This was another of Mary's "pop-up field trips". To get on Mary's contact list for these "pop-up trips", contact her by email @ grizzledelfin@gmail.com
Photo: Chiricahua White (Neophasia terlooii) © Gerry Wolfe
Field Trips
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.
Past Field Trips
November 1, 2024 - 8:30am to 12:00pm
Meeting Place: Proctor Parking Lot, Madera Canyon
Trip Leader: Mary Klinkel
October 13, 2024 - 8:30am to 12:00pm
Meeting Place: Whipple Observatory Picnic Area
Trip Leader: Mary Klinkel
This was another in a series of "Pop-Up" trips led by Mary Klinkel, which are usually announced with only 1-3 days short notice. Email Mary Klinkel at grizzledelfin@gmail.com if you want to be on her invite list for her "Pop-Up" trips.
September 21, 2024 - 8:15am to 2:00pm
Meeting Place: 8:15 AM at White Rock Campground restroom near Pena Blanca Lake. The campground is 9.7 miles west of I-19 on Ruby Road (AZ 289), approximately 1 1/4 hours south of Tucson.
Trip Leader: Gerry & Vicki Wolfe
Special Notes: The 9 miles on Ruby Road from the meeting place to Sycamore Canyon is gravel, with washboarding in many areas. Walking will be on a narrow dirt trail alongside or in the stream bed. Some areas are brushy and a few short areas have moderately difficult, rocky terrain. Sturdy hiking boots, long pants, sunscreen, and insect repellent for chiggers are recommended for this trip.
If you want to visit one of the premier canyons in SE Arizona, this is it! Although it is a long drive (approximately 2 hours from Tucson), most years it is quite productive and at the very least extremely scenic. Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) is blooming now in wet areas along the creek and attracting hordes of butterflies.
We will be walking for approximately 1.0 - 1.5 miles down the canyon alongside the streambed. We will spend the majority of our time walking in... more
September 14, 2024 - 8:30am to 2:30pm
Meeting Place: Patagonia Butterfly Garden
Trip Leader: Gerry & Vicki Wolfe
We will spend most of the morning in the Patagonia Community Garden, Paton's Hummingbird Haven's butterfly garden, and a few other locations within town. Weather permitting, we will leave about noon and drive to Red Mountain Road for a very short walk and then to Harshaw Creek, which was flowing last Sunday with numerous puddle parties of Sulphurs and Oranges. There is limited parking at Paton's, so we may need to carpool to that location. There have been numerous reports of 40+... more
September 6, 2024 - 8:30am to 12:00pm
Meeting Place: 8:30 AM at the USFS restroom at White Rock Campground near Peña Blanca Lake
Trip Leader: Gerry & Vicki Wolfe
Special Notes: Directions: From I-19 South exit to route 289 (Ruby Road) junction, turn west (right) on 289 and proceed 9.7 miles until you come to a Y. Turn left onto Ruby Road and proceed 0.2 mile to the rest room at White Rock Campground.
We will be looking for butterflies as we walk alongside the creek bed at the large gravel parking lot on the north side of Peña Blanca Lake. We will then drive a very short way west on Ruby Road to a parking lot at the junction of Ruby Road and Peña Blanca canyon roads. We will walk the road up Peña Blanca Canyon about 1/2 mile total to a good stand of blooming tithonia. We expect the trip to end about noon.
It's chigger season and there is a short pass through high grass to... more
September 4, 2024 - 8:30am to 12:00pm
Meeting Place: Proctor Parking Lot - Madera Canyon
Trip Leader: Mary Klinkel
This was another of Mary's "Tithonia Pop-up tours". Tithonia is fading at Madera Canyon but was still attracting butterflies. We wandered around Proctor area, Madera Picnic Area and up at the top of the road. Fresh perfect red-bordered satyrs were the highlight at the top. List follows:
- Pipevine Swallowtail Battus philenor
- Black Swallowtail Papilio polyxenes
- Two-tailed Swallowtail... more
August 30, 2024 - 8:30am to 11:50am
Meeting Place: Proctor Parking Lot, Madera Canyon
Trip Leader: Mary Klinkel
July 12, 2024 - 8:00am to 12:00pm
Meeting Place: TBD
Trip Leader: Mary Klinkel
Special Notes: Maximum participants: 8 for each field trip
Contact field trip leader Mary Klinkel (email: grizzledelfin@gmail.com) to sign up and for more information about meeting time and place. SEABA requests a $5 donation for each field trip. You will receive a SEABA SE AZ Butterfly Checklist and personal attention.
