Butterflies, Flowers and Hummingbirds

Butterflies, flowers and hummingbirds--the fun and easy to see colors of late summer. 

Male Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, above and below on phlox.  Both hummingbirds and butterflies visit phlox.

Swallowtails are our largest butterflies in North America, and one of the most obvious because of their beautiful colors.  The male is always yellow, as shown in the above images.  The female can be either yellow or black.  But their large size and obvious color doesn't mean you can't discover a new species in the swallowtail family.  

Only seven years ago, a brand new eastern swallowtail species was discovered and categorized, the Appalachian Tiger Swallowtail.  Though very similar in appearance, amazingly, this species is even large than the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail and has a wider band of blue on its under-wings.  Visit the link to see the size difference and other more subtle differences between the two species:  Appalachian Tiger Swallowtail

The "warbler of butterflies", the skipper is usually a comparatively drab family of butterflies and its often difficult to separate the species.  The male Zebulon Skipper, however, is more brightly colored and it was fun to discover this male visiting my purple lantana, above and below.

This is also the time of years we enjoy an increase in hummingbird activity.  If you aren't seeing many, "put out more feeders" coached Bob Sargent at our recent hummingbird festival in Knoxville.  And it's true.  Add more flowers and more feeders and the hummingbirds will come.  Below, a mature male ruby-throat.  Did you know the ruby-throated male has black chin feathers?  Check the image.  This is not the shifting of light on iridescent feathers.  His red gorget begins right below his black chin.

By this time in August, hummingbirds from the north are already moving southward and local juveniles have fledged and are frequenting feeders.  Even those rare species that we sometimes find here in the winter are already arriving now.  The most common of these is the Rufous hummingbird, but Black-chinned hummingbirds, Allen's, Anna's and others have also been discovered migrating and wintering in the east, and sometimes they arrive as early as August. 

I enjoyed participating in a hummingbird banding session with Mark and Jane Armstrong recently and tried my hand at recording the data.  Jane was busy capturing and retrieving hummingbirds from the traps and Mark, who is a Master Bander in both song birds and hummingbirds, banded and processed the birds.  In a two hour period, 40 ruby-throated hummingbirds were processed with 32 newly banded and 8 recaptured.

Above you see a male ruby-throat in heavy molt.  The white streaks you see are pin feathers where new feathers are growing.  And below a recently fledged juvenile showing his bright yellow mouth as he chirps in protest.  He was skillfully banded, health evaluated, and released.

Upcoming:  Getting ready for Alaska--in seven days!

Links and Resources:

My blog posts on Hummingbird banding.  Visit this post to read the various species that have been documented in the east during fall and winter months.

Hummingbird Study Group

Appalachian Tiger Swallowtail
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Skippers

Late Plantings, Hummingbirds and Skippers

Though its late in the growing season, I had the urge to plant flowers earlier this week, a few of my favorite perennials--coneflowers and coreopsis.  I think the urge may have been prompted by simply seeing these flowers at one of my favorite garden shops, while earlier in the season I had been unable to find them.

Skipper on Lantana

But also, the increase in hummingbird activity was an encouragement.  As migrants pass through, I'm eager to provide plenty of energy-producing nectar to help them along their journey.  Males were guarding the feeders yesterday, three at a time, dividing the four feeders into their three separate territories.  It's fascinating to watch, each showing disinterest in the activity at a feeder only a few feet away from the one they're guarding. Today, it was clear there are also plenty of juveniles coming through, fanning tails and chirping loudly as they encountered each other.  Delightful company while I'm working in the flowers, sketching, or just enjoying the patio.

And today, while photographing a Silvery Checkerspot, I became intrigued with the skippers that are visiting the flowers.  In the past, skippers have struck me as drab brown butterflies of little interest.  But today, through my camera's lens, I saw them in an entirely different way, with subtle color, expressive big eyed faces, and the appearance of floppy antennae.

Silvery Checkerspot on Coreopsis grandiflora, above.  I think the seed pod is exquisite, too, with that mop of orange!  In the images below, skippers on white and purple coneflowers.

