by Carolina Redroot in bloom on either side of the FR where dozens and dozens more were nectaring.
One E. Tiger was a dark form female
Over 60 Grey Hairstreaks all nectaring on Carolina Redroot