[TN-Butterflies] Re: Brown Elfins
- From: Bart Jones <bjones7777@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <ritavenable@xxxxxxxxx>, <tn-butterflies@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2011 23:21:49 -0600
As Paulette said, from an article in American Butterflies, the Florida
populations are using Mountain Laurel. There is only one area of Florida in
the panhandle where this plant grows, so there probably aren't huge stands of
it like what we have in Middle and East TN. This is important if they are
present in West TN as there are only small, remnant populations of Mountain
Laurel left here. As far as I know, you can find some small stands right along
the Tennessee River in Decatur and Benton County, there may be others in Henry
and Hardin, but I haven't seen them. It might be worth a check in early April
at those locations. Of course we've seen Henry's Elfin here in scattered
locations, but mainly near those same areas. I've also read where they use
blueberries as a host plant, especially Vaccinium pallidum (syn. vacillans) or
Lowbush Blueberry. This species is also found in the West TN counties that
line the TN River. I would also think that Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium
corymbosum) may also serve as a host plant since it is common in areas of
Middle and East TN where you find Brown Elfins. This plant is found in Carroll
and Benton and Chester, Hardeman, and McNairy in West TN, especially common at
Big Hill Pond State Park in McNairy County; so these locations might also be
possible areas to look. Something to look forward to in early Spring!
Bart Jones
Memphis, Shelby County
Date: Wed, 9 Feb 2011 12:07:12 -0600
Subject: [TN-Butterflies] Brown Elfins
From: ritavenable@xxxxxxxxx
To: TN-Butterflies@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi,
Just wondering if West TN folks have "seen or heard tell" of any Brown Elfins
in the West Tennessee Uplands. The BAMONA map shows three Brown Elfin records
in the panhandle of FL, but I wonder where these records came from, as this
species is not listed in two of the FL field guides that I have.
Looks like that all our TN records are East Highland Rim eastward and this
follows the host plant range maps of the family Ericaceae roughly.
http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Callophrys-augustinus
The host plants for this species in TN are mostly east of Nashville, but there
are a few that ease into West TN. They will also use "buckwheats and dodder,
Ceanothus, etc." [Caterpillars in the Field and Garden].
Something to look for this spring!
Rita Venable, Franklin, TN
Williamson Co.
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