Baltimore checkerspot butterflies and turtlehead plants
Baltimore checkerspot at Pleasant Valley Conservancy |
Turtlehead (Chelone glabra) in the Valley Prairie |
The primary larval host of the Baltimore checkerspot (Euphydryas phaeton) is the White
Turtlehead (Chelone glabra), a
species of marshes, sedge meadows, and wet prairies. Turtlehead is native to
Pleasant Valley Conservancy. It seems to be favored by wetland burns and flourished
extensively in the sedge meadows after our first wetland burn in 2005. It was
shortly after this burn that butterfly aficionados reported the presence of
Baltimore checkerspots along the lane separating the Crane Prairie from the wet
sedge meadow.
Although Baltimore checkerspots are not common in Wisconsin,
they were very prolific at Pleasant Valley Conservancy during the last two
trips (2013, 2014) led by the Southern Wisconsin Butterfly Association. They
were especially common this year in the Valley Prairie area.
In past years we had not seen turtlehead in the Valley
Prairie, but because of the checkerspot findings we anticipated finding them. Also, both the Valley Prairie and the
marsh near it had good burns this past spring.
Indeed, Amanda and Susan have been successful in finding quite a few flowering stems of this attractive plant in
both locations.
Note added: according to the Illinois flower web site, checkerspot larvae in their later instars may move to and feed on swamp lousewort, a species that is prolific in our wetland. This may help explain the extensive populations at Pleasant Valley Conservancy.
Note added: according to the Illinois flower web site, checkerspot larvae in their later instars may move to and feed on swamp lousewort, a species that is prolific in our wetland. This may help explain the extensive populations at Pleasant Valley Conservancy.
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