March: Butterfly of the Month
Lorquin's Admiral (Basilarchia lorquini)
In one of its early instars, the Lorquin's Admiral caterpillar diapauses over the winter. The fuzzy black larva with a white saddle rolls a willow leaf into a sleeping bag and stays inside during wet, cloudy days. When it's sunny, the caterpillar creeps out to graze. Later instars of the Lorquin are less cuddly -- they strongly resemble bird droppings.
The chrysalis below retains part of the shed skin and face plate. From it emerges a striking black butterfly decorated with a white chevron and golden-orange forewing patches.
The wingtips are orange to the margins (different from the similar-looking California Sister whose orange tips are a well-defined circular patch that does not touch the margins.)
A strong flyer with a characteristic twitch-and-glide pattern,
Lorquin's Admiral can be found along the streamside. Marilyn had seen this
butterfly nine months of the year. It was named for Pierre Lorquin, one
of the early California collectors, who came for the Gold Rush but was eventually
lured by the more enduring riches of the butterfly fauna.
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