Observation date: August 11, 2024
Submitted by: Dogoszhi
Specimen type: Photograph
Observation notes: On owl's-claws, aka orange sneezeweed (Hymenoxys hoopesii), in an alpine meadow next to the Santa Fe Ski Area parking lots. Overcast and sometimes lightly drizzling. On my drive into Santa Fe, I had observed a rain squall pass through that part of the mountains. This fritillary and another one (also on an owl's-claws flower) seemed to be in a stupor. Police-car moths on nearby flowers were just as inactive. I wonder if these all got caught in an unexpected shower and became torpid due to suddenly cooling down.
Status: Resident
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: August 11, 2024
Coordinator notes: You are correct, but there is a disagreement about names, or a lag in acceptance of new names. The name bischoffii is not yet in the BAMONA vocabulary. but it's the same bug. sudden cooling can freeze butterflies on flowers, presenting great photo-ops where you can get as close as you want and they are stuck.
