Sighting for May 17, 2014
Harry Zirlin/Steve Rosenthal
Lakehurst, Warren Grove ,MM9 on RT 72 ("Chatsworth")
Ocean County, NJ
- Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 4
- Spicebush Swallowtail 2
- Cabbage White 3
- American Copper 3
- Brown Elfin 2
- Hoary Elfin 20+
- Eastern Tailed-Blue 10+
- Spring Azure 20+
- Pearl Crescent 4
- American Lady 6
- Juvenal's Duskywing 15+
- Cobweb Skipper 1
Azures were two different entities: Most were fresh and what some taxonomists have described as Celastrina idella and the few others were well-worn early-flying taxon that feed on Blueberry sp. in the barrens and is referred to by some as a disjunct population of C. lucia. At MM9, the famous Hessel’s locality, there were far more butterfliers than butterflies (7 to 2) and I saw no Hessel’s although I saw an email report later that stated one came down late in the afternoon. I suspect that spot is subject to insecticide drift from adjacent commercial blueberry field. The weather was sunny a good deal of the day and low numbers of species and individuals is perplexing and troubling.