Kevin Barry Definitive Destination: by David Harder, Virginia Craig, Big Bend WMA, Florida Dean Jue and Sally Jue 4 American Butterflies,Spring/Summer 2015 5 Pages 4-5: Cabbage Palms at twilight. April, 2005. Hickory Mound. Opposite page: Much of the area is open salt marsh. Sept. 15, 2012. Hickory Mound. Left: Tide City Mainline traverses hydric hammock. Oct. 5, 2014. Tide Swamp Virginia Craig (2) Virginia All is not doom and gloom General Site Description: Unit consists of about 19,500 acres; the Spring forming these swamps include cypress, bay, for butterflies in Florida! While many species Big Bend WMA encompasses almost 72,000 Creek and Hickory Mound Units are each magnolia, ash, elm, oak, maple, and cabbage have declined drastically in the southern part acres and spans about 70 miles of Gulf of about 14,500 acres; and the Snipe Island and palmetto. Eastern Redcedar, willow, redbud, of the state (see the article “Feeling Blue in Mexico coastline in Taylor and Dixie counties. Jena Units are each about 11,500 acres. hawthorn, and plum grow around the edges Miami” by Dennis Olle in the 2013 fall/winter It is flanked by the St. Marks National The terrain at Big Bend is generally flat and along the roadsides. Freshwater marsh, issue of American Butterflies), butterflies Wildlife Refuge to the west and the Lower and wet, yet the WMA encompasses several thick with sawgrass, Pickerelweed, and still abound in parts of northern Florida. In Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge to the different habitats. Areas of slightly higher arrowhead, also occurs around the edges the Big Bend Wildlife Management Area south. Together, they protect one of the longest ground are mostly covered by pine flatwoods. inland. The marshes become increasingly (WMA), at the southeastern edge of the stretches of largely undeveloped coastline This natural community has an overstory of brackish closer to the coast. Ultimately Florida panhandle, 100 species have been in Florida. Marketers of the few unprotected longleaf or slash pine, a ground cover of saw a wide belt of salt marsh separates these recorded through 2014. That makes this parcels of land call it “The Forgotten Coast”. palmetto, grasses and forbs, and a shrub layer natural communities from the open waters WMA one of the most diverse sites in the Most of Big Bend WMA was purchased that varies in height and density according to of the Gulf, and helps protect the Big Bend state. And, since the few other conservation by the State of Florida in 1987 from the Nature how often the area is burned. Relict inland Seagrasses Aquatic Preserve just offshore. lands with comparable species totals are much Conservancy, which acquired the property in sand dunes provide some higher, drier ground Needlegrass Rush is the salt marsh’s main larger than Big Bend, this WMA has the most 1986 from Buckeye Technologies, a timber in spots. They are either sparsely vegetated, plant component. Near its inner edge, salt flats concentrated butterfly diversity. During peak processing company. There are five separate often with xeric species like pricklypears and are covered by glasswort and saltwort. In some seasons, over half of its species, and thousands management units, four in Taylor County, and yuccas, or covered with dense pine plantation. spots, groves of cabbage palmetto occur on the of individuals, can be seen in a day. the Jena Unit in Dixie County. All the units Lower areas are mostly shady swamps seaward side of the hammocks. In other places are managed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife (also called hydric hammocks, or simply there is an abrupt change from hammock or Conservation Commission. The Tide Swamp forested wetlands on some maps). The trees flatwoods to open salt marsh. 6 American Butterflies,Spring/Summer 2015 7 Dean Jue (2) A swamp-loving Dukes’ Skipper on Spanish beggarticks (Romerillo). Sept. 22, 2012. Palmetto Skippers are usually seen in pine flatwoods near their namesake host plant. Sept. 16, 2012. Each management unit has a network frequently used nectar sources are listed, by the higher the numbers of both total species the remaining months the Taylor County units of unpaved roads (derived from old logging season, just before the species list at the end and unique species it supports (see unit have been surveyed just once each, and the roads) usually called trams, grades, or spurs. of the article. Nearly twice as many sources descriptions below). Jena Unit not at all. The possibilities are far One or two main roads in each unit are open are listed for fall than for spring or summer. In addition to being diverse, butterflies from exhausted. year-round, but most side roads are closed to This is one reason why fall, September in at Big Bend WMA can be very numerous. vehicles May 1 - August 31. Roads leading to particular, is the peak