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On Saturday April 13th, 13 butterfly friends plus Ron and I, explored Rackensack Canyon. The weather was sunny and the temperature perfect! There was a small stream of water flowing in Rackensack: what a difference with last year! Everything was lush and green, with plenty of flowers.
Between all of us, we saw a total of 25 species: Pipevine Swallowtail (6), Two-tailed Swallowtail (4), Checkered White (25), Sara Orangetip (4), Sleepy Orange (2), Orange Sulphur (8), Dainty Sulphur (6), Reakirt’s Blue (2), “Martin’s” Blue (2), Variegated Fritillary (2), Elada Checkerspot (1), Variable Checkerspot (4), Sagebrush Checkerspot (1), Red Admiral (7), Painted Lady (10), Empress Leilia (2), Mourning Cloak (1), Common Buckeye (9), Tropical Buckeye (1), Queen (5), Monarch (1), Funereal Duskywing (3), Common Streaky-Skipper (2), White Checkered-Skipper (20), Orange Skipperling (1).
I want to thank all participants for you good company and sharp eyes!
Marceline
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Twenty avid butterfliers led by Ron Rutowski and Marceline Vandewater visited two sites along the Beeline Highway on 23 March 2019. Round Valley was the first stop. Initially at 56 degrees, there was no activity, but more and more butterflies came out as the morning warmed up. At this location we saw 15 butterfly species. At the next stop in Upper Sunflower Valley we walked down the old Beeline Highway to have lunch at the Forest Service work camp. Along the way and at the camp we saw over 70 individual butterflies in 17 species. Our sunny but cool morning along the Beeline yielded a total of 24 species which is about average for this annual spring trip we’re doing since 2009. (2013 was a low year with 10 species, and 2011 & 2015 were high years with over 30 species observed). Here are the species and approximate numbers of each seen per location:
Round Valley (15 species; more than 50 individuals)
Pipevine Swallowtail 3, Checkered White 8, Pearl Marble 2, Orange Sulphur 1, Dainty Sulphur 4, Western Pygmy Blue 1, Spring Azure 1, American Snout 3, Red Admiral 1, Painted Lady 1, Variable Checkerspot 12, Empress Leilia 1, Queen 10, White Checkered Skipper 2, Funereal Duskywing 2
Upper Sunflower Valley (17 species; more than 70 individuals)
Two-tailed Swallowtail 2, Pipevine Swallowtail 2, Checkered White 10, Sarah Orangetip 4, Mexican Yellow 1, Orange Sulphur 12, Dainty Sulphur 10, Western Pygmy Blue 1, “Siva” Juniper Hairstreak 2, Red Admiral 2, Painted Lady 1, Variegated Fritillary 1, Sagebrush Checkerspot 2, Mourning Cloak 1, Common Buckeye 1, Monarch 2, White Checkered Skipper 20
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On Sunday February 3, the National Butterfly Center alerted that earlier that day, construction equipment and eight local law enforcement units materialized at the 100-acre sanctuary in Mission, Texas, along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Last year, Congress approved funding to build new border-wall sections atop a levee that runs through the center, which protects habitat for hundreds of butterfly species as well as birds and other wildlife. An officer told center staff that “effective Monday morning, [the center’s land south of the levee] is all government land,” according to the post, suggesting that plans to construct the new wall sections continue. (These wall plans are separate from President Trump's larger proposed wall project that is still being negotiated.)
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