Stowe Botanical Garden Walk, May 16, 2004

Bob and Nancy Baldwin, Carolyn Turner, Jane Fraytet and I spent about 5 hours starting from 9:30 walking through Stowe Botanical Gardens in Belmont, NC on Sunday the 16th. The gardens were lush, larger and blooming but the leps were actually fewer than expected. However we did have a good number of species if not quantities.

A total of 19 species:

The most species were Cabbage White >12 and Colias species (not always easy to ascertain the distinction between Clouded and Orange while in flight which they seemed to stay in. They (Colias) were numerous in the fields of vetch at the end of the present garden area.

Clouded Sulphur 10+
Orange Sulphur 2 positive id probably more in distance and in flight
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 2
Silver-spotted Skipper 3
Question Mark 2
Comma 1
Confused Cloudywing 1
Variegated Fritillary 2
American Snout on Jane's hand
Spicebush 1
Azure 3
Red spotted Purple 2
Eastern Tailed Blue 2
Sachem 1
Pearl Crescent 2
American Lady 1
Silvery Checkerspot 1
Red Admiral 1

We met Charlie Williams (aka Andre Michaux) guiding a group of Catawba Land Conservancy members through the garden. Afterwards Nancy, Bob, Jane and I sought cooling relief and sustenance at the locally famous ice cream parlor, Tony's, in downtown Gastonia. Bob and Nancy had also graciously provided cheese, bread, strawberries and yogurt for all of us in the veranda of the garden.


Jules Fraytet

 


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