Whether you are new to butterfly identification or looking for a chance to refresh your ID skills, these field trips are for you! SE AZ has a stunning variety of butterflies, many of which can be seen year-round. These morning field trips will give you a chance to see butterflies of several families and practice field identification skills at an easy pace. NOTE: All field trips are weather-dependent as butterflies do not fly in rain.
Photo: Black Swallowtail (Papilo... more
July 3, 2024 - 8:47pm
Meeting Place: TBD
Trip Leader: Mary Klinkel
Special Notes: Maximum participants: 8 for each field trip
Contact field trip leader Mary Klinkel (email: grizzledelfin@gmail.com) to sign up and for more information about meeting time and place. SEABA requests a $5 donation for each field trip. You will receive a SEABA SE AZ Butterfly Checklist and personal attention.
Whether you are new to butterfly identification or looking for a chance to refresh your ID skills, these field trips are for you! SE AZ has a stunning variety of butterflies, many of which can be seen year-round. These morning field trips will give you a chance to see butterflies of several families and practice field identification skills at an easy pace. NOTE: All field trips are weather-dependent as butterflies do not fly in rain.
Photo: Ceranus Blue (Hemiargus... more
May 13, 2024 - 9:00am to 1:00pm
Meeting Place: USFS restroom at White Rock Campground at Peña Blanca Lake.
Trip Leader: Gerry & Vicki Wolfe
Meeting Place: 9:00 AM at USFS restroom at White Rock Campground at Peña Blanca Lake. Directions: From exit 12 on I19, turn west (right) on route 289 (Ruby Road) and proceed 9.7 miles until you come to a Y. Turn left onto Ruby Road and proceed 0.2 mile to the rest room at White Rock Campground. Driving time from the intersection of I-10 and I-19 to Pena Blanca Lake is about an hour and 10 minutes.
Late spring at Pena Blanca Lake is a good time to visit. We will be looking for... more
October 27, 2023 - 9:00am to 11:00am
Meeting Place: Historic Canoa Ranch
Trip Leader: Mark Klinkel
Meet at 9am at Canoa Ranch parking lot Historic Canoa Ranch | Pima County, AZ We'll walk around the pond and wetland enjoying Fall weather and a wonderful nature area. Restrooms available. Maximum 6 people. Please contact the field trip leader to sign up.
Photo: Reakirt's Blue (Echinargus isola) © Gerry Wolfe
October 20, 2023 - 9:00am to 11:00am
Meeting Place: Historic Canoa Ranch
Trip Leader: Mary Klinkel
Meet at 9am at Canoa Ranch parking lot Historic Canoa Ranch | Pima County, AZ We'll walk around the pond and wetland enjoying Fall weather and a wonderful nature area. Restrooms available. Maximum 6 people. Please contact the field trip leader to sign up.
Empress Leilia (Asterocampa leilia) © Gerry Wolfe
March 18, 2022 - 9:30am to 12:00pm
Meeting Place: Entrance patio in the Desert Museum
Trip Leader: Cindy Bethard
Special Notes: Masks are required at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in all indoor spaces and outdoors whenever social distancing cannot be accomplished.
If you are not a museum member, general admission is $23.95 and senior admission (65+) is $21.95. Once the field trip ends, you can of course stay as long as you like until the Museum closes.
Cindy will be happy to guide you to the “hot spots” on grounds for butterflies. She will be wearing her ASDM docent uniform with her name tag. Other docents who love butterflies will be available to you in many of the areas with spring wildflowers.
