Joann Merritt's Essays

A Store-Y, Butterflies ‘R’ Us
August, 1992

Come shopping with me. As we go up and down the aisles there will be various selections from which to choose. In the store-y are a poem, quotations, count reports, humorous stories and many other items.

Our grandson expressed his thoughts on butterflies in this poem:

Geyata Ajilvsgi writes “The beauty of butterflies lies in their intricate patterns and colorations.” That’s just what Randall observed and put into fourth grade language! In spite of praise and adoration bestowed upon them, Roger Tory Peterson thinks butterflies could show improvement and states: “If only butterflies could sing.”

Texas’ first butterfly count was held in July of 1982 at Austin where 18 lepidopterists identified 64 species. By 1987 when the Midnats first participated, there were 66 counts nationwide with 477 participants. Last year the Xerces Society sponsored 145 counts with 1116 counters in 34 U.S. States and three Canadian provinces. Major changes in the butterfly population usually mean a change of habitat so these butterfly censuses help lepidopterists keep tabs on environmental changes.

By the first of June spring migration is over, bird activity in Midland has slowed and we have a month to prepare for the 4th of July Butterfly Count. With enough time and energy available, it is possible to spend an entire productive day afield. We can observe birds when they are most active in the early morning and late evening and butterflies during midday, for butterflies prefer sunshine and warm temperatures. We try to locate (hot spots) where numerous butterflies gather; such places as alfalfa fields, flowers, rotted fruit in an orchard, mud puddles or even on a sap flow. This week we saw nine Goatweeds, six Questionmarks, two Tawny Emperors and a Wood Nymph feeding on sap oozing from our elm tree.

The Butterfly Count covers the same area as our Christmas Bird Count and yes, we also pay to help with the cost of printing the results. Midnats have counted butterflies for six years so we now have a rough idea of what to expect. Nineteen species have been seen on all six counts, eight on five counts. Fifteen species have been observed only once. A total of 67 species has been recorded. There are many more regularly occurring species which have not yet been found during a count, and there is always the challenge of finding a rare butterfly!

This year we spotted the spectacular Zebra Longwing which was far north of its usual deep south Texas range. It is jet black with bright yellow stripes on long narrow wings. As it flies, the wing stripes remind me of the bones of a Hallowe’en skeleton sort of feebly shaking and flapping. Additional species often appear soon after count day and this year we found the Crimson-banded Black, another rare stray from South Texas, just two days later. Other species which were found in the next few days were Monarch, Fatal Metalmark, Cloudless Sulphur, Tawny Emperor, Viceroy, Wood Nymph and Snout. On the windy count day most of the several hundred Queens in our neighbors alfalfa patch were hiding.

Butterfly counts are not only about learning, lists and statistics. Picture it. Saturday, July 4th, seven Midnats wearing hats and hiking boots and carrying nets, bug jars, books and binoculars, were bound for The Pits. Gene Grimes greeted our neighbor, “I’m in charge of this group, they’re just out on leave.” Somehow an Isobeon Hairstreak becomes “Leon the Beon” and one butterflier says he will be happy if he can just find a “ human beon”. (Editor’s note: Could the speaker have been Jim Henderson?) It was fun (in a poor-us sort of way) when several Midnats simultaneously reached for their reading glasses to examine a small netted specimen. Butterfly Counts are also about fun and friends.

Midnats, store-y representatives, have butterfly walks, counts, shows, workshops and some have gardens. Whatever you choose you will be delighted with these fascinating and lovely creatures even if they can’t sing!