Butterfly hunters on the prowl at Fox Ridge


Field Trip Report: Fox Ridge State Park
October 8, 2006

What a gorgeous fall day we had for hiking at Fox Ridge - and the butterflies weren't bad either!  In total, we saw 15 species, with a variegated fritillary and snout butterfly being highlights.   A really good outing for the last field trip of the year, to say the least.

Our total species list for the day was: clouded sulphur, orange sulphur, cloudless sulphur, eastern tailed-blue, pearl crescent, question mark, eastern comma, red admiral, variegated fritillary, common buckeye, American snout butterfly, monarch, silver-spotted skipper, fiery skipper, and common checkered skipper.
*If anyone wants to provide more complete information or corrections for any of the below items, feel free to contact the club by email*

All photos copyright Paul V. Switzer. Do not use without permission




Common buckeye

The main nectar sources on this late fall trip were asters and goldenrod.
 
Question mark
This striking individual may have recently emerged.





American Snout



Eastern tailed-blue

Yellow-collared scape moth
These common moths are conspicuous flower-feeders during the day in late summer and fall.


Common checkered skipper







Chinese mantid



Chinese mantid
This individual had just pounced on a grasshopper that had hopped too close.  Mantids have eyesight which enables them to judge accurately the appropriate distance for a strike.

Millipede
Narceus americanus

These huge millipedes are fairly common residents of forests in this area.  They seem like they would be easy prey for predators, but many millipedes produce toxic compounds (cyanide-based) when disturbed. So if you find one, try to avoid licking it. 

Bush katydid
(possibly northern bush katydid
 Scudderia septentrionalis?)

A katydid's leaf-like coloration, texture, and shape allow it to hide effectively in vegetation.  You can tell that this individual is a female because of the sickle-shaped ovipositor (egg-layer) at the tip of her abdomen.



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