The trip will cover approximately 1.5 miles on cement paths and flat dirt paths on Museum grounds. After the trip, if you stay for lunch the museum has a cafeteria. If you bring a sack lunch, there are picnic grounds just... more
October 30, 2021 - 10:00am to 2:00pm
Meeting Place: Various Members residences
Trip Leader: Peggie Allen and Karen Gravely
October 5, 2021 - 10:00am to 1:00pm
Meeting Place: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Pollination Garden
Trip Leader: Cindy Bethard, Libby Sullivan, and Sue Bridgemon
Special Notes: Masks are required in all indoor spaces and outdoors whenever social distancing cannot be accomplished. Participants must pay their own entrance fees. If you aren’t a member of ASDM, general admission is $23.95 and senior admission (65+) is $21.95.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, there will not be a group walking together. You will be on your own for the most part, but we will be happy to guide you to the “hot spots” on grounds for butterflies. Sue, Libby and I will be wearing our ASDM docent uniforms with our name tags. We will have other tasks, but will switch out to be available to you as needed.
The trip will cover approximately 1.5 miles on cement paths and flat dirt paths on Museum grounds. After the trip, if... more
February 25, 2020 - 9:00am to 12:00pm
Meeting Place: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum entrance gate
Trip Leader: Cindy Bethard
Special Notes: SEABA's $5.00 donation request will be waived for anyone who is not an ASDM member.
This will be an easy stroll on paved and good gravel/dirt pathways on the Museum grounds. Spring wildflowers should be beginning to bloom, and hopefully we will find a good number of early spring butterfly species, such as Desert Marble and Orangetips.
November 10, 2019 - 8:45am to 2:00pm
Meeting Place: 1. 8:45 AM at the South side of Fry’s parking lot at Houghton and Rita Road to carpool to Patagonia, or 2. 10:00 AM at the Butterfly Garden on McKeown Ave. between 3rd and 4th streets, across the street from the Red Mountain Foods.
Trip Leader: Larry Fellows and Mary Adams
Happily, this trip has been reschedulled!!!!
Bill was a dedicated butterflyer and committed SEABA member. He and Mary, his spouse, led many SEABA field trips, the last of which was to the Harshaw Creek Rabbitbrush area in October 2016. We will visit that locality on this trip, as well as others, depending on time and weather. We’re pleased to lead this trip in Bill’s memory.
Type of terrain: Mostly level with some brushy... more
August 24, 2019 - 8:30am to 2:00pm
Meeting Place: Patagonia Butterfly Garden across the street from Red Mountain Foods at 347 McKeown Ave, Patagonia, AZ
Trip Leader: Gerry & Vicki Wolfe
Although it has been relatively dry so far in the area this year, the Seep Willows (Bacchris salicifolia) should in full bloom and loaded with butterflies! We will visit two Patagonia gardens and then carpool to the seep willows in the creek bed along Harshaw Creek Road. Join us for a day filled with butterflies so intent on nectaring that you can photograph them with a bad cell phone!
Type of terrain: Mostly level with some brushy areas and uneven rocky... more
August 3, 2019 - 6:45am to 2:00pm
Meeting Place: Tucson meeting time: 6:45 a.m. Frys parking lot at 8080 S Houghton (Houghton/Rita Road intersection). Please arrive in time to sign the waiver form.
Trip Leader: Fred Heath
Special Notes: Field trip starts at 8:00 AM at the Butterfly garden in Patagonia, located on McKeown Ave right across from Red Mountain Foods grocery store.
As you are aware the NABA Patagonia butterfly count will be held on Tuesday, August 6. For those of you that would like to butterfly in that area and can’t make the count or just want to brush up on their local butterfly ID skills, Fred Heath is leading a SEABA field trip on Saturday, August 3 covering some of the Patagonia butterfly hot spots. We will meet at the butterfly garden in Patagonia at 8:00AM. The butterfly garden is located on McKeown Ave right across from Red Mountain Foods... more
July 17, 2019 - 8:00am to 1:00pm
Meeting Place: Safeway/McDonald's parking lot at Catalina Highway and Tanque Verde roads.
Trip Leader: Cindy Bethard
Special Notes: The ceanothus is blooming, attracting many species of butterflies.
Please arrive at the meeting place a little early so we can arrange carpools to go up the mountain.
