Subject: 1993 Sighting of 88 Butterfly in Central Texas

From: Mike Quinn <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 1996 08:45:07 -0500

This is a transcript of a sighting of an 88 butterfly (Diathria sp.) by
Halsey M Marsden in Stonewall, Texas (~ 40 miles w. of Austin). Raymond
Neck in his Field Guide to Butterflies of Texas (1996) lists only 2 records
for the state, 1 in Big Bend, the other in the Rio Grande Valley. The
original sighting was written up in late Nov. 1993.

Observer: Halsey M Marsden, HCR4 Box 996, Burnet, TX 78611
Date: October 23, 1993
Location: LBJ Ranch, Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park
Time: About Noon
Weather: (Recollection) sunny, moderate breeze, temperature 60s
Distance from subject: about 15 feet
Optical equipment: glasses corrected eyesight to near 20/20, no binoculars

"While standing in line awaiting entrance to Johnson family home tour, I
noticed a butterfly vigorously flying in the vicinity of the foundation of
the home, to the right of the entrance. It alighted on the bare ground in
the foundation bed with its wings horizontal (dorsal surface revealed). The
butterfly appeared to be uniformly dark (black or very dark brown) and was
somewhat smaller than a comma. I realized I could not identify it and as I
concentrated, trying to discern field marks, it folded its wings revealing
a "splash" of red and, on the hindwing, a double display of concentric
circles, black on white. My reaction to this dramatic revelation could be
described as "wow". Before I could examine this pattern in more detail the
butterfly flew rapidly up and over the corner of the house and disappeared.
Total observation time was about 10 seconds equally divided between wings
horizontal and wings vertical while butterfly was on the ground. At the
timeI was confident this butterfly was pictured in the Audubon Field Guide.
Upon returning home I confirmed this reaction and that no other butterfly
in the guide came close to what I had seen."

______________________________________________________
Michael A. Quinn, Graduate Student                   Ph: 210-969-5642
Texas Agricultural Experiment Station          Educational Entomology Sites:
2415 E Hwy 83, Weslaco TX 78596       http://entowww.tamu.edu/entoloc.html