Late this afternoon, a Monarch dropped from overhead from a thistle,
falling to the grass at my feet. After picking up the Monarch,
I discovered that it was tenaciously clinging to the abdomen of
a Viceroy -- presumably the same Viceroy that had been nectaring
on a nearby thistle a few minutes earlier. 20-30 seconds after I had
pried open the Vicery's wings, the Monarch released its catch.
On Sunday, a territorial male Black Swallowtail,
which was patrolling a thistle and wildcarrot filled ditch,
aggressively chased away a Monarch, and another species
(painted lady?); driving both to high altitudes
before returning to cruise up and down the ditch.
Some leps encounterd on Sunday -- estimated numbers.
Black Swallowtail 7
Cabbage White 4
Clouded Sulphur 15
Orange Sulphur 5
Eastern Tailed Blue 1
Summer Azure 16
Great Spangled Fritillary 5
Meadow Fritillary 2
Crescent (sp) many!
Question Mark 5
Eastern Comma 1
American & Painted Lady 5
Red Admiral 10
Viceroy 5
Northern Pearly-eye 2
Eyed Brown 8
Common Ringlet many!!!
Monarch 8
Silver-spotted Skipper 1 (& 100's of larvae).
Least Skipper 1
Dave Hoag, Grand Isle
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