The Lift Station Tour 03-03-2007

Saturday March 3, 2007

The lift Station today was much better than on the previous Saturday, so I stayed out for a long time, hoping to see some new species for 2007. I took a different route today starting nearer to the house and walking to the lift station from the Power Cut. The Power Cut is much changed over the last 2 years. The central trail way area is much more trampled and there are a lot more tire tracks from ATV's and other off road vehicles. Plus the power company is more aggressive about keeping it pruned back. We used to see a lot of Anthocharis midea texana in the early Spring here in Spring, Texas. I can remember the first trip back here in 2003 we must have seen/vouchered 40 specimens over a few weeks. Today I saw only 4 total - all male- all in the area around the Lift Station. This may be due to the dry winter or possibly the destructive changes in the habitat due to abuse by visitors.

There is a new tree in bloom, I think it is Mexican Plum - Prunus mexicana. It is a mass of white flowers, like a cherry tree but no leaves as of yet. It doesn't seem to draw much of anything, but it may just be my imagination or a poorly placed tree. This one is located near the bayou in an area with heavy canopy. There actually was not much flying back under the canopy at all. I saw most of the butterflies flying out in the open areas, near the trails.

Along the banks of the drainage ditch leading to the bayou, on the border between the Power Cut and Lift Station legs of the tour, the Pickly-Sow thistle - Sonchus asper, is in full bloom. It attracts Skipper butterflies later in the year but today there was a lone beetle. It looks a lot like Hippodamia convergens, the convergent lady beetle. This plant already is 2+ feet tall and ready to begin another season of blooming, seedmaking and establishing itself on the hillsides. There are a few other plants blooming but the real draw is either the Southern Dewberry - Rubus trivialis or of course the Red Bud.

As I was making my way towards the Lift Station from the drainage ditch I saw a real marvel - the Mourning Cloak butterfly - Nymphalis antiopa. This is one of the first I have ever seen and it eluded me, but a long time resident (both years that I have been walking the lift station leg) is back and busy at work. At the top of a power pole, busy excavating was a large Pileated Woodpecker - Dryocopus pileatus. This is such a brightly colored and somewhat prehistoric looking bird, I am glad he doesn't eat butterflies or butterfliers. He ignores me as unimportant and I snap a few shots and move on. I will be back in succeeding days to see if the Nymphalis antiopa returns to this spot. I may have to bring back some Apples or Watermelon to bait for him, we will see.

The Red Bud Tree - has quite a few skippers on it. They seem to be Horace's Duskywings - Erynnis horatius, but I vouchered a few to check their identity. I was hoping to find soem of the Elfins that occur in this area, especially Callophrys henrici - Henry's Elfin. It uses Red Bud as a nectar source and this massive Red Bud should be full of them, so I will just have to be patient or try elsewhere. It is a beautiful day and I loved all the time I spent out here.

Here's todays List:

• Anaea andria - Nymphalidae - Leafwing (V)
  
• Polygonia interrogationalis - Nymphalidae - The Question Mark(V)
• Colias eurytheme - Pieridae - The Clouded Sulphur(S)
• Nymphalis antiopa - Nymphalidae - The Mourning Cloak (S)
  
• Libytheana carinenta - Nymphalidae - The Snout Butterfly (S)
  
• Anthocharis midea texana - Pieridae - The Falcate Orangetip (V)
  
• Zerene cessonia - Pieridae - The Southern Dogface (S)
• Erynnis horatius - Hesperiidae - Horace's Duskywing (V)

Enjoy the season.

Bob