Well, it’s that time again. Autumn is not officially here yet, but the signs are becoming more apparent.
This week on a Lower Towamensing Township drive, I noticed the red leaves of tupelo (black gum) starting to brighten the roadsides.
The herbaceous plant called white snakeroot is showing its fall white blooms.
The black walnut trees are already dropping a few of their yellow leaflets and the squirrels are busy grabbing the almost-ripened nuts.
I even found a few acorns on a dirt road I often travel.
Luckily, there are still flowers blooming, and those are attracting some of the beautiful butterfly species that are still alive. I did notice that many of the wings of the swallowtails are starting to show some wear after who knows how many miles, they have on them. Their time gracing our backyards is limited.
Just as we know that spring flowers like trout lilies, dame’s rocket or celandine only bloom for a short time in spring, butterfly species are much the same.
A mourning cloak butterfly emerges from its winter dormancy to be the first butterfly species seen in spring. But you won’t find them in July.
If you look for monarch butterflies in June, you won’t be successful. They’ll arrive in our area much later and, by my nature notes, you may still see one migrating near the beginning of October.
I’ll try to present to you the butterfly species that may still be active about the time you read this column. Go to your flower garden or the nearest meadow and try to spy a few beauties. So, get out there. …
Test Your Outdoor Knowledge: Male butterflies commonly gather at mud puddles to get salt and minerals needed for breeding. This process is called: A. puddling; B. sublimation; C. regeneration; D. calcification; E. desalination.
Last Week’s Trivia Answer: Hummingbirds during cold spring or early fall nights can reduce their body temperature and activity significantly in a state of torpor.
Email Barry Reed at breed71@gmail.com
A small and very busy butterfly still visiting my zinnias is the silver spotted skipper butterfly. It could almost be described as a cross between a moth and butterfly. BARRY REED/SPECIAL TO THE TIMES NEWS
If you live near a wooded or woodlot area, you may still be able to see a 1½ inch “busy” butterfly called the little wood satyr.
More likely seen near your flower gardens is the clouded sulphur butterfly.
Also nearing the end of its appearances around the woodlands and woodlots is the Eastern comma butterfly. It is a very active and quick flying butterfly. When its wings are closed it blends in with a tree trunk and may be one of the best examples of protective coloration in our local butterfly species.
The red spotted purple butterfly feeds on rotting flesh and sap. Its habitat is more wooded areas. It overwinters as a larva inside a tree cavity, tucked away from the drying winds. Like many other insects, it can survive being frozen.
The Eastern black swallowtail butterfly can still be found, but only for a short time yet. After the last caterpillars finish eating, they form a chrysalis and overwinter in that stage. These butterflies usually lay their eggs on dill or plants in that family. We still have caterpillars on our dill plants, most of which we plant just for them.
Look for these caterpillars and know that they will develop into the Eastern black swallowtails.
This is a black swallowtail chrysalis, which is usually attached by a short strand. This one was easily located since it didn’t choose the plant to hide it better.
The great spangled fritillary butterfly can be found flitting around meadow flowers from mid-July to mid-September. Like many butterfly species, it is a great pollinator.
Having many generations, much to the bane of backyard gardeners, is the cabbage white butterfly. If lays its eggs on cabbage and broccoli plants, resulting in those little green “worms” eating away at your plants. The worms, of course, are its caterpillars in the larva stage.
Probably the most well known butterfly is the monarch. You will see them visiting your flowers or drifting southward as you drive or take that nice September birding walk.
The painted lady butterfly is one of the fastest flying butterfly species. It is found throughout much of the U.S. and can migrate about 100 miles a day. Common in summer, it may be hard to find now that September is here. But if you do find one, their beauty was worth the effort.