Monday, August 9, 2010

Little Yellow at Myrtle Beach 9 Aug 10


Above, a Silver-spotted Skipper taken today, 9 Aug 10 at Myrtle Beach. Below is a bad video (ventral view) of a Little Yellow at Myrtle Beach (near Nettleton Creek), Milford, the beach that adjoins Silver Sands State Park. We first found the Little Yellow on 22 July 10, and we've seen them on most Piping Plover trips at Silver Sands since then in the same place. Today there were at least three of them, two often chasing each other in a circle. The video color distorts the bright yellow color and turns it greenish. We think the flower both the Silver-spotted Skipper and the Little Yellow are nectaring on is Spotted Knapweed--indeed all of the many butterflies in this location are feeding on Spotted Knapweed, a supposedly notorious invasive. (Cassia, one of its major foodplants, is common in the area.)

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