Date & Time:
March 10, 2017 - 10:00am to 1:00pm
Meeting Place:
The overflow parking area 1/4 mile north of Sabino Canyon. Turn right off Sabino Canyon Road into the access for Southern AZ Rescue Association (SARA) and park in the overflow lot. (NOTE: A Coronado Pass is required to park in this lot.) .
Special Notes:
A National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass (Annual, Senior, Access, Military, Volunteer, Golden Age or Golden Access) or a fee is required for parking at this location.
We will walk approximately 2.5 miles on rocky trails and paved road from the parking area to Cholla Wash, Esperero Trail to Rattlesnake Trail, down to the paved road, and back to our cars by 1pm.
Spring wildflowers are blooming, Rattlesnake Creek is flowing, and Streaky Skippers are flying. Numbers and species of butterflies are increasing daily. This will be an early scouting trip for the upcoming Sabino Canyon Spring Butterfly Count set for March 26.
Trip Butterfly Reports:
Six seasoned butterfly watchers enjoyed lush Spring foliage and wildflowers along with running water in the Rattlesnake Creek area of Sabino Canyon. Tiny Checkerspots ruled the day with around 300 seen. Numbers of butterflies and species are increasing daily now as temperatures hit the 90’s for the first time this year. Species seen:
- Pipevine Swallowtail Battus philenor
- Two-tailed Swallowtail Papillo mulicaudata
- White sp. (fly-bys, could have been checkered, spring or marble)
- Sara (SW) Orangetip Anthocharis sara (thoosa)
- Pima Desert Orangetip Anthocharis cethura
- Southern Dogface Colias cesoniaSleepy
- Sleepy Orange Eurema nicippe
- Gray Hairstreak Strymon melinus
- Marine Blue Leptotes marina
- Echo Spring Azure Celastrina ladon echo
- American Snout Libytheana carinenta
- Bordered Patch Chlosyne lacinia
- Tiny Checkerspot Dymasia dymas
- Texan Crescent Phyciodes texana
- Common Buckeye Junonia coenia
- Empress Leilia Asterocampa leilia
- Queen Danaus gilippus
- Funereal Duskywing Erynnis funeralis
- Erichson’s White-skipper Heliopyrgus domicella
- Common Streaky-skipper Celotes nesses
- Orange Skipperling Copaeodes aurantiacus
General Information
Beginners are welcome on all field trips! Experienced members will share their butterfly knowledge and expertise with all field trip participants. Children accompanied by a responsible adult are welcome on SEABA field trips. A donation of $5 per person to benefit SEABA will be appreciated. Carpooling from the meeting place is encouraged and it is kind to share gas expenses. If high clearance vehicles are required for a trip, it will be noted in individual trip descriptions. Dress for the field with sturdy shoes, hat, sunscreen, and insect repellent. Bring your own water, snacks, and lunch. Close-focusing binoculars, cameras, and field guides will be helpful aids for butterfly observation and identification. Trips usually end by mid-afternoon unless noted differently in individual trip descriptions.
Please be aware that:
1. Collecting or netting is NOT allowed on SEABA field trips.
2. Pets, with the exception of service animals, are NOT allowed on SEABA field trips.
3. All field trip participants are required to sign SEABA's Release and Assumption of Risk form at the beginning of the trip. The form may be viewed at SEABA Release.
4. Please arrive a few minutes prior to the meeting time posted for trips to facilitate paperwork and introductions to other trip participants.
5. Field trips may be cancelled or rescheduled on short notice due to changing weather or road conditions. Please check the website for updates prior to the Field Trip.
Our Southeastern Arizona Butterfly Checklist can be downloaded here. Please note that the SEABA checklist is copyrighted.
Local NABA Butterfly Counts are listed at NABA Counts
Field trips organized by the Central Arizona Butterfly Association are listed at their website: CAzBA.
