Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 2B
^Reporter
July 6, 2016
Monroe Outdoors
Sixteen local counters record 1,529 butterflies
This hackberry emperor was one of the 64 butterfly
species seen on the Butterfly Count on June 24. (Pho
to/Terry Johnson)
BY TERRY W.
JOHNSON
tjwoodduck@bellsouth.
net
he 23rd
Annual
Piedmont
National
Wildlife
Refuge/Rum
Creek Wildlife
Management
Area Butterfly
Count was
held Friday,
June 24. In
spite of the fact
that, for the
second year in
a row, counters
had to contend
with temperatures in
the mid-90’s and a heat
index that soared to
100°F, the count proved
to be a success.
For the second con
secutive year, count
coordinator Dr. Jerry
Payne underestimated
the number of species
that would be tallied.
This year he made the
prognostication that we
would be lucky to record
54-56 species. I must
admit that I, as well
as many of the other
team members, did not
think we would see that
many. Our forecasts
were based on the fact
that this area of the
state was suffering from
a prolonged
dry spell and
few nectar
plants were
blooming. As
it turned out,
the butterflies
didn’t get the
memo.
The com
bined efforts
of 16 individ
uals divided
into five
teams turned up 1,529
individual butterflies
representing 64 species.
To put this in perspec
tive, in spite of the fact
that 799 fewer butter
flies were seen than in
2015, four more species
were documented.
This year the 10 spe
cies most often seen
once again made up the
bulk (69 percent) of the
individual butterflies
identified this year.
As was the case last
year, the Carolina satyr
was the butterfly most
often seen. Some 299
of this small, grayish
butterfly marked with
black eyespots rimmed
in yellow were tallied.
Rounding out the list
of 10 species most often
seen in 2016 were the
pearl crescent (209),
sleepy orange (104),
eastern tailed-blue (98),
common buckeye (90),
eastern tiger swallow
tail (83), fiery skipper
(74), byssus skipper
(49), variegated fritillary
(33), and silver-spotted
skipper (33).
Our local count was
sponsored by the North
American Butterfly
Association, U.S. Fish
& Wildlife Service, and
the Georgia Nongame
Wildlife Conservation
Section (TERN). It is
one of more than 300
counts that will be held
this year across both
the United States and
Canada during the
months of June and
July.
Each count is conduct
ed during a calendar
day within a count circle
that measures 15 miles
in diameter. The local
count circle encompasses
the Rum Creek WMA,
Piedmont NWR, a small
slice of Jasper County
and significant portions
of eastern Monroe and
western Jones counties.
For the past four
decades, the data gath
ered on these surveys
have provided biologists
with invaluable informa
tion regarding the size
and distribution of the
continent’s butterflies.
These data are also
offering insights into
the impacts of habitat
change and weather on
butterfly populations.
Although the total
number of species found
is impressive, it belies
the fact that butterflies
were difficult to find.
This year nine species
were each represented
by a single butterfly. On
top of that, the average
number of butterflies
seen per party was only
255. That is not many
when you consider
each team was in the
field for eight hours or
more.
In spite of the sultry
weather and a scarcity
of butterflies, all of the
members of the 2016
Piedmont NWR/Rum
Creek WMA Butterfly
count team are look
ing forward to the
2017 count. Hopefully
the 2017 count will be
held on a day when
the weather is less
oppressive, lots of nectar
plants will be blooming
and clouds of butterflies
will fill the air.
Even if this dream
doesn’t materialize,
I know I will have a
great time spending a
day with good friends
enjoying the sights and
sounds of early summer
in Monroe County.
Terry Johnson is the
retired Program Manager
of the Georgia Nongame-
Endangered Wildlife
Program. Pie has written
an informative column
for the Reporter for many
years.
Terry W. Johnson
Central Ga.
Tech to host
youth girls
b-ball clinic
The Central Georgia Technical College
women’s basketball program will host a
girls’ basketball camp July 5-7 in Macon
and July 19-21 in Warner Robins from
9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. The Macon camp
will take place at Titans Arena, located
at 1780 Anthony Road, while the Warner
Robins camp will be hosted at Walker
Arena on the CGTC Warner Robins cam
pus, 80 Cohen Walker Drive. The camp
is open to girls of all skill levels, ages
8-17. The cost to participate is $65 per
camper.
