Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 37 



It is worthy of note that the deer-fly, Chrysops, which we found 

 very annoying at Twin Lakes a few miles north, is not common at 

 Lake Maxinkuckee. At Twin Lakes where the deer-flies were par- 

 ticularly pestiferous on one occasion a robber-fly came along and 

 caught one just about to bite. 



ORDER LEPIDOPTERA 



BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS 



Butterflies are abundant about the lake. The great diversity 

 of soil, moisture, and vegetation, furnishes conditions very favor- 

 able to the development of this group of insects. The number of 

 species is therefore large, and many of them are represented by 

 numerous individuals during their season. 



Perhaps the most conspicuous species and one that may be seen 

 throughout the greatest number of months is the milkweed but- 

 terfly (Danaus archippus) . Although not the first to appear in 

 the spring it nevertheless appears quite early, and it is the species 

 that may be seen in numbers quite late in the fall. Only a small 

 amount of sunshine and warmth is sufficient to entice it to wing, 

 and single individuals and often groups of three or more may be 

 seen on almost any warm day until late in October or even in No- 

 vember. It is usually most in evidence, however, during the middle 

 of summer (July and August) when the common milkweed 

 (Asclepias syriaca) is in flower. Then about every clump of this 

 showy plant, so abundant along the railroad and on the borders 

 of woods, old fields and ill-kept fence rows, these large butterflies 

 of rich brown and black may be seen in abundance. Late in the 

 fall, even after the first biting frosts have changed the marshes 

 and byways from their summer green to the somber browns and 

 grays of late autumn, several of these butterflies may be seen by 

 any one who goes afield on the still Indian summer days. 



Sometimes remarkable flights of the Milkweed Butterfly occur. 

 Such a flight was witnessed at noon on September 24, 1907, when 

 several hundred were seen flying from the direction of the lake 

 over Arlington station and into Green's woods. They flew against 

 a strong wind but were able to make good headway. Some of them 

 were much higher than the telegraph poles, others were lower down 

 and sailed upward against the wind. At times only two or three 

 would be in sight, then 20 to 30 would come flying close together. 

 The flight continued for 15 or 20 minutes. 



The common Cabbage Butterfly (Pieris rapte) is, of course, an 



