We headed from Guatemala to El Salvador in early November. My primary goal was the same and I spent many days in the capital, San Salvador, meeting scientists and discussing my Chlosyne lacinia project. As in Guatemala, I was successful in finding other ecologists eager to assist me in my research in the country.
I stayed in Aguilares with Celia’s family again. It was the end of the wet season in November so the plants looked a whole lot greener than when we were there in January. Below is a picture of the ranch where we spent a fair amount of time (mostly napping in hammocks). A picture from the same angle was posted in January where you’ll notice the landscape is much browner.
Driving down the road on the outskirts of town one day I eyed a patch of yellow sun flower type plants that looked an awful like C. lacinia host plant. I decided to inspect the patch more closely the next day. In fact, it appeared to be Verbesina encelloides the same host plant for C. lacinia in Arizona.
To my surprise and delight I found a few C. lacinia adults flying and basking in the morning sun on that very patch of V. encelloides.
Notice how much different these look to all the other C. lacinia photos I’ve posted. Indeed this is quite a variable little insect.
That trip concluded my 2007 C. lacinia field season. The people I met, the friends I made, the butterflies I found, and the beautiful landscapes I encountered have guaranteed future expeditions. So, I will keep you posted. Starting in June I intend to return to Arizona, Southern California, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and El Salvador to continue my research.