Upcoming events
Butterflies are fun subjects to photograph, but it can be challenging to create pleasing photos of them. In this program we’ll look at some techniques- both technical and artistic- to help elevate your photos from snapshots to beautiful images. (Cindy's Gulf Fritillary pictured)
Cindy Marple is a birder and photographer from Gilbert, AZ. She enjoys all types of Nature Photography, from birds and wildlife to flowers and butterflies. Cindy teaches birding and photography classes through Scottsdale and Chandler parks & recreation departments.
Cindy’s photos can be seen on her website www.cindymarplephoto.com
This is also CAzBA's Annual Membership Meeting where we will approve the 2025 board, have the treasurer go over the treasurer's report and talk about our plans for the upcoming year.
We will be selling field guides, jewelry and some butterfly related art on our "book table". There will definitely be time to socialize with drinks and munchies provided.
Location is Papago Buttes Church of the Brethren, 2450 N. 64th Street, Scottsdale, AZ 85257 (On the NW corner of Oak and 64th St. (about a mile north of the Desert Botanical Garden).
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Meeting with guest speaker Gail Morris on Project Monarch.
Details t.b.a.
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Join us Saturday, March 8, in a search for butterflies typical of the upper Sonoran Desert in the spring. This trip will go up the Apache Trail into the Superstition Mountains. We will meet at the junction of the Apache Trail (State Route 88) and North First Water Road at 9:00 AM. There is an informal parking area there on the north side of North First Water Road, just as you start onto that road.
From there we will venture up the Apache Trail stopping at Tortilla Creek, Mesquite Flat, and the Fish Creek Overlook. These have proven to be productive locations for seeing butterflies in the past.
As usual, wear good hiking shoes and a hat and bring binoculars, water, and snacks/lunch. A donation of $5 per person to benefit CAzBA will be appreciated.If you have any questions about this trip, please email the leader, Ron Rutowski (rrutowski at cox dot net).
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Join us for a spring trip to Rackensack Canyon just north of the Valley. Besides butterflies, we will also pay attention to the wildflowers, with checklist provided. We will meet at the southwest corner of Cave Creek Rd and Bartlett Dam Rd (turn off to Bartlett Lake) at 8:30 am.
Difficulty: moderate (no real trails, rocky creek bed).
As usual wear good hiking shoes and a hat and bring binoculars, water and snacks/lunch.
A donation of $5 per person to benefit CAzBA will be appreciated.
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On Saturday May 17th, we will hike a part of the AZ Highline trail in pursuit of colorful butterflies. As the temperature rises, the flowers start to bloom higher and higher in elevation. Butterflies follow this nectar flow “up the trail” and May is a great time to check it out. Nectar plants like Penstemon, Kaibab Pussytoes, Canada Violets, Fleabane and Dandelion are blooming. Other species of butterflies like to mud puddle at one of the three seeps we will visit. Yet others, like Arizona Sister and Satyr Comma, are mostly found perched on trees. (Moon-marked Skipper pictured)
Meeting place is Denny’s on Shea Blvd in Fountain Hills at 6:30am or at the Washington Park trailhead at 8:15am.
Details to get to the trailhead: Drive to Payson, go straight at the hwy 260 intersection. After 3/4 mile turn right onto Houston Mesa Road. Cross all 3 "water crossings", and after about 8 miles turn left at the stop sign. The road now turns into a dirt road. After about 1 miles turn right towards Shadow Rim Camp and Washington Park Trailhead. Follow this road up for about 5.5 miles until the right turn-off to the Washington Park Trailhead (marked). Turn right here, and instantly turn left (signs again) and you will find the trailhead well marked after 0.5 mile.
Please contact trip leader Marceline VandeWater to let her know where you will meet: marceline at ermaroni.net
We ask for a $5 donation per person.
Wear sturdy shoes and a hat, bring water, snacks and a sack lunch. A pair of binoculars will be handy too. The trail is moderately steep in places, but we will take our time.
Limit 15 participants
A donation of $5 per person to benefit CAzBA will be appreciated.
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Recent events
At this meeting we will evaluate our efforts, fieldtrips and meetings of the past year. We also will talk about the upcoming election of the board and membership related issues. Members and non-members will be able to show-off their most beautiful, interesting, cutest photos of butterflies, moths or caterpillars in a photo presentation. More details to come!
We will be selling field guides, jewelry and some butterfly related art at our "book table". We will also trade plant cuttings and seeds, and do our yearly raffle. There will definitely be time to socialize with drinks and munchies provided.
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We are looking forward to our October meeting and hearing about the results of the recent butterfly counts in Central Arizona.
At this meeting of the Central Arizona Butterfly Association led by our president, Ron Rutowski, we will review the results of the three butterfly counts that were done in Central Arizona in 2024. The results will be compared to previous years and we will explore the causes of year-to-year changes in the number of species and individuals recorded.
There will be plenty of time for questions. You may even bring some identification challenges on a memory stick if you'd like. This will provide an opportunity for us to learn from each other, while taste testing Laura's homemade cookies and lemonade.
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UNFORTUNATELY THIS TRIP HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO THE LACK OF RAIN (non-soon)! This fall outing will likely go to Jewel of the Creek, but destination might get adjusted depending on butterfly abundancy found during scouting. Jewel of the Creek is one of the places in Maricopa Co. where Wright's Metalmark can be found (pictured).
Details to be added.
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Maricopa County Parks could use your help with the fall butterfly count.
Please email Juanita Armstrong (Juanita.Armstrong at Maricopa.Gov) for more information or to find the county park closest to you! (Southern Dogface pictured)
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On Saturday September 14th we tackle our 18th Annual Butterfly Count. The total count circle has a 15-mile diameter, and we will conduct a one-day census of all butterflies sighted within that circle.
80 species of butterflies appear on the Arboretum's checklist, while the record for most species observed in a single day is 44 by Marceline VandeWater during the same count in 2011! Xami Hairstreak is one of the specialties that has been found in the past at the Arboretum.
We will gather on the patio at the Visitor Center at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum (Superior, AZ) at 8:15 AM. If you are not a member of the Arboretum, tell the folks you are there for the butterfly count and they will allow you to enter without paying the admission fee. We will organize into three teams, each of which will be led by an experienced counter and cover a different area in the count circle. Prior experience counting and identifying butterflies is helpful but not required. All comers are welcome. Sturdy walking shoes, hats, and a full water bottle will be needed by counters in all the areas. All teams will return to the Arboretum at noon to share, review, and compile results and to eat lunch (BYO) and socialize in the picnic area. For more information contact Ron Rutowski (rrutowski(at)cox(dot) net).
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