Barry Marts and I left the eastern panhandle in the pre-sunrise light heading for what we hoped would be a good day of lep’ing in southern New Jersey. We were searching for specific target species and we weren’t sure if we wouldn’t be too late in the season for a couple of them. As it turned out we weren’t and many lifers ensued for yours truly over the course of the day. The first stop was near Millville at Bevans WMA. This is a known location for Dusted Skipper. After searching a power line cut for 1hr 45 mins we finally located one. This uncommon skipper favors areas of Blue Stem grasses. Next we went down to Lizard Tail Swamp near Cape May Court House, NJ. This was a known location for Frosted Elfins. It only took about 5 mins to locate one once we were in the right area. We saw 6 total. Knowing the Frosted Elfin’s host plants of lupines and Wild Indigo helps you find this butterfly. Frosted looks very similar to Hoary Elfin but can be separated by a dark spot on the sub-marginal ventral hind wing (VHW). Being two for two we headed 1 hour north to the Pine Barrens area near Warren Grove, NJ. This is where there is a White Cedar Swamp, the habitat to find the uncommon to rare (in NJ) Hessel’s Hairstreak. This small (even for a hairstreak) butterfly’s host is White Cedar. We searched a known location where blooming Hign Bush Blueberry and Sand Myrtle were in close proimity to the cedars. In the afternoon the hairstreak likes to come down to nectar. The only unknown was, would we find one as the late recorded date for this species on the So. New Jersey B/Log was May 20th and this was May 25th. After 1hr 45mins we found the first of three. Jubilation! This is a new late date for NJ. Another notable find was a Red-banded Hairstreak. It was now 5pm and Barry suggested we head over to another area of Warren Grove where Hoary Elfins had been seen the week prior. Even though the Hoary’s hostplant Bearberry was no longer blooming there of course was a chance for lingering elfins. Once we arrived it took a whole 5 mins before Barry found one. It was very worn and sitting on it’s host plant. Over the next 30 mins we located two more. What can I say about the day… WOW!, four lifers. The trip home was sweet and easy.
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