'Burg Birder: Spotted Knapweed

Showing posts with label Spotted Knapweed. Show all posts

Monday, August 4, 2014

Pelee Butterflies: Check the Knapweed!

The weather was excellent today (never go by long-range forecasts!) so I took advantage and headed to Point Pelee. The last two times I went the weather was iffy, but I wanted to get a decent day of butterfly watching.

American Painted-Lady

I did not arrive too early today and walked to the Tip. I stood there for a while enjoying the onshore breeze. Tons of swallows again today with some gulls, terns, and a few shorebirds. Three Sanderlings, 1 Least, 2 Spotted Sandpipers were at the tip.

Not too much flying over the lake. Some Black Terns flew by at one point.
After the tourists started arriving, it was time to leave and head up west beach trail. It is not blocked off anymore (not that it would stop me!) so it was clear sailing.

I noted that many butterflies were flying today compared to the past. At the serengeti tree, a skipper caught my eye. Funny thing, it had me baffled at first until I realized it was a Fiery Skipper (female)!

The first Buckeye of the day was here as well.

Other skippers of the day included Silver-spotted, Northern Broken-Dash and Dun.

Both 'lady' butterflies were seen today.

I actually walked that portion of west beach trail twice as there seemed to be much activity. However, the most numerous lep was the male Gypsy moth. Not sure what is going on, but I have seem them everywhere lately in big numbers. I do not recall seeing so many.

I always check out the south end of Northwest Beach (the old parking lot area). More Buckeye were here, and a little farther south on the trail, I found another Fiery Skipper.

Upon finishing west beach trail, I met Bob and Karen Yukich who had just come back from Pelee Island. Nothing spectacular was found on that count, but Karen did find one Fiery Skipper.

Have you noted what most of these butterflies are nectaring on? As invasive as Spotted Knapweed is, it is an important nectaring source for butterflies and other insects. Right now, there is not much else out in flower in certain areas except knapweed. I have countless photos of butterflies on knapweed, many of which are uncommon to rare!

Knapweed is everywhere and can cause problems with other plants as it competes for nutrients.It also prevents some other plants from growing in the immediate area by producing a chemical toxin. Apparently, Spotted Knapweed was introduced along the west coast of North America in the late 1800's particularly Victoria B.C. (1893).

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Butterflies Among Us

Today I saw the first Common Ringlet of the season just north of Wallaceburg.

Common Buckeye

Things will not be as good as last year due to the cold wet spring, but it will be interesting to see what happens. It certainly will be interesting at Point Pelee as I learned yesterday that Parks Canada actually went ahead with destroying some of the Spotted Knapweed along the west side of Point Pelee National Park. Although a non-native species, it is hugely attractive to butterflies. Last summer was the best year for butterflies I have ever experienced and I spent much time at Point Pelee. Most of it was along the West Beach Trail and West Beach where there was lots of knapweed.
Hundreds of butterflies could be seen in one day with many of those on knapweed. Even though it is non-native butterflies are dependent on it for nectaring. (Even White Sweet Clover, as bad as it is, attracts many butterflies as well.)

A couple of times last summer, I encountered a nice young lady who was surveying for butterflies on Spotted Knapweed and she mentioned that there was a possibility that the weed would be removed in the future. I had hoped that it would never occur, and was shocked to know that the knapweed was actually being sprayed or cut yesterday (May 30).
Did she not see the hundreds of butterflies of many species that used the plant? I am sure she did, but higher authority appears to have ignored the findings or was completely ignorant of how important nectaring sources are for butterflies. It has been many many years since we had such an influx and diversity of butterflies such as we did last season. It was really fun to go to Pelee each time to see what one could find.
I am sure there are other things of greater importance to deal with than spraying a few patches of Spotted Knapweed. It is certainly a costly endeavour as those parks employees are undoubtedly well paid.

Is something else going to be planted in its place? It would be nice to have a native species in its place. Without the knapweed, there will be fewer butterflies stopping off. There are some other nectaring sources, but the absence of knapweed will make a significant difference in the numbers of butterflies we may see.

Here is a series of less common species of butterflies I have photographed on Spotted Knapweed over the last couple of years at Point Pelee. Of course there were many others!