Madera Canyon tithonia

Date & Time: 
August 30, 2024 -
8:30am to 11:50am
Meeting Place: 
Proctor Parking Lot, Madera Canyon
Trip Leader: 
Mary Klinkel
Trip Butterfly Reports: 

SEABA's first Tithonia Pop-Up Tour met August 30th for a walk around lower Madera Canyon.  Tithonia is in bloom and attracting butterflies.  There are axillary buds so I anticipate the bloom will continue for at least a week.  Plants are intermittent and relatively short this year.  Other nectar sources include aloysia, seep willow, milkweed vine and bush spiderling.  We saw several clusters of different instar bordered patch caterpillars on the same tithonia plant.  Our list of butterflies seen follows:

2024-08-30 Proctor Tithonia Field Trip

 

  1. Pipevine Swallowtail                         Battus philenor
  2. Checkered White                               Pontia protodice
  3. Orange Sulphur                                   Colias eurytheme
  4. Southern Dogface                              Colias cesonia
  5. Cloudless Sulphur                              Phoebis sennae
  6. Mexican Yellow                                   Eurema mexicana
  7. Tailed Orange                                      Eurema proterpia
  8. Sleepy Orange                                     Eurema nicippe
  9. Dainty Sulphur                                    Nathalis iole
  10. Gray Hairstreak                                   Strymon melinus
  11. Leda Ministreak                                  Ministrymon leda
  12. Western Pygmy-Blue                       Brephidium exile
  13. Marine Blue                                          Leptotes marina
  14. Ceraunus Blue                                     Hemiargus ceraunus
  15. Reakirt’s Blue                                       Hemiargus isola
  16. Fatal Metalmark                                 Calephelis nemesis
  17. Mormon/Sonoran Metalmark      Apodemia mormo
  18. Palmer's Metalmark                         Apodemia palmeri
  19. American Snout                                  Libytheana carinenta
  20. Queen                                                    Danaus gilippus
  21. Red-spotted Purple                          Limenitis arthemis astyanax
  22. Gulf Fritillary                                         Agraulis vanilla
  23. Mexican Fritillary                                Euptoieta hegesia
  24. Bordered Patch                                   Chlosyne lacinia
  25. Tiny Checkerspot                               Dymasia dymas
  26. Elada Checkerspot                            Texola elada
  27. Mourning Cloak                                  Nymphalis antiopa
  28. Hackberry Emperor                           Asterocampa celtis
  29. Empress Leilia                                      Asterocampa leilia
  30. Tawny Emperor                                  Asterocampa clyton
  31. Red Satyr                                               Megisto rubricata
  32. Dull Firetip                                            Pyrrhopyge araxes
  33. Desert Cloudywing                            Achalarus casica
  34. Acacia Skipper                                     Cogia hippalus
  35. Golden-headed Scallopwing          Staphylus ceos
  36. Common Sootywing                         Pholisora catullus
  37. Orange Skipperling                            Copaeodes aurantiacus
  38. Several White-fringed Erynnis - probably Funereal Duskywing   Erynnis funeralis

 

After the conclusion of the official tour, several participants checked the creek area at the top of the road and found 4 additional species:

‘Echo’ Spring AzureCelastrina ladon

‘Arizona’ California SisterAdelpha bredowii

Painted LadyVanessa cardui

Taxiles SkipperPoanes taxiles

 

 

Fatal Metalmark (♀) (Calephelis nemises) nectaring on Tithonia © Gerry Wolfe

Leader email: 
grizzledelfin@gmail.com

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.