[TN-Butterflies] putnam county butterflies--4 april 2009

From: "Steve Stedman" <birdsongteam@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <tn-butterflies@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 4 Apr 2009 19:59:54 -0600
I spent a few hours from mid-morning to early afternoon seeking West Virginia 
Whites in western Putnam County today, finding four individuals and 
photographing both a male and a female.  These were the first West Virginia 
Whites in Putnam County for which I have been able to obtain photos that showed 
diagnostic features, so I can finally add this species to the Putnam County 
butterfly list at BAMONA, bringing the county list to 86.

I also photographed my first Harvester for the county, but it was not a county 
record, that honor going to Richard Connors who found and photographed 
Harvesters at Burgess Falls State Natural Area in Putnam County during 2008.  
However, I was able to push the early date for Harvester in Putnam County back 
by one day, although the county early date is at least a couple weeks later 
than the probable early date for the state.

Three Spicebush Swallowtails tied the early appearance date for the county, but 
again the state early date is a lot earlier than April 4.

I was able to obtain some close-up shots of the male West Virginia White in 
part because it was pursued by a male Falcate Orangetip that was apparently 
under the impression that the male West Virginia White was a female Falcate 
Orangetip or anyway a good enough substitute; the Falcate was more than a 
little persistent in its efforts to gain the affection of the West Virginia, 
which did its level best to deter the unwanted affections of the Falcate.  The 
West Virginia finally landed under a dandelion bloom and refused to move except 
for twisting its abdomen away from the Falcate, but the Falcate continued to 
press its case in a most persistent manner.  I clicked off about 25 shots of 
this encounter and could have clicked off a lot more; I finally left this odd 
couple with the Falcate still bravely offering its favors to the West Virginia. 
In the area where this encounter took place, all the Falcates were males as 
were all the West Virginias, so maybe the former were getting desperate.

Here's the (none too) full list:

Juvenal's Duskywing--1 (two apical spots on hindwing below well seen)
Duskywing sp.--8
Zebra Swallowtail--19
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail--17
Spicebush Swallowtail--3
West Virginia White--4 (photos)
Cabbage White--1
Falcate Orangetip--27 (photos)
Clouded Sulphur--1
Orange Sulphur--1
Sulphur sp.--85
Harvester--1 (photos)

Had my first Northern Parulas of the spring today also.

Steve Stedman
Cookeville, Putnam County
[TN-Butterflies] putnam county butterflies--4 april 2009

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