The basketball camp is designed to
teach the fundamentals of basketball to
players through station work and com
petition. Areas of focus include shoot
ing, ball handling, individual offense,
and individual defense. Campers will be
divided by age and skill level to ensure
the best experience for each participant.
Antonio Harris, CGTC head women’s
basketball coach, will lead the camp
along with Rachel Henry, assistant wom
en’s basketball coach, and current CGTC
players.
Lunch will be available daily for camp
ers for an additional $5. All participants
are encouraged to dress appropriately
in shorts, t-shirts, socks, and basketball
shoes.
To register for the camp, visit www.
centralgatech.edu/titans. For more infor
mation, contact Antonio Harris at (478)
476-5129 or aharris@centralgatech.edu.
Bulldog basketball squads win Mercer camp titles
- -3
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(Above) The Mary Persons var
sity basketball team, coached
by Greg Nix, finished as upper
division champions last month
of the Mercer high school team
basketball camp with a 13-4 re
cord in each week of camp. (At
right) The Mary Persons JV bas
ketball team, coached by Brian
Merritt, captured the champi
onship during the first week of
summer team camp at Mercer
last month. The JV squad fin
ished 16-1 in each of the two
weeks of camp.
Hunt’s
Out-
Kast
squad
wins
USSSA
9U
Major
Global
World
Series
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The OutKast travel baseball team from Central Georgia (9U Majors) went
the Gulf Shores/ Orange Beach, AL to play in the USSSA Global World
Series last week and was the white bracket champions, defeating the Dirt
Devils from Louisiana 5-4. The OutKast went 2-2 in pool play but then
finished 4-0 in the bracket. The OutKast outscored its opponents 59 runs
to 29 over the course of the tournament. Tristan Hunt is the lone player
from Monroe County. Others are from Bibb, Houston, and Washington
counties. Pictured from left to right on the top row: Jared Diaz, Christian
Rountree, Zach Grow, Trey Wiggins. Pictured from left to right on the bot
tom row: Brandon Mercer, Tyler Davey, Tristan Hunt, Reed Barr and Alex
Mask. The OutKast is coached by Andrew Mask. (Photo/Ansley Hunt)
British soccer camp to begin at
recreation department on July 11
For the third consecutive
year, the Monroe County
Recreation Department will
host the Challenger Sports
British Soccer Camp from
Monday, July 11 through
Friday, July 15.
The 4U First Kicks camp
will be held daily from 9 a.m.
to 10 a.m. and will cost $88.
The 6U Mini Soccer camp will
be held daily from 10:15 a.m.
to 11:45 a.m. and will cost
$104. The Half-Day camp for
any kids under 18 will be held
daily from 9 a.m. to noon and
will cost $142. Also, a special
Goalkeeper/Goal Scorer bonus
camp fro kids under 18 will be
held daily from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
and will cost $45. Lastly, the
Full Day Camp for kids ages
8-18 will be held daily from
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will cost
$201.
For more information, contact
the Monroe County Recreation
Department at 478-994-7795 or
visit www.mocorec.org.
..
/-^
7-7
Karaoke
7-8
Nathan Morgan
7-9
Josh Little
7-10
Chuck Knight
7-14
Karaoke
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TBA
7-16
Robbie Parker
7-17
Robbie Parker
7-21
Karaoke
7-22
TBA
7-23
Platinum Fuzz
7-24
Tracy 8< Jerry
7-28
Karaoke
7-29
Garrett Collins
7-30
No Limitz
7-31
Robbie Parker
KARAOKE
Every Thursday • 8-12 pm
Open 7 days a week
CHAMPAGNE JAM
Every Sunday • 4-8 pm
• 21 and older
(678) 432-1945
Exit 212, Locust Grove, GA
(Across I-75 from Tanger Mall behind the Dairy Queen)