Terrific post, Dave...
 
I was up on and at Mt. Washington, NH on Monday (with an aspiring young 11 year old Lepidopterist)...The Melissa Arctics were not flying, in winds at the Cow Pasture approaching 60 miles per hour...But there was some action (but not as much as I have found previously there) along the Auto Road and in the wet meadows below...The Baltimores are having a good flight there; but other than European, Long Dash, Peck's etc. Skippers, not much was seen. I have myself taken Two Spotted Skipper there.
 
There seem to be two phenotypes of Baltimores in Vermont (and elsewhere in northern New England). Of course, two subspecies have been named from New England: nominate phaeton and the northern borealis, characterized by much more extensive red spots and a darker, jet black color...I have taken both of these flying nearby to one another at Green River (July 20, 2003)...The comparative ranges of these two should be documented throughout VT.
 
Keep an eyeout for "orange" sulphurs that may not be Orange Sulphurs...I took a male, with light orange flushing on the FW, mostly in the lower half of the FW, yellow rays through the black margins, almost unmarked below with single discocellular HW spot. Dave and I have been told by Cris Guppy that some of our "Orange Sulphurs" strongly resemble the western (i.e. B.C.)taxon "eriphyle" from its Type Locality in British Columbia...And more "strange" Tigers were taken, particularly along the Auto Road at fairly high elevations (3,500 to 4,000) just below the subarctic zone. These are just simply NOT typical Canadian Tiger (canadensis) phenotypes, whatever it is that they will eventually prove to be.  
 
Alex

________________________________

From: Vermont Butterfly Survey on behalf of David Hoag
Sent: Thu 7/6/2006 10:05 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [VTLEPS] A Heads Up / Mulberrywing



  All-black MULBERRYWING basking in Grand Isle,
but perched too low in the marsh to trap.   No camera.

A note to aid in spotting TWO-SPOTTED SKIPPERS:
Today, July 6th, nearly every time a Great Spangled Frit
flew low over the sedges/reeds, one or two Two-spotteds
would rise to attack it, then perch in view atop the vegetation.
 Dion and Eyed-brown overflights did not seem to
provoke the Two-spotted Skippers. 

DION SKIPPERS are numerous and highly visible right now --
first seen on July 1st.

Two BROAD-WINGED SKIPPERS started a brief fight today
before dropping back into the marsh.

Dave Hoag -- wet-footed, watching Marsh Hawks in Grand Isle.

P.S. elsewhere: July 5th:
 One of a half-dozen Baltimore Checkerspots was a variant,
with extensive white replacing red on the forewing.
 Great Spangled Fritillaries mating.
July 3rd:  Earliest female Great Spangled Fritillary.



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