Hi everyone,

Bruce Grimes & I met Will Cook, Randy Emmitt, Lillian McElrath and her three children and a few other folks to search the fields along the Blue Ridge Parkway near Linville Falls. When we got there the skies were mostly overcast, but the clouds were thinning. We were delighted by how quickly the sun came out and so did the butterflies, though not a lot of variety. Meadow Fritillaries were the most common species in these fields this go round, and the most common plant in bloom was dandelions, but there were also violets, field pansies, and strawberries in flower along with a few golden ragworts.

I believe the two brown elfins (one seen by Will) were a surprise as neither was hanging out in the usual haunts, one in a hayfield, and the other in a sedgy, rushy meadow near a beaver pond. The 2nd one nectared on a grass like plant that was probably a wood rush (Luzula species).

It was quite a treat to see some butterflies very active as most of my outings for the year had been rather slow because of weather this spring. Special thanks to Randy for planning this outing. We didn't find any Grizzled Skippers, but the whole trip sure was a joy for me.

Here's the list of what we saw in the area (Avery County):

2 Pipevine Swallowtail
10 Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
2 Cabbage White
3 Clouded Sulphur (studied carefully)
9+ Orange Sulphur
2 Colias albinos that were prob. Orange Sulphurs
1 American Copper (very fresh)
2 Brown Elfins
2 Spring Azure
8 Eastern Tailed-Blue
38+ Meadow Fritillary (one was seen laying an egg near a violet, one nectared on bluets)
2 American Lady
1 Red Admiral
2 Mourning Cloak
2 Dreamy Duskywing
6 Juvenal's Duskywing
1 unid. duskywing (Sleepy?)

We also saw an Osprey, and a Broad-winged Hawk, four or more Solitary Sandpipers at the beaver pond, some tadpoles, a couple of Common Whitetail Dragonflies, and had some great looks!!!!! at Northern Parula and Black-throated Green Warblers.

Bruce & I headed north along the Parkway to Moses Cone Park, but saw little as the skies had become cloudier. We saw one Tiger Swallowtail nectaring on bluets at Julian Price Park, and at Moses Cone Park: Cabbage White nectaring on winter cress, one Orange Sulphur, and one jittery, and quick Spring Azure bobbling through a thicket.

Will Cook and Randy Emmitt also found a West Virginia White nectaring on Dandelions in Watauga County along the Blue Ridge Parkway just north of Moses Cone Park.

Best to you all,

Clyde Kessler
Radford, VA
ckessler@vt.edu