On July 21, The Midlands Chapter of The Carolina Butterfly Society visited
The Methodist Oaks, a retirement center in Orangeburg. Five members attended
the walk. We chose to walk through fields and down old roads the majority of
the time. One of the fields was filled with Cassia, the host plant for the
Cloudless Sulpher, Sleepy Orange and Little Yellow butterflies. The main
pond had been drained, but left some wet areas where two species of butterflies
were puddling. The weather started out cloudy, but soon changed to sunny.
We were lucky in that July 21 was one of the days that the temperature only
rose into the 80's. In attendance were: Diane Curlee, Tommie Moody-Riewaldt,
Elaine Stonecypher and Dave and Marty Kastner. We observed the following
butterflies:
14 Sleepy Orange
7 Little Yellow
11 Cloudless Sulpher (5 puddling)
1 Red-banded hairstreak
3 Tiger Swallowtail
2 Palamedes Swallowtail
4 Spicebush Swallowtail (3 puddling)
1 Pipevine Swallowtail (laying eggs)
4 Horace's Duskywing
2 Zarucco Duskywing
2 Silver-spotted Skipper
12 Common Checkered Skipper (4 puddling)
1 Northern Cloudywing
1 Red Admiral
3 Summer Azure
5 Variegated Fritillary
2 Common Buckeye
1 American Lady
Total: 76 butterflies, 18 species
I have attached some photos taken by Dave on our walk.
Marty
Common Checkered Skipper
Little Yellow
Pipevine Swallowtail
Spicebush and Others Puddling
Zarucco Duskywing