Type of terrain: Walking on a primitive, rocky trail. There will be some stepping up and down on and over large rocks. Rough in some areas, flat in others. Be sure to wear sturdy shoes! Long pants are recommended. We will spend the majority of our time walking on the trail away from our vehicles, so be prepared to carry lunch and enough water for a few hours.... more
April 28, 2019 - 9:30am to 11:30am
Meeting Place: Tohono Chul Park Visitor Entrance Gate
Trip Leader: Peggie Allen, Tohono Chul Park Docent
Special Notes: Meet at the visitor entrance gate of Tohono Chul Park, 7366 Paseo del Norte, 1/2 block north of Ina Road, 2nd light west of Oracle Rd. This is the gate where you pay your fee.
NOTE: Tohono Chul has an entry fee for non-members, in addition to the SEABA $5 fee. If you are a member of Tohono Chul, there is no additional entrance fee. If you are not a member, they are giving us a special rate of $5 per person for SEABA members. If you are neither a Tohono Chul member nor a SEABA member, the regular TC admission applies. ($13 adults, $10 seniors)
This is an easy stroll through a local botanical park in the NW Tucson area. We hope to see multiple spring species of butterflies including Queens and Monarchs, Oranges and Sulphurs, Blues, Fritillaries, Pipevine Swallowtails. Tohono Chul has many Host plants that we'll be seeing as well.
Type of terrain: Trail is very smooth and mostly paved.
Photo: Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae)
April 20, 2019 - 8:00am to 2:00pm
Meeting Place: 8:00AM in the Safeway/McDonald’s parking lot in the Continental Plaza west of I-19 (take Continental Exit, turn right) or 8:45AM at Box Canyon Bridge
Trip Leader: Gerry & Vicki Wolfe
Special Notes: Meeting places and times:
8:00AM in the Safeway/McDonald’s parking lot in the Continental Plaza west of I-19 (take Continental Exit, turn right) to sign in and carpool to Box Canyon
or
8:45AM at the Box Canyon bridge (8.0 miles west of AZ Hwy 83 on Greaterville road which becomes Box Canyon Road. Please note the last 4.7 miles are on a dirt road. Please arrive a few minutes early in order to sign the SEABA waiver form and to run personal errands so that we can leave on time.
Trip description: This is a great time to join other butterfly enthusiasts for a few hours enjoying the outdoors. We will drive to a very beautiful canyon that runs east to west (providing a good butterfly flight path) in the foothills of the Santa Rita Mountains. On trips at this time of year in the past years SEABA members have identified over 30 species in Box Canyon. Come and join us to hopefully see some interesting species before the real heat of late spring... more
April 13, 2019 - 8:00am to 2:00pm
Meeting Place: 8:00AM at the Safeway & McDonald’s parking lot in Green Valley, AZ, on Continental Rd. off I-19
Trip Leader: Gerry & Vicki Wolfe
Special Notes: Alternate Meeting Place: 8:50AM at USFS restroom at White Rock Campground at Peña Blanca Lake. Directions: From I19 and route 289 (Ruby Road) turn west (right) and proceed 9.7 miles until you come to a Y. Turn left onto Ruby Road and proceed .2 mile to the rest room at White Rock Campground.
Spring at Pena Blanca Lake is a very pretty time to visit. We will be looking for butterflies as we walk around the north and west sides of Pena Blanca Lake. We will park at three different locations on the lake and walk for periods of time at each stop. Our last stop will be at the launch ramp facility at the end of the paved road. From there, we will walk south along the west shore of the lake towards the dam. On past trips in the spring we have identified 30 or more species,... more
January 20, 2019 - 9:45am to 2:00pm
Meeting Place: 9:45AM at Famous Sam's parking lot, just east of the McDonald's located at Magee & Oracle. We will try to carpool as much as possible as trailhead parking is limited.
Trip Leader: Cindy Bethard
Special Notes: The field trip starts at Pima Canyon trailhead at 10 am, at the east end of Suffolk Hills drive.
This is a very beautiful trail in the NW Tucson area. However, the first half mile is quite rocky and rugged, traversing multiple hills on the way to the canyon. This a very early trip, but the bladderpods are already blooming in the Tucson mountains, and the London Rocket mustards are out in the Tucson neighborhoods. We hope to see some early spring species of butterflies including Oranges, Blues, Checkered Whites, and maybe Sara Orangetips and Desert Marbles. The trail has some rough... more
October 27, 2018 - 7:45am to 2:30pm
Meeting Place: 1. 7:45 a.m. Frys parking lot at 8080 S Houghton (Houghton/Rita Road intersection). 2. 9:00 a.m. Patagonia Butterfly (across the street from Red Mountain Foods, 347 McKeown Ave.)
