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It was a good trip to east Clear Creek with great sunny weather and a decent number of butterflies. Despite the great sunny weather, the butterfly diversity was low. Target species for East Clear Creek are Northern Crescent and Long Dash. We managed to see two Northern Crescents, but dipped on the Long Dash.
Butterflies:
Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme)
Queen Alexandra's Sulphur (Colias alexandra)
Checkered White (Pontia protodice)
Sylvan Hairstreak (Satyrium sylvinus)
Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus)
Marine Blue (Leptotes marina)
Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon)
Reakirt's Blue (Echinargus isola)
Weidemeyer's Admiral (Limenitis weidemeyerii)
Atlantis Fritillary (Speyeria atlantis)
Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)
Northern Crescent (Phyciodes cocyta)
'Arizona' Silver-spotted Skipper ( Epargyreus clarus)
Pahaska Skipper (Hesperia pahaska)
Tawny-edged Skipper (Polites themistocles)
Taxiles Skipper (Poanes taxiles)
Thanks everyone
Kurt Radamaker
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On Saturday May 17, a group of 11 butterfly lovers hiked part of the Col. Devin Trail north of Payson, looking for spring butterflies. There was not much nectar around. Things have been dry, dry, dry... Butterfly numbers of species and individuals were low. Manzanita and Pussytoes were blooming and Buckbrush is starting to have some white fluffy flowers. The Butterflyweed will likely take another 3 weeks before attracting Fritillaries and others. This is a trail to visit again in a few weeks, IF... the Forest Service doesn’t close the area because of the fire danger.
24 species were seen: Two-tailed Swallowtail, Orange Sulphur, Southern Dogface, Mexican Yellow, Dainty Sulphur, Bramble Hairstreak, Gray Hairstreak, Marine Blue, Reakirt’s Blue, Spring Azure, Western Tailed Blue, Variegated Fritillary, Northwestern (Atlantis) Fritillary, Mylitta Crescent, Common Buckeye, Arizona Sister, Mourning Cloak, Silver-spotted Skipper, Northern Cloudywing, Funereal Duskywing, Com. Checkered Skipper, Northern White Skipper, Deva Skipper (pictured), Morrison’s Skipper.
Thanks everyone for a fun outing! -Marceline
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Rackensack Canyon was explored by 12 CAzBA members, including two members of the Arizona Native Plant Society, who helped identify and add to the Rackensack Plant List. We began in the downstream portion of the canyon where there was more riparian habitat with more plants. The main canyon was dry due to the lack of winter rains. More productive was the upper area of the main “Side Canyon” where there was water. A Yucca Giant-Skipper was found there by one of the observers.
Among the several species of wildflowers, a special treat was the sight of a blooming larkspur.
After lunch, a hike up to the Sears Kay Ruins added Checkered White, Martin’s Blue, and Great Purple Hairstreak (pictured).
Thirty species were recorded for the day: Pipevine Swallowtail, Two-tailed Swallowtail, Checkered White, Sara Orangetip, Sleepy Orange, Southern Dogface, Marine Blue, Reakirt’s Blue, Spring “Echo” Azure, Martin’s Blue, Great Purple Hairstreak, Elada Checkerspot, Variable Checkerspot, Sagebrush Checkerspot, California Patch, Painted Lady, Empress Leilia, Mourning Cloak, Common Buckeye, Queen, Mournful Duskywing, Sleepy Duskywing, Meridian Duskywing, Northern Cloudywing, Arizona Powered-Skipper, Common Streaky-Skipper, Northern White-Skipper, Common Checkered-Skipper, Orange Skipperling, Yucca Giant-Skipper.
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Last Saturday, CAzBA had a booth at the Dragonfly Festival at the Rio Salado. Some of the other tables included: SW Monarch Studies, Butterfly Wonderland, and Dragonflies of the Rio Salado. About 600 people visited the festival, which gave us the chance to educate quite a few people from the central and west Phoenix area. Many crafts were done, and a good time was had by all. Thanks Jan and Marceline, Janet & Bob, Gail & Bob, and Adriane!
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Butterflies and some moths are near-universal symbols of natural beauty, but Linden Gladhill, a biochemist and photographer, has created a stunning set of photographs that introduce us to the natural beauty of butterflies and moths on a macro level unobservable by the human eye.
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