September 29, 2009. Kentucky Manor, 5211 Kentucky Avenue, Nashville,
Davidson County, TN
360934N (36.15944) and 0865102W (-86.85055)
Had just got from Lowe's (working on house so trips other than Wednesday)
and checked the zinnias for 'flys. One checks the zinnias for 'flys all the
time as the draw is tremendous. After a couple of minutes of the current
usual--Sachems, Fiery, Common Buckeye (not every day), and Clouded Sulphurs,
the dark skipper with lots of spotting appeared-Checkered-Skipper. Could not
believe it--number 43 for the Manor. I watched it for 11 minutes moving
around and feeding on zinnias. Then lost it. Have looked at the books and
have several questions about this species:
* The elevation of White Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus albescens) to a
full species must have happened after 1999 as Glassberg's East guide does
not mention it at all and his 2001 West guide alludes to it as a possible
species while Kaufman's 2003 guide has it a full species. So with this
recent elevations and almost identical look separated only by genital
dissection of males, how accurate are the range maps? I can't believe that
all those county records nationwide have been substantiated by dissections.
* At BAMONA, there is one record for White Checkered-Skipper in
Tennessee, that being in Chester County. I would be interested in the
details of this record, others may also.
* In Steve's FOY for 2009, he lists no species records for Common or
White Checkered-Skippers, but two records for Checkered-Skipper species (and
only two records!). However in 2008, Steve lists two records for Common and
one record for White and no records for Checkered-Skipper species. So,
everything identified in 2008, both Common and White, done by dissection?
* Now to confuse things even more, it appears populations of these
skippers are expanding and decreasing their ranges if what Randy Emmitt says
is true, "In the past 10 years research has shown that in northern Florida
and Georgia the White Checkered-Skipper has replaced the Common
Checkered-Skipper." So anyone know what the thought is on this and why the
movements and apparent competition?
The Manor had a 12 species day. Other than the Checkered-Skipper, there were
Cabbage White (6), Pipevine Swallowtail (3), Sachem (15), Clouded Skipper
(10), Fiery Skipper (1), Cloudless Sulphur (5), Painted Lady (1), Common
Buckeye (2), Eastern Tailed-Blue (1), Monarch (1), and Variegated Fritillary
(1). The Painted Lady was too pretty not to show you (sunning on Mexican
Sage on a cool early morning) and the Sachems too cute. And of course the
Checkered-Skipper. The wings tips are bent (image 3). Is this natural? It
appears it has blue body hairs, thus a male. Is this correct? It did make my
day.
Michael Lee Bierly, Nashville, Davidson County, TN
Attachment:
Checkered-Skipper (1) 09-29-09 KM (800).jpg
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Attachment:
Checkered-Skipper (2) 09-29-09 KM (800).jpg
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Attachment:
Checkered-Skipper (3) 09-29-09 KM (800).jpg
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Attachment:
Painted Lady (1) 09-29-09 KM (800).jpg
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Attachment:
Sachem (1) 09-29-09 KM (800).jpg
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Attachment:
Sachem (2) 09-29-09 KM (800).jpg
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