Tagged Horseshoe Crab
I found this deceased Horseshoe Crab at Bridgeport, Connecticut’s Pleasure Beach in June. As you can see it has a large tag on it from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Here along the Connecticut coast Sacred Heart University is studying the Horseshoe Crab through Project Limulus. This effort monitors populations, helps to track individuals by tagging, seeks to better understand their biology, and works to aid the spawning process by protecting the species and educating the public. Learn more by visiting their website! I reported this individual, a male, which I was told was first...
Read MoreGray Hairstreak
This looks like a worn Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), a butterfly I found recently laying low in the grass. As we enter August we see more and more tattered and torn insects, those strong survivors who have persevered through a tough flight season to feed and reproduce successfully. Between difficult weather, dangerous predators, competition from similar species and human interference it is always special to see the senior citizens of the bug world living on. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreGiant Silk Moths
I know I’m easily distracted, and I know I should have been preparing for an RTPI Foundation Board meeting, but I could not pass up the opportunity to get a closer look at the beautiful creatures hanging out on the light post in front of RTPI this morning. I should have known that I would not be able to sneak out of the building carrying a butterfly net and a step ladder without anyone noticing… Two giant silk moths on the same light post! A Cecropia Moth (Hyalophora cecropia) and a Luna Moth (Actias luna) were enjoying a little daytime nap before continuing their mission: to...
Read MoreHorseshoe Crabs
If you are on the Atlantic Coast during the late spring you may be fortunate enough to find Horseshoe Crabs during the breeding season. Early June, especially around a new or full moon, is a very busy time for these marine arthropods that are considering living fossils, having existed nearly unchanged for approximately 450 million years. These photos were taken at Stratford Point in Stratford, Connecticut, an important mating site at the mouth of the Housatonic River. The females will lay eggs on beaches like this one, some subsequently being eaten by migrant shorebirds. The most vivid...
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