Fieldtrip report May 17 - Col. Devin Trail by Marceline VandeWater
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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