Category Archives: Raccoon Creek State Park, PA

Meadow Fritillary’s Future?

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Filed under Butterfly Types, Fritillary, Raccoon Creek State Park, PA

Meadow Fritillary Butterfly at Raccoon Creek State Park

Facebook posts of Meadow Fritillary Butterflies are infrequent. Those who do put up those posts often add that Meadow Fritillary Butterflies seem to be slowly disappearing from their present habitat. They may well be fewer and fewer in number, and that is concerning.

Glassberg’s A Swift Guide to Butterflies of North America has Meadow Frits “LC-C {Locally Common to Common]” in the East. I’m now relocated to Georgia’s Piedmont, but during those hundreds of visits to Raccoon Creek State Park (southwestern Pennsylvania) I rarely spotted a Meadow Fritillary. When I did find one, it was exciting, and I’d stop what I was looking for, and quickly work to get shots of them. Those nearly 20 years has me agreeing that they are becoming rarer by the year.

That’s very discomforting. These small Fritillary butterflies so remind of little crafted jewels, especially because when seen, they are usually fresh, vivid and show little evidence of being bird-struck.

The likelihood of finding them in Georgia is slim, their range usually extends no further south than Tennessee. I do miss this little ‘pookies.’ What’re the odds that I’ll see them when I hopefully return to visit western Pennsylvania in late May to June, in Raccoon Creeks State Park’s 100+ acre Doak Meadow?

Jeff

Why Do Pretty Butters Land On Ugh!

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Filed under Azure, Raccoon Creek State Park, PA

Azure Butterflies on Fecies photographed by Jeff Zablow at Raccoon Creek State Park, PA

For us, finding a butterfly 1 millimeter from bird droppings, with its proboscis extended into the white part of the bird scat (poop), is expectable, even a relief. Why? We know that lots of butterflies will remain in place, even on our practiced approach. We know why.

For those of you who do not pursue butterflies, who do not try to capture fine images of them, this scene is . . . what? Disgusting.

Understand this. This Spring Azure Butterfly is probably a male. He surely has flown for hours. Why? Flow here there and everywhere, seeking a female. His DNA is continuously instructing him to find a female, and couple with her. This to insure that this fine male’s strong characteristics are propelled into the next generation.

Why bird scat? Why the white, liquid part of bird poop? That white glomp is actually the excretion produced from the bird it came from, rich in the Nitrogen released from the muscle proteins that have kept the bird aloft, those same muscle protein becoming worn-out, and in need of replacement.

This Spring Azure is harvesting that Nitric Acid rich excretion, will use the Nitrogen in it to synthesize (form) new wing muscle protein, vital to the coming hours of near continuous flight, until those females are met.

The working of the Universe is amazing. Hey, I loved to teach High School Biology. Loved it. (Raccoon Creek State Park, southwestern Pennsylvania, 8 hours west of the Sopranos’ New Jersey).

Jeff

A Skittish Butterfly Species found on Nichol Road in Raccoon Creek State Park

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Filed under Pearly-Eye, Raccoon Creek State Park, PA

Northern Pearly Eye Butterfly, photographed by Jeff Zablow at Raccoon Creek State Park in Pennsylvania

We’re now in our North Macon, Georgia a full year, having moved in on March 31, 2020, during the heart of the Covid-19. Our home is pleasingly decorated, although there are severals wall that are ready for decorative pictures.

There are 3 or 4 of our wingedfbeauty.com images that I want to turn into 8 x 10 prints. This image of the Northern Pearly-Eye Butterfly is one of them. That I was able to approach this skittish butterfly species was a Miracle. That this one remained in place, in that dappled early morning light another Miracle, and that it was 99.9% fresh yet an additional Miracle. The Nichol Road Trail at Raccoon Creek State Park in southwestern Pennsylvania, a 45-minute drive from Pittsburgh, my home for those 27 years.

Many have been wonderfully loyal these more than 10 years, and I wonder which of our pics you’ve enjoyed? Has there been one that so pleased you . . . that you recall it? I have several in mind, to have printed and archival framed, to enjoy for my duration. I am open to learning  of any that You prefer.

Not sure I’ll get responses, but I do want to find out. I do.

Jeff

An Ongoing Mystery: Why are Most Gray Hairstreak Butterflies so Perfect?

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Filed under Hairstreak, Raccoon Creek State Park, PA

Gray Hairstreak photographed by Jeff Zablow at Fort Federica, Saint Simons Island, GA

An ongoing mystery for me: Why are most of the Gray Hairstreak Butterflies so perfect? Few I find are bird-struck. Few show any wing damage caused by predators. Why? Often I wonder if these Grays produce substances that are either toxic or distasteful. I’ve not resolved this question, not yet. You?

Glassberg’s A Swift Guide to the Butterflies of North America offers that Gray Hairstreaks “will use a large number of species in many plant families” as their hostplants. Our new 800 Garden’s now has black cherry trees, Chokecherry, Ironwood, Yellowwood, Rusty Blackhaw, Blackhaw, Black Gum, Tulip Poplar, Linden, Hop Tree, Hackberry trees, Hercules Club, Bronze Fennel, Hickories, Dogwoods and more so much more. I do hope that among these all, we have hostplants for Grays.

They so remind me of the several times in my life when we’ve been invited and asked to come in tuxedo. They look like they are just like I was, in a ‘monkey suit,’ trying to look elegant, though feeling a bit . . . foolish.

Grays usually don’t flee when your approach is reasonably cautious, again reminding of how some enjoy having their pictures taken when in tuxes, as though at they moment they felt . . . important.

Gray Hairstreaks make we wonder, make me think, and make me remember back when tuxedos were de rigeur.

Raccoon Creek State Park in southwestern Pennsylvania, 8 plus hours west of the MOMA Museum in New York, New York.

Jeff

This Spring’s Feast of Colors and Welcomed Arrival of Butterflies

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Filed under Raccoon Creek State Park, PA, Swallowtail

Tiger Swallowtail butterfly resting on a leaf photographed by Jeff Zablow at Raccoon Creek State Park, PA

The perennials, bushes and trees in our 1-year young 800 Macon Garden are budding out now. Many are looking spectacular, including irises, Joe Pye, Sassafras’s, Clematis, Asters (many, many different asters), Buttonbush, Hibiscus, Liatris . . . . Senna are on order and will soon be delivered. Mountain Mint is doing its quick spreading thing (and we are pleased with that). Lindens and Hackberry trees look robust, Hercules Club new leaves have superb color . . . Butterflies have begun appearing, especially male Tiger Swallowtail Butterflies.

This enjoyable ‘wave’ of pleasing green, the flowers that have opened so far (Chokecherry, Chokeberry, Alabama Croton) have primed us for the 50,000 Azalea blossoms that will open this coming week. Soon the irises will open, and the Turtlehead too, and the many, many coneflowers, tradescantia, Brickellia, Florida Dogwood . . . .

The excitement for us is way up, the feast of colors that is being prepared and the welcomed arrival of flights of butterflies all remind of the infinite beauty of G-d’s Creations.

With Passover and Easter approaching, all of this so buttresses us, after the last, remarkable year. Look again at this Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly. How Beautiful is this meticulously crafted butterfly, she, G-d’s gift to us all?

Raccoon Creek State Park, southwestern Pennsylvania, some 8 hours from Grand Central Station in New York, New York

Jeff