Folks:

We had a very successful end-of-the-count-season "Fourth of July" count on Mainland Dare County on Saturday, Sept. 8. Five folks showed up, including Dave Powell, who visited from FL for several days with Jeff Pippen, adding skippers to his life list and to his list of species photographed. Will Cook and Toni Rexrode also participated. The weather was bright sun for most of the day, low humidity, and temps reaching around 85 degrees -- excellent conditions.

Fortunately, there was no evidence of mosquito spraying this year. Yes, there were mosquitoes, which is actually good. Let's you know that the State or County probably hasn't been spraying, killing butterflies/larvae in the process. But, the Phragmites continues to smother more and more mistflower (Eupatorium coelestinum). But, we found some other places with mistflower we hadn't stumbled onto before.

In addition to the butterflies, the major highlight was a 4.5' canebrake (i.e., timber) rattlesnake crossing Long Curve Road, then pausing for several minutes for everyone to see.
Even a passing car stopped and the driver took a photo! It was bigger in girth than I have ever seen a snake in NC, perhaps as big as a baseball in the middle! Yes, a bear seen a while later was ho, hum compared to the snake.

3 Black Swallowtail
5 E. Tiger Swallowtail
2 Spicebush Swallowtail
350 Palamedes Swallowtail
2 Orange Sulphur called Colias sp. by observers, but I don't think Cloudeds are here
200 Cloudless Sulphur a low total
1 Little Yellow seen by Will
80 Sleepy Orange
22 Great Purple Hairstreak probably an all-time National high, but no big deal here
20 Gray Hairstreak
95 Red-banded Hairstreak
3 E. Tailed-Blue
1 Summer Azure
28 Pearl Crescent
1 Question Mark
2 Mourning Cloak 1 in same spot as last year!
12 American Lady
45 Painted Lady probably new to the count, but quite widespread and common this year
6 Red Admiral
10 Common Buckeye
7 Viceroy
3 Carolina Satyr
12 Georgia Satyr a surprise, though habitat is good; not seen here previously be me on 4-5 Sept. trips
30 Common Wood-Nymph
1 Monarch
1 Zarucco Duskywing
4 Common Checkered-Skipper
4 Common Sootywing these last 2 species in the farm fields off Long Curve Road
60 Clouded Skipper
3 Least Skipper
10 Fiery Skipper
10 Tawny-edged Skipper
1 Crossline Skipper
1 Whirlabout a bit of a surprise, as perhaps not resident here
25 Southern Broken-Dash
2 Northern Broken-Dash
1 Delaware Skipper
3 Aaron's Skipper
3 Broad-winged Skipper
5 Palatka Skipper
40 Dion Skipper as with some other skippers, might be tops in the country for this year
22 Berry's Skipper A national record, by far. 20 Lace-winged Roadside-Skipper
2 Carolina Roadside-Skipper
5 Twin-spot Skipper
6 Salt Marsh Skipper
1 Ocola Skipper

47 species; 1170 individuals

Harry LeGrand
harry.legrand@ncmail.net