Trip Leader: Larry Fellows
Please arrive in time to sign the waiver form and take care of other matters so we can depart for Patagonia promptly at 8:00 a.m.
Bill was a dedicated butterflyer and committed SEABA member. He and Mary, his spouse, led many SEABA field trips, the last of which was to the Harshaw Creek Rabbitbrush area in October 2016. We will visit that locality on this trip, as well as others, depending on time and weather. I’m pleased to lead this trip in Bill’s memory.
Roads are... more
October 21, 2018 - 8:00am to 2:00pm
Meeting Place: 8:00 AM at Safeway on Continental Road of I-19 in Green Valley - or - 8:45 AM at White Rock Campground restroom near Pena Blanca Lake. The campround is 9.7 miles west of I-19 on Ruby Road (AZ 289)
Trip Leader: Gerry & Vicki Wolfe
Special Notes: Due to recent rains on Ruby Road and the prediction for a windy day with 40% chance of rain on Sunday, the Sycamore Canyon Filed Trip has been cancelled.
Trip Description:
If you want to visit one of the premier canyons in SE Arizona, this is it! Although it is a long drive (approximately 1.5 hours from the 1st meeting place), most years it is quite productive and at the very least extremely scenic. We don’t know what’s blooming now or what species we might see, but it’s always possible that some strays may have flown in from the south.
We will be walking for approximately 1.0 - 1.5 miles down the... more
September 8, 2018 - 8:15am to 2:30pm
Meeting Place: 7:00 AM - For those that wish to carpool please meet Cindy Bethard in the Fry's parking lot (8080 S. Houghton Rd.) at the corner of Houghton Rd. and Rita Road in Tucson or 8:15AM in the parking lot near the guard station at the Van Deman gate entrance
Trip Leader: Cindy Bethard
Special Notes: Ft. Huachuca is a military base. You must be a US citizen and show a valid driver's license or have a military ID in order to enter the fort. You will be required to fill out paperwork to apply for a base pass, and you can ask for one which is good for one year. Non-US citizens must be vouched for and accompanied at all times by a Military ID holder. We anticipate an hour's delay at the base Van Deman gate while those who don't already have them get passes using your driver's licenses as ID.
Please join us for an early fall outing in one of the most beautiful canyons in SE Arizona, which is full of a variety of butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies. Dragons and damsels may include Forktails, Firetails, Rubyspots, Bluets and Dancers. Some of the butterfly species that we may find are: Swallowtails, Blues, Sulphurs, Admirals, Checkerspots, Sisters, Frittilaries, Metalmarks and a variety of Skippers, including the Huachuca Giant-Skipper. We may even get to see some... more
August 19, 2018 - 8:30am to 2:00pm
Meeting Place: 8:30AM at the Patagonia Butterfly Garden across the street from Red Mountain Foods at 347 McKeown Ave, Patagonia.
Trip Leader: Gerry & Vicki Wolfe
Although it has been dry so far in the area this year, the Seep Willows (Bacchris salicifolia) should in full bloom and loaded with butterflies! We will visit the seep willows in the creek bed along Harshaw Creek Road and end our day at the two Patagonia gardens. Join us for a day filled with butterflies so intent on nectaring that you can photograph them with a bad cell phone!
Type of terrain: Mostly level with some brushy areas and uneven rocky... more
July 31, 2018 - 8:00am
Meeting Place: TBD, tentatively 8:00 am at the Ventana Canyon trailhead
Trip Leader: John Rhodes
This will be a relatively easy walk over a dirt trail and through the Ventana Canyon Resort to their butterfly garden.
Photo: Summer form Sleepy Orange (Eurema nicippe)
June 9, 2018 - 8:15am to 2:00pm
Meeting Place: McDonald's/Safeway parking lot at the NE corner of Catalina Highway and Tanque Verde. Food and restrooms are available at the meeting place.