I have Kaufman's Field Guide to Butterflies of North American, but I'm making no attempt to identify which skippers you see in these photos.  Roughly one-third of all butterflies fall into the skipper family, a species group with subtle distinctions and high-speed flight patterns, providing a welcomed challenge to experienced butterfly enthusiasts.   I'm a beginner, so I'll welcome ID help from those of you out there who have skipper experience.

Tonight, I've been watching the reports as hurricane Irene progresses northward up the east coast, and feeling concern for friends and family, as well as, all of those in the path of this storm.  Sending heart-felt wishes for safety and comfort as people endure storm-related hardships in the hours ahead.

Below, one of my watercolor sketches of a white coneflower.  

Links and resources:

To see more sketches of the garden, visit, Coneflowers at Vickie's Sketchbook
Information on skippers from Bug Guide and Wiki
Wiki on Coneflowers
Wiki on Coreopsis; this particular variety is Coreopsis grandiflora.
Kaufman's Field Guide to Butterflies of North America

The Endangered El Segundo Blue Butterfly--A Story of Survival

'Wow' was all I could say when I heard about this little butterfly.  And then I read it's story.  

Named for the El Segundo coastal dunes along California's Santa Monica Bay in which it lives, the El Segundo blue butterfly--Euphilotes battoides allym--survived in three fragmented habitats a few years ago, the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) preserve, the Chevron El Segundo Refinery preserve, and in Malaga Cove on the Palos Verdes Pennisula.  Now due to more than thirty years of native plant restorative efforts and research, it also is occurring on dune preserves in Rodondo and Torrence.

A specialist species measuring less than an inch in size, it spends its entire life cycle in and around one plant, the Seacliff Buckwheat, also called Coast or Dune Buckwheat--Eriogonum parvifolium--and the life of the butterfly itself only lasts a few days.  It nectars on the buckwheat flower, mates, lays its eggs in the blossoms; its larvae eat the flowers and its pupae are formed at the base of the plant, emerging the next season, late June through July, as adult butterflies to start the cycle all over again.

Below, Travis Longcore describes the complex story of this butterfly's survival.  

And for an amazing and awe inspiring look at the timing and interconnected relationships in nature, view the video below.  This one tells the story of the symbiotic relationship between this butterfly species and ants, as well as, the very specialist nature of this butterfly.  Its adult emergence is perfectly timed with the blooming of its sole host plant, the Seacliff Buckwheat.  

As you read about and hear this story, you can't help but notice the human error, development without stewardship, and in turn, the human effort and historical timing that saved this species from extinction.  The endangered species act went into effect just as the disappearance of this butterfly was being noticed in the early 70's.  As a result, it was one of the first butterflies to be listed and protected.  Thirty years later, with the efforts of many dedicated people from all walks of life who organized themselves into action, this butterfly has gone from a scattered remnant population of only 500 to a population that is now flourishing, only because its native habitat is diligently being preserved and restored.

I love these come-back stories, ones that insure us we can make a difference.  And then I wonder how many species go unnoticed, and question why we can't incorporate preservation as a way of life--before a species is endangered.  My greatest hope is that we, the human species around the world, will evolve into that wisdom.  And soon!

Related Links:
Visit my sketches and the story of how I discovered this butterfly at A Restaurant, an Endangered Butterfly and a Life Bird at Vickie's Sketchbook.

Summary of the El Segundo Blue Butterfly's conservation history.  More about the butterfly's life history. 

The conservation efforts at Chevron's El Segundo Refinery. 

The Butterfly Conservation Initiative

Of Monarchs and Milkweed

In this second post about my visit to the meadow at Ijams Nature Center, I'm celebrating the Monarch I encountered at the end of my journey. Her timing was delightful. I watched for a while, as she sipped nectar, landed on milkweed leaves, sipped more nectar, then settled again on a milkweed leaf, before I finally experienced the "wow" of realizing she was busy laying eggs. What a privileged moment!
Later that night, I opened the book I've been reading, No Way Home: The Decline of the World's Great Animal Migrations, by David S. Wilcove, and as if by magic, I found myself reading about the discovery of Monarch multi-generational migration. What an amazing story of natural wonder, both the perseverance of devoted naturalists and the story of the Monarchs themselves.
As you may know, Monarch caterpillars only eat the poisonous milkweed plant in eastern North America but neither the butterfly nor its other life stages can survive winters in this region. So they migrate, some wintering along the coast of California, but most, millions of them in fact, funnel into an area of old-growth forests in the mountains of Mexico. Amazingly, it isn't warm there either. But because they store fat in their bodies and winter in a semi-stuporous state protected by the forest canopy, they survive, stirring now and then when the temperature is warm enough to drink water and rehydrate. Milkweed with seed pods

