Habitat Exploration for the Rare Leonard’s Skipper Butterfly

As part of our Hudson Valley Center for Insect Conservation initiative, join FEP staff on Saturday, September 6, from 1-3pm, to explore a powerline accessed through private land near the village of Philmont. We will look for the regionally rare Leonard’s Skipper butterfly. *Fair Warning* – We cannot guarantee that we’ll see the butterfly because this species has a short flight period. The timing of this walk is within the possible timeframe, but year-to-year variation can make it hard to predict. In any case, you’ll have an opportunity to see the location of the only known population of Leonard’s Skipper in Columbia County. We will discuss the species’ natural history, including the aspects that may contribute to its regionally rare status. We’ll key in on characteristics of the habitat that support Leonard’s Skipper and look for other insects and plants to learn about.

Access to the powerline is roughly a 0.2 mile walk through forest with no defined trail. Participants should be comfortable off-trail in somewhat hilly terrain. Once on the powerline, there is a maintenance road that we can walk on. Space is limited. Please email kbradford@hawthornevalley.org to sign up.