BERKS COUNTY NATURE Home Page |
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BERKS COUNTY NATURE Home Page |
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Sightings in 2003 The following butterfly species were seen in Berks County, Pennsylvania in 2003. No doubt many other species were present, but not seen. The late and unusually cold spring kept observers from noting several spring species. The Atlas of Pennsylvania Butterflies, edited by Dr. David Wright, lists 104 species for Berks County. The Ocola Skipper, found twice in 2003 by Ken Lebo, increases the number to 105. Some of those 105 species are historical records and many are of strays or southern migrants which are not often found in the county. Ninety of the one hundred five species are known to have been seen in the past 40 years. This year two sightings were made of the Giant Swallowtail, one in northern Berks (Tom Lechy) and one in southern Berks (Harold Lebo). Those, along with the Ocola Skipper, are the most notable sightings this year. Since 1997 the following five species have been added to the Berks County list: Sachem (a skipper), Broad-winged Skipper, Horace's Duskywing, Ocola Skipper, and Red-banded Hairstreak. Those reporting are: Karl R. Gardner, Ryan Woolwine, Ken Lebo, Harold Lebo, and Tom Lechy. [Correction noted on Jan 3, 2005. The Gray Comma was also added to the county list since 1997, making it six species since then.] |
| Sightings in 2003 (63 species) |
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Family HESPERIIDAE
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Family LYCAENIDAE
32 American Copper 33 Banded Hairstreak 34 Red-banded Hairstreak 35 Brown Elfin 36 Gray Hairstreak 37 Eastern Tailed Blue 38 Spring Azure 39 Summer Azure 40 Appalachian Blue Family LIBYTHEIDAE 41 Snout Butterfly Family NYMPHALIDAE 42 Variegated Fritillary 43 Great Spangled Fritillary 44 Aphrodite 45 Meadow Fritillary 46 Pearl Crescent 47 Baltimore 48 Question Mark 49 Comma 50 Mourning Cloak 51 American Painted Lady 52 Painted Lady 53 Red Admiral 54 Buckeye 55 Red-spotted Purple 56 Viceroy Subfamily APATURINAE 57 Hackberry Butterfly 58 Tawny Emperor Subfamily SATYRINAE 59 Northern Pearly Eye 60 Appalachian Eyed Brown 61 Little Wood Satyr 62 Common Wood Nymph Subfamily DANAINAE 63 Monarch |
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A site with data on butterfly distributions by
county for North America can be found at North
American Butterflies. This government sponsored site is updated about
once a year, although it is currently behind for many states. There is
a small informal group of local butterfly collectors/observers in Berks
Co. Pennsylvania If you are interested in butterflies and would like to
meet this group, contact  . |