Gathering our "Tribe"

 The Butterfly Workshop  held by the Midwest Native Plant Society was another successful gathering of our "tribe."  These events are friendly, but focused, encounters of a like-minded group of people. Nature-lovers from far and wide gather to share information and knowledge and have a great time.(McCormac's recap of the event here)

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Papilio glaucus

 We were thrilled to see our old friends, both human and lepidopteran. There were not huge numbers of butterflies, but a good number of species were present. Our group had Tiger Swallowtail, Red Admiral, American Painted Lady, Silver-spotted Skippers, Pearl Cresents, Sulphurs, and a Peck's Skipper. Another highlight was the Hummingbird Clearwing moth, Hemaris thysbe.

Our tribe of nature lovers on the field trip.

 It is wonderful to be in the field with a group of people who are actively engaged in learning and finding nature in the field.  Everyone calls out their "finds" and we sort them out together.  Dragon and damselfly sightings were just as welcome as the saw-fly larva and prairie forbs we enjoyed together.

Sandy and Jeffery Belth

 And new friendships are made!  This is Sandy and Jeff Belth from Indiana.  Jeff has a book on the market called Butterflies of Indiana which is a good cross-over guide for Ohio.  I love the way his book is organized for easy ID of like species.  If you don't have if book, you will want to get it!

Jim Davidson and Jaret Daniels in the field.

Jim Davidson is a long-time friend and one of my favorite field companions. We met up with Jaret Daniels, author of Butterflies of Ohio (also an excellent field guide) for a little pre-scouting and comradery.

             Spicebush Swallowtail puddling

Real nature enthusiasts are just as excited to see a beautiful Spicebush Swallowtail as they are to see the larval form of these leps, the caterpillars. I brought my blue Rubbermaid bin that has become a traveling exhibit of Cecropia moth caterpillars. We had a good representation of silk moth caterpillars and a few butterfly caterpillars as well.  It was a very educational event all the way round.

A nature freak moment...

Part of the fun of these events is the good company we keep.  The speakers and organizers had their own little "nature freak" moment in a parking lot in downtown Lebanon, Ohio.  What could get this many people hanging out in a darkened parking lot late on a Friday night?

Chimney Swifts dropping into a chimney

 It was a flock of Chimney Swifts!  We had heard them circling above the city street and we followed them to the back of the building to watch the live nature show.  These birds roost communally at night, until they are ready to start south for the winter months.

On the corner of  Main Street

 So if you wander through Lebanon, Ohio some evening in the next moth or so, this is the building you will want to find.  It is probably their City Hall. The Chimney Swifts' chimney is located at the back of the building,

You might want to try dinner here,

The City Building is easy to find, as it is located right across the street from Lebanon's most historical landmark, Ohio's oldest Hotel, the Golden Lamb.  Dinner was wonderful, too bad the other dinners didn't know about the live show going on across the street!

Hope to see you all again at the Midwest Native Plant Conference!  A special thank-you goes out to Kathy McDonald, Jim McCormac and all the other wonderful people who help to put these event together and run them.  My hat is off to you!

Trees for Butterflies!

Oft loved, but seldom understood- the butterfly is a creature of highly refined tastes. ... ... ... .... The Hackberry butterfly, for example, only lays its eggs on... .. .... .

HACKBERRY trees! Go figure.

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So, if you want more butterflies, plant more native trees.

I planted both hackberry and spicebush on my property this year to increase the odds of retaining a population of - hackberry and spicebush butterflies.

I ordered "bare rooted" whips through a mail order company in Michigan. If they take well, I will be forthcoming with the company's name. Meanwhile, when you plan to purchase plants- it is best to get them from a region as cold or colder than your home area. Don't be buying South Carolina plants, and then wondering why they failed to thrive in Ohio.

I used a spade to slice a vertical trough in which to place the roots. Don't plant trees too shallow or too deep. Figure out where the 'bulge" is just above the roots- and get that ground level.

The little ones are hard to see at this stage, so I mark them with a stake (makes it easier for the rabbits to find them!) ...

For the few minutes I invested today- I can look forward to many years of enjoying the berries and butterflies!

I only have "eyes" for you-

The cold snowy days seem to have no end in sight, they have worn me down and made me nostalgic for a bit of color.



A two-for-one in the color department: A Common Buckeye nectaring on Purple Coneflower, Echinacea purpurea. This Ohio native prairie plant is just the bee's-knee for attracting butterflies. And who doesn't have "eyes" for that Buckeye? Occasionally we have bumper crops of buckeyes (like in 2010) but some years they are uncommon in Ohio. This is not a hardy butterfly, but rather one that re-colonizes in northern states during long hot summers.

Even the buckeye's caterpillar is a stunner! It can often be found in chemical free lawn or roadsides, using plantains or members of the snapdragon family as host plants. This colorful fellow was feeding on an Agalinis sp. (used to be called gerardia.) Photo taken by Jackie Riley.

Such a common Ohio butterfly, the Eastern Tailed Blue could be easily confused with the rarest of Ohio butterflies- the Karner Blue. They are both members of the Lycaenidae family.

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This is a poor photo for identifying the species, as the "tail" and diagnostic orange spot are obscured from view. However, ETB are lovely little butterflies, too often over looked and snubbed for being common. If they were as rare as the lupine dependant Karner- we would be mad for them as well.

Butterflies love milkweed, and it is not just the Monarch which utilises this Ohio native plant. Many species of butterflies nectar on the honey-scented flowers. This male Black Swallowtail will nectar here, but the female Black Swallowtail will be searching for Golden Alexanders, Zizia aurea or other members of the parsley family for egg laying. Swallowtail caterpillars wouldn't survive the toxins in the milkweed. Butterflies are a picky lot, with very particular needs in host plants.

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It is fascinating to study the butterfly/ host plant relationship. The more you know about these winged jewels, the more you will want to plant the host plants which attract them and provide habitat for their conservation.

Botanical Detectives: Case of the Mysterious Caterpillar

A recent visit to Davis Memorial, a DNAP preserve in Adams County, offered some fine views of many rare and unusual plants, and I hope to cover some of them in the near future. But today's blog focuses on a mystery caterpillar and the way botanical clues can be used to discover its identity.

A prickly looking beasty, isn't it? Sometimes those "stingers" pack a wallop- so my policy is not to touch the scary looking ones. Get Janet to do it!




The best guide for sorting caterpillars is Wagner's, if you don't have it- get it. Even a novice can sort "cats" by these incredible photos. Once you have a little experience you'll know which group to head for, straight away. And learn to rely on the botanical hints in the back of the book. Your caterpillar is on Milkweed? Could be a Monarch or a Tussock Moth.

Our botany, which appeared to be a mint, did not provide a very good clue. Since this caterpillar was quite large- probably last instar- he could be on the walkabout many take just prior to metamorphosis. Don't jump to hasty conclusions, chrysalises are often found on something other than the host plant.

Our mystery solved: The caterpillar's appearance, along with the host plant in the area, plus its preferred location of a swampy area next to a steam, all add up to this beautiful creature.

Photo by John Howard

Look closely- this is not a Pearl Crescent, but rather a Silvery Checkerspot. Sightly larger than the crescent, look for that "open" white spot on the lower wing. This Southern Ohio specialty is being seen more frequently towards the north, and it makes me appreciate the common host plant Wingstem, Verbesina alternafolia just a little bit more!