As rumor has it that at some unknown time in the future the rains, hail, and other various forms of atmospheric water will cease falling from the sky and spring will finally return (in the Pacific Northwest, the rains will not actually cease but diminish somewhat and those of us here will call that close enough), it is time to begin thinking of observing some of the life forms from the other Orders. The Order I am increasingly thinking of presently is the Lepidoptera, being of course butterflies and moths.
As discussions on the Lepidoptera list servers to which I subscribe have increased in both frequency and depth, a number of new developments in this area of study have come to my attention. Most recently and perhaps of most general interest is the Vanessa Migration Project. This project, somewhat similar in nature to the studies of Monarch butterfly migration, is seeking to determine the migratory habits of the Genus Vanessa, being comprised of the ever popular and often widely dispersed species Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis), West Coast Lady (Vanessa annabella), Kamehameha Butterfly (Vanessa tameamea), and Australian Painted Lady (Vanessa kershawi). After the Monarch (Danaus plexippus) the various species of the Genus Vanessa are among the most widely seen and recognized butterflies, and for this reason most anyone with an ability to distinguish between these species can and should participate.
Participation is not difficult and the entire outline of what you should do if you’d like to contribute to the project is contained on the Red Admiral and Painted Lady Research Site. Among a great deal of helpful information about the Genus Vanessa, including life histories, notes on behavior, and maps of previously collected migration data, can be found the link titled “How to Report Your Observations.” Follow it and the rest is self-explanatory.
As species of Vanessa are commonly used for school science curricula during this time of year, teachers are highly encouraged to visit this site for supplementary material for their lesson plans and perhaps even participation in the project itself on the part of the students. Too often science lessons in elementary and secondary schools are devoid of the connection of the material learned to its application in the wider world – this is an excellent way to bridge that gap and demonstrate the direct connection to what is taught and how it is used.
Peace and good butterfly watching.
