Shawnee Spring

An amazing array of botanists, birders and butterfliers are all gathered in Shawnee this weekend. If there is anything rare or unusual out there - it better prepare to be found!

Silvery Blue- LUCK shot by Greg Miller

Many of my butterfly friends have gathered to join Jaret Daniels for 2 days on the back roads of Scioto and Adams Counties. And as early as Thursday we were all prescouting for a Silvery Blue- a rarity - no bigger than our Spring Azures.

So how do you tell the difference? First off, the host plant. You must have Carolina Vetch. Check.

Second- the underside of the wing has relatively evenly rounded black circles. The top side has a gossamer blue with black-edging. But no one I know has ever seen or photographed the top side! Until now, leave it to "Miller Luck." Greg photographed this rare skulker, and then asked me- "So what is this? " Ahhhh!

How can that be? A beautiful photo of a super lucky find? It seems only fair that I might get some avian rarity as payback! Wish me luck at Flora-Quest.