April 02, 1981 - The Butterflies of SpringApril 2, 1981 Tbt *Uffo[k gimeo Page 9A
The Butterflies of Spring
Working down on the bay in East Marion
last week made me think there are better
days ahead, especially considering the
cantankerous weather we've had this
March. The bay sparkled in a rich blue and
purity only our East End waters seem to
achieve.
Far out in the bay were three large,
foreign - looking oyster boats. Back and
forth they went in what seemed endless
circles above their beds. To me these boats
were not the usual ones we see collecting
oysters throughout the year. It almost
seemed as if they were cultivating the
bottom and all I could speculate was that
there must have been a lot of disturbance
created below, making a natural feeding
ground for flounders. Sure enough it
wasn't long before a lone boat dropped
anchor nearby and started fishing. My
curiosity wondered how they were doing.
They hadn't been there but a short time
when another boat came out and anchored
nearby. They must be catching fish!
Here was a true sign that things were
warming up. Just a few weeks ago Jim
Bogden, Orient's own mosquito control
man, reported the first osprey on Mar. 16.
As the flounders and eels move into our
creeks and bays, the ospreys are not far
behind; without the fish they would have
no food supply. Each year Jim seems to be
the first to see the ospreys. He is in the
ideal location for spotting them. The vast
open marshes of Orient give a clear view
of anything flying. Being interested in the
outdoors, Jim makes a keen observer.
Before him Lish Haberman did the job of
mosquito control and he, too, took careful
observations. He was a colorful fellow who
did a job well. He had that extra something
that made him special to me. For example,
on his own he put up osprey platforms for
the sheer pleasure of doing it.
Butterflies of Spring
When lunch break came along, I took a
walk to a thicket nearby to see if there
were any signs of spring. Here out of the
wind a spectacle of joy fluttered quietly.
The first butterfly of the season, the
mourning cloak is easily recognized by its
dark purple black wings and cream- color-
ed yellow edging. This butterfly is some-
thing unique. It's about almost all winter
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long. Should a thaw come with mild and
sunny weather during the winter, these
delightful creatures come out to dance
about for what seems to me the sheer joy
of it. Being triggered by temperature
changes, it quickly retreats behind a bit of
bark or in a crevice of a tree as soon as the
temperature drops. It's a creature of the
warm spells.
It seems impossible such a frail thing as
a butterfly can endure the rigors of winter.
Yet there it is, whenever the temperature
moderates, exercising its wings and danc-
ing about. I watched this handsome fellow
with its long thin antennae as it lit on the
sunny side of a tree. Here it almost seemed
to lavish in the warmth of the sun. Walking
up on it to get a better view, I marveled at
its delicate structure and creamy yellow
edging. Soon it bounced off in its butterfly
flight and disappeared from sight.
Most of our butterflies spend the winter
in their crysalis, but not the mourning
cloak. It remains a butterfly all winter
long and is ready for an outing anytime.
The female lays her eggs on elm, poplar
or willow trees whose tender shoots are the
favorite food for the small emerging
caterpillars. Each of these caterpillars
will grow until its skin can no longer hold it
and literally burst its seam crawling out of
the old and then grow larger in the new.
This is done time and time again until the
adult caterpillar is large enough to form
its crysalis. It's in this container that the
magic of metamorphosis takes place
where the ugly caterpillar becomes the
beautiful butterfly.
And so a day's work has its joys whether
it's speculating about flounder fishing or
following the flight of a butterfly. All inject
a certain sense of wonder that makes the
day a success.
PAULSTOUTENBURGH
Fleet Lumber, Inc.
1 Main Road, Greenport NY 477 -1906
= M M M MM M MM M M M MM M =M MM= In BU110fNG SUPRY CENTERS EM
ICELAND - August
E=rwW= join
MOURNING CLOAK - -This butterfly remains in its adult stage as
pictured here throughout the winter and can be seen on occasion on
warm winter days. Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh
TONICHT
D
once to the
M U SIC o { the
6p 's
50,s
BRIANS
ANNUAL
50's
PARTY
Thursday April 2nd
PRIZES
For The Best
Or'9Inc1 Costume
From 10 PM Til Closing
s s
477 -2021
Restaurant
Where Only Top Quality Food Is Served
Serving Lunch 11:30 - 2:30 Dinner 5 - 10 Sunday 4 PM - 1 AM
Late Nite Menu Thurs. - Sun. 10 PM - 1 AM
MAIN ROAD GREENPORT' /4 Mile West of Town
9his year's Focus on Nature 5rours
FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION
PLEASE CALL
286 -2626
BERMUDA - May
u
I�9;1
�t
.N
VIRGINIA - November
M.
Free! Your choice.
1 Big League
A
Gifts.
1 When you purchase 150 square feet
1
1 or more of an Armstrong
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1 Headliner"R' or Chandelier "' ceiling.
1
1 Instructions:
Official
Major League Baseball Jacket
1
1 1. Fill out coupon completely.
2.
Headliner Panels:
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Attach copy of ceiling materials
1 invoice.
901 908 909 910 922
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1 3. Clip out and enclose the
item
923 924 925 936
Chandelier Tiles:
'
1
1 qualifying number
from the end flap of one of
10 12 13 17 25 40
486 492 494
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your ceiling cartons. 5.
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Circle your gift choice.
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qualifying 6.
Indicate team choice
1 number ...
and size.
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1 100% Nylon satin, fully lined.
Athletic warm -up suit
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1 100% Nylon knit collar and cuffs.
Mail to: Armstrong aseball Offer, P.O. Box 3001,
Lancaster, PA 17604.
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1 Circle jacket size required.
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1 Child: 8 10 12 14 16;
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rebate check. Limit, one entry per household.
Fleet Lumber, Inc.
1 Main Road, Greenport NY 477 -1906
= M M M MM M MM M M M MM M =M MM= In BU110fNG SUPRY CENTERS EM
ICELAND - August
E=rwW= join
MOURNING CLOAK - -This butterfly remains in its adult stage as
pictured here throughout the winter and can be seen on occasion on
warm winter days. Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh
TONICHT
D
once to the
M U SIC o { the
6p 's
50,s
BRIANS
ANNUAL
50's
PARTY
Thursday April 2nd
PRIZES
For The Best
Or'9Inc1 Costume
From 10 PM Til Closing
s s
477 -2021
Restaurant
Where Only Top Quality Food Is Served
Serving Lunch 11:30 - 2:30 Dinner 5 - 10 Sunday 4 PM - 1 AM
Late Nite Menu Thurs. - Sun. 10 PM - 1 AM
MAIN ROAD GREENPORT' /4 Mile West of Town
9his year's Focus on Nature 5rours
FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION
PLEASE CALL
286 -2626
BERMUDA - May
u
I�9;1
�t
.N
VIRGINIA - November
M.