When the time is right, they begin their journey north again, timed with the emergence of milkweed, mating and laying eggs as they go. Caterpillars are hatched, metamorphosis begins and new generations of butterflies emerge. And somewhere in this cycle as the summer comes to an end, a generation reverses directions once again, turning south toward their wintering grounds, continuing their reproductive cycle as they journey. And this is only a tiny glimpse into the fascinating mysteries of these butterflies' lives.

Like all things on this earth and in nature, habitat is changing due to both natural and man-made influences. Species of North American milkweed are declining due to agricultural practices and Mexico's mountain forests, though protected, are being fragmented by logging which in turn is making Monarch's more vulnerable to the harshness of winter.

As I read this story in David Wilcove's style, I felt even more gratitude for the moment I shared with this Monarch and for places in Tennessee like Ijams Nature Center and Seven Islands Wildlife Refuge, where native plants grow full cycle and wildlife are supported in unfragmented habitat.

The more we learn about and understand the nature around us, the better stewards we become. Take a walk and investigate. And while you're out there enjoying the meadow, whisper "thank you" to the milkweed!

Next: The Bounty and the Goldfinch

The Yellow-throated Vireo, the Fritillary and Me

I laughed as I typed that title. What has prompted this post is Bird Photography Weekly #44, a meme that I have participated in since its inception. I wanted to post a species that I hadn't posted before. But then, I can't think of the Yellow-throated vireo without also thinking of butterflies and thistle. I'll come back to this.
On May 30th I visited Ijams Nature Center in Knoxville and had lunch with friend, Stephen Lyn Bales, a naturalist, fellow nature blogger and interpreter at Ijams. During our picnic lunch, this Yellow-throated vireo was singing pretty continuously and Stephen Lyn identified him by song. Catching a glimpse of the bird, I snapped a few images and the one below gave me the visual confirmation that I needed to find him in my Peterson's field guide. The vireos are new to me, but it seems this is my vireo year. Within the last month, I have seen and heard the Yellow-throated and the Blue-headed vireos and heard the song of the Red-eyed vireo.
I found some neat information in my Atlas of Breeding Birds of Tennessee about Yellow-throated vireos and cowbird predation. It doesn't always go the cowbird's way. "The Yellow-throated Vireo is frequently parasitized by Brown-headed Cowbirds and may occasionally build a new nest floor over a cowbird egg. [!] ....I have three times observed adult vireos feeding fledgling cowbirds....On 28 June 1986 a pair of vireos was seen fighting off a female cowbird attempting to approach the vireo's nest."--Charles P. Nicholson.

I also enjoyed the nest description from the atlas: "The nest is built of bark strips, plant fibers, and grasses held together with spider webs and lined with fine grasses or hair. The outside is decorated with lichens, moss, and masses of spider webbing, and Bent (1950) described it as the handsomest nest of any vireo." The account also reports that both the male and female sing frequently while incubating. (I love this book!) And that brings me to the thistle. Between the table where we ate and the vireo singing, there was a garden of bull thistles with sunlight and butterflies dancing on the blossoms. I could barely eat lunch for chasing the butterflies with my camera. And as I looked through the lens, I got an intimate view of the fritillary's proboscis as it probed the blossom and that fun little insect expression!
This only makes me want to know more, like where exactly is the nectar in that bull thistle blossom and how does that prob get to it? The more I watch, the more fascinating nature becomes and the more it sparks curiosity. This could keep me going for days!
And below, some Columbine blossoms that I passed along the way. Already past their prime, they were hanging like delicate beauty bells among the stiffened pods that are broadcasting seed for the next generation.

Linked to Bird Photography Weekly #44, at Birdfreak.com to promote the conservation of our world's birds.