Date: 9/16/26 12:07 pm From: Harry LeGrand (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Raulston Arboretum butterflies in Raleigh under "bacon" conditions -- Sept. 16
Folks,
Raulston's butterfly population in west Raleigh, Wake County, continues fairly strong, but the species diversity keeps dwindling owing to lack of southerly winds and major rainfall and disturbance events. Raleigh did have close to 0.4-0.5" inches of rain Saturday and into early Sunday, but the continued clear skies, very low humidity, etc., on Mon, Tues, and today have pretty much negated that soil moisture, and the drought continues, with no end in sight.
Here are the wimpy totals, despite plenty of nectar plants:
Pipevine Swallowtail 9 Black Swallowtail 1 male Sleepy Orange 28 Cloudless Sulphur 10 Cabbage White 15 Variegated Fritillary 2 - the ONLY brushfoot species today! Silver-spotted Skipper 6 Horace's Duskywing 1 Common Checkered-Skipper 10 Fiery Skipper 75 Eufala Skipper * 3 *usually just one or two at most Clouded Skipper 4
That's all, folks! I really doubt the garden will see a Gulf Fritillary, Long-tailed Skipper, and a few other usual late summer and fall visitors this year. Ocolas are still essentially missing. Surprised not to see Monarch, Buckeye, and maybe a lady.
Harry LeGrand Raleigh
PS - Though the temp was only about 78-81 degrees, the humidity was VERY low, and the place today was unwalkable without a lot of sunscreen or long sleeves and long pants. Continued lack of clouds, this being likely the sunniest year (= lowest amount of cloud cover) in recent memory here.
