July 2011 1 WILDLIFE OF ARLINGTON: A Natural Heritage Resource Inventory Technical Report Arlington County Board Chairman Christopher Zimmerman, Vice Chairman Mary Hughes Hynes and members Barbara A. Favola, Jay Fisette, and J. Walter Tejada. County Manager Barbara Donnellan Director, Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources, Dinesh Tiwari Division Chief, Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources, Parks and Natural Resources Divi- sion, Caroline Temmermand Principle Researcher, Author and Editor: Greg Zell, ([email protected]), Natural Resource Specialist, Department of Parks, Recreation and Cul- tural Resources, Parks and Natural Resources Division, Conservation and Interpretation Section. Contributing Researchers: Part III – Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata): Andy Rabin ([email protected]) and Kevin Munroe, ([email protected]) Contract Specialists. Part IV – Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera): Alonso Abugattas, ([email protected]), Park Na- turalist, Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources, Parks and Natural Resources Division, Conservation and Interpretation Section. Part V – Birds (Avifauna): David Farner, ([email protected]), Park Manager, Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources, Parks and Natural Resources Division, Conservation and Interpreta- tion Section. Cover Photo Credits: John White – red fox, green frog, cardinal, red-spotted purple. Greg Zell – beaver lodge, northern dusky salamander, and hickory horned devil. 2 WILDLIFE OF ARLINGTON: A Natural Heritage Resource Inventory Technical Report WILDLIFE OF ARLINGTON: A Natural Heritage Resource Inventory Technical Report Part I. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 5 Purpose ............................................................................................................................................... 5 Report Format .................................................................................................................................... 5 Arlington’s Natural Past ................................................................................................................... 6 Early Human History ........................................................................................................................ 6 Impact of Urbanization ..................................................................................................................... 8 Study Area: Current Profile .............................................................................................................. 9 Project Methodology ....................................................................................................................... 10 Historical Records ........................................................................................................................... 12 Part II. MAMMALS, REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS ...................................................................... 14 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 14 Species Accounts .............................................................................................................................. 15 Mammals (Class Mammalia) ..................................................................................................... 15 Reptiles (Class Reptilia) .............................................................................................................. 33 Amphibians (Class Amphibia) .................................................................................................. 44 Summary of Survey Results ............................................................................................................ 52 Part III. DRAGONFLIES AND DAMSELFLIES (Class Insecta) ...................................................... 54 ntroduction ....................................................................................................................................... 54 Odonate Survey Overview .............................................................................................................. 55 Methodology .................................................................................................................................... 55 Field Collections and Observational Records, April 29 – October 8, 2007 Field Season ....... 56 Damselflies (Sub-order Zygoptera) ........................................................................................... 56 Dragonflies (Sub-Order Anisoptera) ........................................................................................ 57 Survey Results .................................................................................................................................. 60 Species of Note ............................................................................................................................. 61 Arlington’s Best Observation Sites ............................................................................................ 61 Part IV. BUTTERFLIES (Class Insecta) .............................................................................................. 63 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 63 Lepidoptera Survey Overview ........................................................................................................ 64 Methodology .................................................................................................................................... 65 Survey Results and Species of Note ............................................................................................... 68 Part V. BIRDS OF ARLINGTON (Class Aves) ................................................................................... 70 3 WILDLIFE OF ARLINGTON: A Natural Heritage Resource Inventory Technical Report Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 70 Habitats ............................................................................................................................................. 71 Historical Changes in Species and Frequency ............................................................................. 71 Backyard Habitats ............................................................................................................................ 72 Birdwatching in Arlington County ............................................................................................... 73 Arlington County Bird Checklist ................................................................................................... 74 Part VI: THE FUTURE OF WILDLIFE IN ARLINGTON ................................................................ 85 Habitat Fragmentation .................................................................................................................... 86 Loss of Habitat Diversity ................................................................................................................ 86 Loss of Wetlands .............................................................................................................................. 86 Invasive Plants .................................................................................................................................. 87 Part VII. A STRATEGY FOR THE CONSERVATION, PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION OF WILDLIFE ............................................................................................................ 87 Management Limitations ................................................................................................................ 87 Management Opportunities ........................................................................................................... 88 Appendix I – Mammals, Reptiles and Amphibians Species Occurrence and Frequency ...... 94 Appendix II – 2007 Odonate Survey Site Locations and Habitat Descriptions ....................... 99 Appendix III – Odonate Species Recorded in Fairfax County (Not Observed in Arlington County in 2007) ............................................................................................................................. 100 Appendix IV –Observations of Moth Species in Arlington, Virginia 2005-2010 ................. 103 Appendix V – References and Citations ..................................................................................... 106 Appendix VI – Acknowledgments .............................................................................................. 110 4 WILDLIFE OF ARLINGTON: A Natural Heritage Resource Inventory Technical Report WILDLIFE OF ARLINGTON: A Natural Heritage Resource Inventory Technical Report Part I. INTRODUCTION Purpose n 2008, county staff completed a three- year comprehensive Natural Heritage IResource Inventory (NHRI) of Arling- ton County, Virginia. The inventory project was initiated in response to recommenda- tions made within the Public Spaces Master Plan (2005), which called attention to Ar- lington County’s lack of contemporary knowledge or data regarding extant natural resources, and hence, its lack of the ability to effectively manage those resources.