Observation date: April 19, 2015
Submitted by: Kristie Nelson
Specimen type: Photograph
Observation notes: Briefly visited moist garden bed soil, along with 10 other Lepid species - amazing! I'm so glad to have discovered them. we had wet down extensively about 150 sq. ft of garden soil for transplanting onions and over a few hours, species kept visiting the soil (Checkered white & marble didn’t mud-puddle, just visited dandelions on garden edge). Temps got to about 70 – warmest in weeks. As time progressed, more species arrived: started with 3 spp. of Blues, P. ladies, Red-winged Wave moths, then Anise Swallowtail (first of year, & seemed early), Milbert’s TS (garden is at least few hundred meters away from where I typically see them). Things got exciting when a Juba Skipper & desert pearly marble came by, and climax was a Pacuvia’s Duskywing (assuming my IDs are correct). I was impressed by the diversity of species coming to this small patch of moist, sunny soil. I wondered how they sensed this resource, and from how far they came. A similar feeling of wonder comes from contemplating how Black-backed Woodpeckers, a non-migratory species, thickly populate a new region of forest after it gets burned, even when no known nearby populations are known.
Status: Resident
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: April 20, 2015
Coordinator notes: None.
