Subject: Re: A 1st Grade Homework assignment

From: "Dale L. Clayton" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 3 May 1995 15:13:35 -0400

>> I am Stephanie. I want to know where a butterfly goes when it rains.
>> Thank you.
>>
>
>   Stephanie,

Stephanie:  This is a very intreresting question.  If you find the answer
please e-mail it to me directly at <[email-masked]>. I have been studying
a little orange-brown butterfly called _Oeneis chryxus_  in the Colorado
Rockies for about two weeks every summer (except one) since 1988.  I have
been asking the same question, "Where do they go when it rains"?  Because it
rains at least every other afternoon and they just disapear wirh the first
drops and don't reappear until the next morning.  I have tried to follow
them several times, but have not been successful.

Here's another good question.  "Where do butterflies go at night"?  I have
also tried tro follow these butterflies in the late afternoon but they give
me the slip.  I have also put flourscent powder on their wings in the
afternoon and then go back to all the areas where I think they could be with
an ultraviolet light and try to find them, but alas!!! I have not found one.
I find the spots on the ground where I spill powder while marking the
butterflies, and I find lots of other interesting things... but no butterflies.

I don't think they try especially hard to ditch me, or that there is any
magic involved.  I think I just have trouble thinking like a butterfly.
Also, this has not been one of the main questions I have been asking, but my
friends and I have spent at least 10-15 hours over as many days trying to
answer these two questions (& I think the answers will not be too different)
and we don't know the answer yet!

Good luck in your quest!

Dale
***************************************
   Dale Clayton    [email-masked]
   Department of Biological Sciences
   Southwestern Adventist College
   Keene, TX    76059
   Ph (817) 645-3921  ext. 275
***************************************

---

From: "Sharon J. Collman" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 7 May 1995 06:07:50 GMT

Re: where butterflies go at night (a slight digression).  I had the good 
fortune to be at Reecer Creek, near Ellensburg, Wa. at dusk.  I was 
trying to get the last photos of butterflies and observations.  The 
Phoebus Parnassian (Parnassius phoebus) was just nestling down in the 
flower heads of the Eriogonun compositum.  This Eriogonum (buckwheat) has 
a large fluffy flowerhead and the butterfly folded up it's wings and 
backed down into the flower.  

Jon Pelham, NW lepidopterist, says he finds butterflies under rocks.  That 
might account for why the blacklight doesn't pick them up.  (Perhaps 
there would be a very faint trace of the powder dislodged, if you were 
looking for it near rocks.)  Bark flaps are also another possibility.  No 
doubt each species has it's favorite spots.

Also, I believe tht there is a book titled, "Where do butterflies go when 
it rains?"  Check with a librarian.  If I can find my reference I'll post it.

Finally, regarding the dilemma of what to do with such questions.  If the 
information highway lives up to the projections, this IS where 
information will come from.  I hope I can hire those who for whom this 
medium come more natually than it does for me, (who is very adept in the 
library, but alas, perhaps it is a skill akin to horseshoeing, which will 
be outmoded in 10 or 20 years).  

The same discussion has been on-going for several weeks on entomo-l and on 
bugnet.  Clearly there is a need for some mechanism for young people who 
wish to learn about insects to learn on the such a network.  We have been 
discussing whether there is a need for a "grubnet" with volunteer adults 
(and expert young entomologists) to answer incoming questions and foster 
that an exchange that nurtures the inquiring mind.  As has been pointed 
out by many, many young people live in rural communities without a 
university or good entomology collections.  Going to the library advice 
will not help them.

Sharon J. Collman
educator and student
c/o Center For Urban Horticulture
University of Washington  GF-15
Seattle, WA  98195

Phone:  206-543-8616 
Fax:    206-685-2692
EMail:  [email-masked]

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