Mariton: Camp – Butterflies

by Tim Burris, Preserve Manager

Virginia Derbyshire led this morning’s exploration in butterflies and moths – the Lepidoptera.  After a quick lesson on how butterflies and moths are put together, the group headed for the meadows with binoculars to see what we could find.

It was a great morning with the sighting of a Red-banded  Hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops)!  This is a very uncommon butterfly this far north, although we meet the habitat requirments.  The children didn’t realize they saw a rare butterfly, still they ended up having a great morning afield.  They counted over 10 butterfly species in about 90 minutes.

The children’s sharp eyes also found a Monarch butterfly’s egg on a milkweed leaf.

Under the catergories:  “It happens.” and “Everything is connected.”  This Cabbage Butterfly found its end in a spider’s web.

All photos by Carole Mebus.