Timing is everything: odd population observation 1 day swing
Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2022 12:14 pm
Odd how much one day can make a difference in which Leps one finds.
Location: meadow, upstate NY, surrounded by old secondary growth deciduous forest. Entire meadow approximately 1.5 sq.km.; meadow corner about 1 hectare.
15 June 2022, 1pm. 29C, winds NW 4kph; 100% cloud cover, storm coming. Numerous male Speyeria cybele, all near perfect indicating recent eclosion. Most flying low through the grasses, I assume looking for females (which aren't there.) Occasional fights. Most cybele are in a tiny 1 hectare (or less) corner of the meadow.
16 June 2022, 1pm. 34C, winds NW 14kph; 70% cloud cover, storm coming. Where are the cybele that were here yesterday? Initial survey found zero in the corner where they were so common yesterday. I loop of the entire meadow revealed no cybele until nearing a treeline about 150m from the previously mentioned corner. More time in "the corner" revealed ~6 cybele flying only very close to the forest edge, rarely venturing into the meadow.
Odd how one day an area is flush with a species, and the next not. Did they eclose and disperse?
Location: meadow, upstate NY, surrounded by old secondary growth deciduous forest. Entire meadow approximately 1.5 sq.km.; meadow corner about 1 hectare.
15 June 2022, 1pm. 29C, winds NW 4kph; 100% cloud cover, storm coming. Numerous male Speyeria cybele, all near perfect indicating recent eclosion. Most flying low through the grasses, I assume looking for females (which aren't there.) Occasional fights. Most cybele are in a tiny 1 hectare (or less) corner of the meadow.
16 June 2022, 1pm. 34C, winds NW 14kph; 70% cloud cover, storm coming. Where are the cybele that were here yesterday? Initial survey found zero in the corner where they were so common yesterday. I loop of the entire meadow revealed no cybele until nearing a treeline about 150m from the previously mentioned corner. More time in "the corner" revealed ~6 cybele flying only very close to the forest edge, rarely venturing into the meadow.
Odd how one day an area is flush with a species, and the next not. Did they eclose and disperse?