Butterfly Counts

This upcoming spring of 2024, we are going to start an official annual count for Hessel’s Hairstreaks, where a number of locations will be chosen across South Jersey to be covered by participants. Hessel’s Hairstreaks thrive in freshwater Atlantic White Cedar swamps and bogs, which is one of our most threatened natural environments in the coastal plain of NJ (due to historical and continued development, timber, sea-level rise, the drainage of wetlands, etc.). A number of other species, such as salamanders, snakes, birds, unique flora, various additional insects, lichen, and small mammals also rely on these tree communities for reproducing, feeding, and roosting. Atlantic White Cedar swamps are also crucial, as they are a buffer in many colliding ecosystems (particularly important in the transition of salt marsh ecotones) for filtering water and purifying it as it flows into more sensitive interior habitats.

Atlantic White Cedars, unlike most trees in the state, grow in thick densities that aid as windbreaks for many forests and lowland habitats, which helps hold larger environments together. Hessel’s Hairstreak presence in Atlantic White Cedar bogs is a big indicator to the health and quality of these habitats. They not only host on these trees, but they are critical pollinators for many plants and shrubs that build up the understory and edges of AWC swamps, such as various blueberries, shadbush, sand myrtle, and more. The trees and the ecosystem that these cedars belong to rely just as much on these butterflies as they do on the trees. Without healthy understories to AWC swamps, erosion and cold wind infiltration is more likely and the habitat is less likely to succeed and expand over time.

By surveying for Hessel’s Hairstreaks, we are playing a big role in collecting invaluable data on the health of not only these butterfly populations, but on AWC swamps as a whole. Any new locations for Hessel’s Hairstreaks, or continued monitoring of known locations will help aid NJDEP Fish & Wildlife forces to help preserve, protect, and manage these sites.

The count date this year will be held on Saturday, April 20th. Reach out by email to nabasjchapter@gmail.com to participate.

This is an annual survey for the adult overwintering presence of American Snouts within the Cape May peninsula. Butterflies, against many odds, find ways to survive here in the cold northeast. Every winter, although some species migrate further south to warmer climates, nearly all lepidoptera in New Jersey overwinter as pupae, in the chrysalid, egg, or caterpillar stage (larval stage). When temperatures start to drop, they find safe spots underneath the foliage, or hide within the soil, to stay dormant for the winter. Yet, a few species have adapted themselves to overwinter in the adult form. They slip in between bark, within wood piles, or any warm place that they can find. On sunny, higher temperature days, you may see a Mourning Cloak floating through a backyard in January, or an Eastern Comma sunning itself against a tree in late February. These two species, in addition to the Question Mark, are the classic big three that you’ll find during the winter months. These exceptional butterflies survive the winter with their built up fat reserves and taking advantage of sap, carcasses, and earth minerals to survive in the winter when no flowers, or fruit are available. Red Admirals, Cabbage Whites, Orange Sulphurs, and even Clouded Sulphurs are other species that often occur annually during January and February.

Historically, American Snouts have not been viewed as part of this group. However, thanks to a number of South Jersey observers in recent years, multiple sightings throughout the winter months have suggested they overwinter as adults just as often as the other traditional winter species. This may be a result of climate change, or simply an increased consciousness of observers. Regardless of the origin, we are interested in monitoring long-term variations of snout numbers, density, range, and the systematics of ecosystem types in which they are colonizing. This study will further prove, with official data, previously unassumed aspects of their biology and stochastic winter ecology.

Reach out by email to nabasjchapter@gmail.com to participate.