Every September, many local lepidopteraphiles (butterfly lovers) make a pilgrimage to the
Flat River Waterfowl Impoundment in north Durham county, North Carolina. Located just north of Historic Stagville along Old Oxford Highway, the impoundment offers a gravel loop trail through wetland habitat. The area abounds with alternate wingstem (
Verbesina alternifolia), passionflower (
Passiflora incarnata), (
Helenium amarum), and willows (
Salix spp), all of which are attractive to adult butterflies or their larvae.
 |
| Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) © N. Cagle 2013 |
Time: 10:30AM to 12:00PM
Date: Sunday, September 8, 2013
Weather: Full sun; 85-90°F
Butterfly Count: 14 species
- Cabbage White - 1
- Question Mark - 1
- Hackberry Emperor - 8
- Tiger Swallowtail - 4
- Clouded Sulphur - 2
- Orange Sulphur - 10
- Cloudless Suphur - 11
- Variegated Fritillary - 3
- Pearl Crescent - 3
- Common Buckeye - 13
- Viceroy - 8
- Clouded Skipper - 3
- Fiery Skipper - 1
- Red-spotted Purple - 2
Today, as we started walking the trail at the Flat River Waterfowl Impoundment, Buckeyes frequently intercepted our path. Occasionally, they were accompanied by Clouded Skippers. In years past, we have seen a much larger number and variety of skippers, although we often go two to three weeks later in the season.
 |
| Common Buckeye © N. Cagle 2013 |
 |
| Clouded Skipper © N. Cagle 2013 |
Further down the trail, a large willow -- which we call "the butterfly tree" -- was alive with Hackberry Emperors and Horseflies gleaning sap. Beneath the willow, a Question Mark hung upside-down from a blackberry (
Rubus spp).
 |
| Question Mark © N. Cagle 2013 |
 |
| Red-Spotted Purple © N. Cagle 2013 |
Dung piles are excellent microhabitats for beetles, flies, and butterflies. On one pile of raccoon scat (filled with crayfish and persimmon seeds), we found a Viceroy and Hackberry Emperor competing for the rich trove of much needed nutrients, included salts and amino acids.
 |
| Viceroy © N. Cagle 2013 |
 |
| Hackberry Emperor © N. Cagle 2013 |
As the morning heated up, we were greeted by the bright orange of the Fiery Skipper. We also saw three Variegated Fritillaries near blossoming
Passiflora incarnata, a known host for Variegated Fritillary caterpillars.
 |
| Fiery Skipper © N. Cagle 2013 |
 |
| Variegated Fritillary © N. Cagle 2013 |