of the butterfly year More than half the 100 species are categorized boat ramps are heavily used year-round. The at Big Bend WMA in both abundance and as abundant or common (see species list at Unit Descriptions main roads are passable for most ordinary diversity. the end). For some, hundreds of individuals The five units of Big Bend WMA are vehicles, except after heavy rains when can be seen during peak periods (Eastern described separately below, starting with the portions of some roads may be under water. A Profusion of Butterflies: Tiger Swallowtail, Palamedes Swallowtail, largest and ending with the smallest. Species The side roads are narrow and often rough in We have conducted over 75 butterfly surveys Cloudless Sulphur, Gulf Fritillary, Salt Marsh that have been found only, or markedly more spots. However, they are generally less than at Big Bend WMA since 2007, nearly all at the Skipper, and Ocola Skipper). The list of frequently, at one or two units are noted (see two miles long and can be walked instead of units in Taylor County. The Jena Unit has been common or abundant species also includes Best Bets). driven. Brochures with unit maps are available surveyed only a few times. Butterfly numbers some butterflies usually considered uncommon at the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation peak in spring and fall – a common pattern or rare in Florida (Juniper Hairstreak, Tide Swamp (87 species) Commission website (MyFWC.com/hunting/ in the north Florida region. September’s 84 Appalachian Brown, Georgia Satyr, Northern Best Bets: Zebra Swallowtail, Spicebush WMA-brochures then, in the North Central species is the highest monthly total for any site Broken-Dash, Yehl Skipper, and Lace-winged Swallowtail, Checkered White, Great Southern list, click on the unit name). The brochure in that region. April’s 70 species is the region’s Roadside-Skipper). White, Barred Yellow, Dainty Sulphur, Banded gives dates for the various hunting seasons at highest for a spring month. Additional discoveries are likely at Big Hairstreak, Eastern Tailed-Blue, Spring Azure, that unit. Visitors should expect hunters to be More than half the butterfly species have Bend WMA. The total number of butterfly Mourning Cloak, Red Admiral, Goatweed present at those times. been seen at all four Taylor County units. surveys conducted there through 2014 yields Leafwing, Appalachian Brown, Little Wood- Most of the butterflies are attracted to However, each of those units harbors a few an average of only 1.3 surveys per month per Satyr, Common Wood-Nymph, Silver-spotted the many flowering plants growing along the species that haven’t been seen at any of the unit. Only the Hickory Mound Unit has been Skipper, Northern Cloudywing, Confused roads. At least 50 genera are used. The more others. Not surprisingly, the larger the unit is, surveyed in January and February. In many of Cloudywing, Sleepy Duskywing, Meske’s 8 American Butterflies,Spring/Summer 2015 9 Dean Jue (4) David Mohnahan Above: The blazing stars along the trails of the Spring Creek Unit attract Gulf Fritillaries and people. Sept. 15, 2013. Opposite page Top: A plethora of pulchritudinous pygmy-blues plumping at Pluchea rosea (Rosy Camphorweed). Sept. 14, 2014. Left: Eastern Pygmy-Blue on its caterpillar foodplant, Chickenclaws. May 30, 2010. Middle right: A Salt Marsh Skipper nectars at Romerillo [Spanish beggarticks]. Sept. 15, 2012. Bottom right: A Palatka Skipper. nectaring at Yellow Thistle. April 7, 2002. 10 American Butterflies,Spring/Summer 2015 11 Virginia Craig Virginia Skipper, Crossline Skipper, Sachem, Palmetto The western, or Spring Creek Road, entrance Skipper, Dukes’ Skipper. is on CR356 about 6 miles south of US98. This is the largest unit, and the one with CR356 is about 4 miles west of Perry (look the highest cumulative number of recorded for Rocky’s convenience store and gas station species. All entrances are on CR361 (Beach at the corner, the last chance for a pit stop). Road) that starts at US19/98 about 2 miles The eastern, or Mule Wallow Spur, entrance is south of Perry. The main western, or Tide on CR361A (not to be confused with CR361) City Mainline, entrance is 23 miles south of about 12 miles south of Perry. Both entrances US19/98, or 3 miles south of Keaton Beach. are well marked. The eastern, or Dallus Creek Road, entrance Spring Creek Road is often productive is 6.5 miles farther south, or about 6 miles from the WMA entrance to Henderson northwest of Steinhatchee. Road (whereas the remaining portion, from The shoulder of CR361 near the western Kathy Malone Henderson to the boat ramp, seldom is). This entrance is often very productive. Spring A Sweadner’s Hairstreak on Climbing A speciality of the area, Yehl Skippers are is the most consistent area for Georgia Satyrs. through fall, fogfruit, thistle, buttonbush, Hempvine.