Lord Baltimore has two black and orange namesakes in the Sax-Zim Bog…the Baltimore Oriole can be found in large deciduous trees along the Whiteface and St.Louis Rivers and in Meadowlands…And the beautiful butterfly, the Baltimore Checkerspot.

Yesterday (July 3) was the last day of bird surveys in the Sax-Zim Bog…but it was the butterflies that dominated. I possibly saw over 1,000 individuals of 20 species on the back roads. The highlight was this Baltimore Checkerspot in a low area along Cranberry Road about a quarter mile N of Sax Road. A lifer for me! A real stunner that depends on Turtlehead and plantains for caterpillar food and can be found in wet meadows, brushy swamps, and sphagnum bogs. Other species included the Dun Skipper, Eyed Brown, American Ladies and HUNDREDS of Red Admirals. Most were soaking up water and nutrients from the dirt roads or feeding on old animal scat.

Post by Sparky Stensaas