Subject: More Sightings from Pennsylvania

From: Gregory <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 4 May 1995 01:46:11 -0500

While doing some bird-related field work on State Game Lands 57, Wyoming
County, Pennsylvania, on 3 May, I recorded the following butterfly species.
Temperature on arrival was 54 degrees F; at finish it was 62 F. The wind
(Beaufort scale) was "2" on arrival; "3" at finish. The sky was partly
cloudy throughout. Start: 1030EDT; finish 1330EDT.

Pieris rapae: 2, nectaring at dandelion (Taraxacum officinale).
Celastrina ladon: 15 (conservative count), patrolling open, grassy
roads/paths.
Nymphalis vau-album: 1, also nectaring at T. officinale
Vanessa cardui: 4, also nectaring at T. officinale (the first V. cardui I
have observed in this area this year).

Note: This site lies at about 41 degrees, 22 minutes north; 76 degrees, 15
minutes west. The altitude ranges from 2,400 feet to 2,100 feet. This site
is on a high plateau known as North Mountain. North Mountain's forests are
largely hardwood species, but the Red Spruce (Picea rubens) is
re-generating. Other conifers include Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) and
Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus). The plateau includes remnant glacial red
spruce bogs of boreal character. One such bog, Coalbed Swamp, was
investigated in summer of 1994 and was found to be hosting nesting Blackpoll
Warblers (Dendroica striata), a species that is normally found breeding only
in areas much further north. These bogs have not, to my knowledge, been
investigated for any boreal or bog butterfly sps.

Alan Gregory
Conyngham, Pa.
*************************                 ****************************
* Monica E. Gregory, PH.D.
* Asst. Prof, Psychology
* Penn State Hazleton
* Hazleton PA 18201
* Internet: [email-masked]
* Tel:(717)450-3188