You probably know by now that the Coronado National Forest has a large closure order affecting most of this butterfly count circle until Nov. 1, 2020. I have asked for special permission to count Sabino Canyon and have been denied. I have asked the Pima County Sheriff's Department for special access to the Catalina Highway up to Summerhaven, and have been granted permission for one person/one vehicle (me) to travel to Summerhaven on WEDNESDAY July 29.
My access to Summerhaven is contingent on conditions and could be revoked that day. It's also possible that the highway will be open to everyone before that day. With so many unknowns, I'm choosing to hold the count on Wed. 7/29/20. If we get rained out, c'es la vie.
So, let me know if you're available and plan to join the count Wed. 7/29. There are no stops permitted on the Catalina Highway if it is open by then, as the Coronado NF is closed on both sides of the highway up to Summerhaven. The only areas we can count for certain are low desert neighborhoods in the circle. I probably only need about 5 people to cover these areas, preferably local residents of Tucson who know the areas.
Thanks!!! Mary
The Big Horn Fire in Santa Catalina Mountains closed more than 95% of access to count circle areas in Coronado NF. Dry spring and late monsoon rains made for very little nectar
- Pipevine Swallowtail Battus philenor 10
- Checkered White Pontia protodice 1
- Orange Sulphur Colias eurytheme 12
- Southern Dogface Colias cesonia 6
- Cloudless Sulphur Phoebis sennae 14
- Mexican Yellow Eurema Mexicana 3
- Sleepy Orange Eurema nicippe 1
- Dainty Sulphur Nathalis iole 1
- Gray Hairstreak Strymon melinus 1
- Leda Ministreak Ministrymon leda 20
- Western Pygmy-Blue Brephidium exile 2
- Marine Blue Leptotes marina 42
- Ceraunus Blue Hemiargus ceraunus 8
- ‘Echo’ Spring Azure Celastrina ladon 17
- Fatal Metalmark Calephelis nemesis 4
- Variegated Fritillary Euptoieta Claudia 1
- Texan Crescent Phyciodes texana 3
- Mourning Cloak Nymphalis antiopa 3
- Painted Lady Vanessa cardui 7
- Common Buckeye Junonia coenia 4
- ‘Dark’ Tropical Buckeye J.genoveva nigrosuffusa 1
- Red-spotted Purple Limenitis arthemis astyanax 2
- ‘Arizona’ California Sister Adelpha bredowii 1
- Empress Leilia Asterocampa leilia 3
- Queen Danaus gilippus 8
- Dull Firetip Pyrrhopyge araxes 1
- Golden-banded Skipper Autochton cellus 1
- Acacia Skipper Cogia hippalus 2
- Arizona Powdered-Skipper Systasea zampa 2
- Mournful Duskywing Erynnis tristis 3
- Funereal Duskywing Erynnis funeralis 9
- White Checkered-Skipper Pyrgus albescens 1
- Orange Skipperling Copaeodes aurantiacus 2
- Fiery Skipper Hylephila phyleus 44
- Taxiles Skipper Poanes taxiles 7
Unidentified Sulphur sp. 1
248 Individuals