Upcoming events
On Saturday May 17th, we will hike a part of the Arizona 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. (Silver-spotted 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 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.
A donation of $5 per person to benefit CAzBA will be appreciated.
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We will host a trip to the Boyce Thompson Arboretum on Saturday, June 14, to see what is flying about. A recent trip found many queens and swallowtails around the blooming tenaza trees. Some skippers, sulphurs, blues, and other species were found, as well as some nice dragonflies at the lake.
We will begin our walk at 7:30 AM at the visitor center. It will be getting warm quickly, so we want to head out early and promptly. Knowing our group, we'll probably stop for anything that flies, crawls, slithers, hops, or runs across our path. BTA is always a great place to see birds, insects, amphibians, and reptiles.
We invite anyone who visits BTA that morning to join us -- so we may have some newbies with questions. That's the way most of us began!
Please advised that admission to BTA is $24.95 for non-members. We will not ask for a donation to CAZBA this time.
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On Saturday July 26th starting at 9AM, Gail Morris and Marianne Jensen will lead a walk at Aspen Corner off Snowbowl Road in Flagstaff. This is always a rewarding place to look for butterflies as you have a few environments including, Aspen stands, meadows and a tank. If you like to photograph other arthropods, there are always lots of interesting species.
*Butterflies: we will look for higher elevation species like Northwestern (Atlantis) Fritillary, Western Tiger Swallowtail, Pine White, Boisduval's Blue, Melissa Blue, Arachne Checkerspot, Weidemeyer's Admiral, Hoary Comma, Garita Skipperling, Taxiles Skipper, Snow's Skipper...
*Beautiful Day flying Moths: Police Car Moth (pictured) (Gnophaela vermiculata), Ctenucha Moth (Ctenucha virginica), and Red Lichen Moth (Lycomorpha fulgens)
*Interesting Flies: Robber Fly, Orange Tachinid Fly and Yellow-belted Tachinid Fly.
To get to Aspen Corner, take Highway 180 northwest from Flagstaff (toward the Grand Canyon) about 6-7 miles to the Snowbowl Road. The Aspen Corner trailhead and parking area is just a little over 5 miles up the Snowbowl Road. That is where we will gather at 9AM.
Wear sturdy footwear and dress in layers. We will not be hiking long distances, but the footing can be poor and we will be at high elevations. As always, bring a wide-brimmed hat, water, and lunch. We are into the start of the monsoon season, so be prepared for this. If the clouds and rain come early, we may have to eat lunch in the car. A $5 donation per person to benefit CAzBA will be appreciated.
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On Saturday August 23rd starting at 9AM, Ron Rutowski will lead a walk down Pivot Rock Canyon which is on the Mogollon Rim near the junction of Highways 260 and 87. This will be our third time visiting this location and so will be interesting to see what species are flying there this year. The canyon bottom is at about 6800 ft, lush, and hosts a perennial stream that, along with the vegetation it supports, attracts butterflies. We can expect the usual Rim summer butterflies, such as Silver-spotted Skipper, Atlantis Fritillary, and Queen Alexandra’s Sulphur, but there is sure to be an interesting variety of other species flying. (Weidemeyer's Admiral pictured)
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To get to the start point:
• Drive north on 87 from the junction in Payson of 87 and 260.
• After 25 miles you will come to another 87/260 junction.
• Continue north on 87 another 1.7 miles and turn left onto a forest road (FR 149/616). There is a very large and fenced-in pile of gravel/cinders on the right side of this road.
• Continue on Forest Road 149/616 for 0.4 miles.
• Take FR 616 as it veers off to the right. A sign points the way to Pivot Rock Canyon. Forest Road 616 is dirt but well graded and easily drivable in a passenger car.
• Drive 2.2 miles to a camping area in the bottom of Pivot Rock Canyon where we will park and start our walk.
If you prefer not to drive dirt roads meet the group no later than 8:45AM by the large gravel pile described in (3) above.
Wear sturdy footwear and dress in layers. We will not be hiking long distances, but the footing can be poor and we will be at high elevations. As always, bring a wide-brimmed hat, water, and lunch. We are into the monsoon season, so be prepared for this. If the clouds and rain come early, we may have to eat lunch in the car. A $5 donation per person to benefit CAZBA will be appreciated.
If you are planning to attend this trip or have any questions about the trip, please contact Ron at 'rrutowski at cox dot net'. Thanks!
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On Saturday September 6th we tackle our 19th 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.
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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Recent events
CANCELLED!! 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 southeast 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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The spectacular diversity and richness of the coloration of butterflies has for centuries captivated both scientists and non-scientists alike. In this talk Dr. Rutowski will first overview scientific efforts to understand the mechanisms and developmental processes that are involved in the production of coloration during the life of an individual butterfly. Then he will discuss the many and fascinating ways that coloration may, from one generation to the next, enhance butterfly survival and reproduction, in other words, color’s function and evolution in butterflies. Work with butterflies has contributed greatly to the development of explanations that help us better understand coloration in all animals
Dr. Ron Rutowski is well known in the butterfly community and serves as the president of the Central Arizona Butterfly Association. Dr. Rutowski retired from Arizona State University where he was a zoology professor in the Department of Life Sciences from 1976 to 2016. He earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a doctorate in neurobiology and behavior from Cornell University. He remains professionally active in teaching and research. His research examines function and perception of bright coloration in animals as well as the mechanisms that produce coloration. Butterflies are a special focus of his studies.
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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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Meeting with guest speaker Gail Morris on Project Monarch: for years tracking monarch movement was limited to tagging. A new lightweight radio tracking device is now available that is light enough for a monarch butterfly to carry. Join us to learn more about the Southwest Monarch Study early research testing radio tags and their potential and limitations in understanding monarch flight behavior.
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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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