Trip Leader: Georgette Mehalik & Cindy Bethard
We will make several brief stops on the way up the Catalina Highway. We will stop at Molino Basin for Pipevine Swallowtails and other small bugs, if the desert honeysuckle is blooming. Our next stop will be Gordon Hirabayashi. If the stream is flowing, we will walk to the blooming Seep Willow in the wash. After this we will go up to Chihuahua Pines picnic area to see what is out. We may walk through General Hitchcock campground to look for Red Satyrs, Silver Spotted Skippers and other... more
May 5, 2018 - 8:30am to 1:00pm
Meeting Place: Fry's at 8080 S Houghton Rd (NW corner of Houghton & Rita Roads)
Trip Leader: John Rhodes
Special Notes: Alternate Meeting Place: 9:00 AM at the Gabe Zimmerman Davidson Canyon Trailhead. Directions: Take I 10 East to the exit for Highway 83 South to Patagonia and Sonoita, turn left from the exit towards Tucson for 0.2 miles, then right (east) on Marsh Station Road for 3.3 miles to the Trailhead.
The Gabe Zimmerman Trailhead Parking Lot has room for only ten cars, so carpooling from Fry’s is a good idea. There is one portable toilet in the lot. We will walk north along Davidson Canyon for about 0.4 miles to Cienega Creek, then walk upstream, mostly east. The walking is not too difficult and will crisscross the stream on some primitive trails, occasionally through bushes. Long pants and good hiking shoes are recommended. We will spend the majority of our time walking in the canyon... more
April 28, 2018 - 8:00am to 1:00pm
Meeting Place: Safeway/McDonald’s parking lot in the Continental Plaza west of I-19. (take I-19 exit 63, Continental Road, and turn west. The plaza is on the right /north side of Continental Road). Carpooling to Box Canyon from the meeting location is encouraged.
Trip Leader: Gerry & Vicki Wolfe
Special Notes: Alternative meeting place: 8:45AM at the Box Canyon bridge (8.0 miles west of AZ Hwy 83 on Greaterville road which becomes Box Canyon Road). Please note the last 4.7 miles are on a dirt road.
This is a great time to join other butterfly enthusiasts for a few hours enjoying the outdoors. We will drive to a very beautiful canyon that runs east to west (providing a good butterfly flight path) in the foothills of the Santa Rita Mountains. On trips at this time of year in the past years SEABA members have identified over 30 species in Box Canyon. Come and join us to hopefully see some interesting species before the real heat of late spring arrives.
Type of... more
April 14, 2018 - 8:00am to 2:00pm
Meeting Place: 8:00AM at the Safeway & McDonald’s parking lot in Green Valley, AZ, on Continental Rd. off I-19
Trip Leader: Gerry & Vicki Wolfe
Special Notes: Alternate Meeting Place: 8:50AM at USFS restroom at White Rock Campground at Peña Blanca Lake. Directions: From I19 and route 289 (Ruby Road) turn west (right) and proceed 9.7 miles until you come to a Y. Turn left onto Ruby Road and proceed .2 mile to White Rock Campground.
Spring at Pena Blanca Lake is a very pretty time to visit. We will be looking for butterflies as we walk around the north and west sides of Pena Blanca Lake. We will park at three different locations on the lake and walk for periods of time at each stop. Our last stop will be at the launch ramp facility at the end of the paved road. From there, we will walk south along the west shore of the lake towards the dam. On past trips in the spring we have identified 30 or more species,... more
March 25, 2018 - 9:30am to 2:00pm
Meeting Place: McDonald's Safeway parking lot at Tanque Verde Road and Catalina Highway
Trip Leader: Larry Fellows
Special Notes: Carpooling is encouraged, although parking at the campground should not be a major problem. 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’ll walk along the Arizona Trail and a sandy wash, approximately 1.5-2 mi. round trip. Rhus trilobata (Skunk Bush) is blooming but Manzanitas are largely through blooming. We’ll be looking for Brown Elfins, AZ Hairstreaks, Juniper Hairstreaks, Sara Orangetips, and possibly Spring Whites, as well as other species.
Type of terrain: Much of the walking will be along the rocky, sandy Arizona Trail. We’ll also spend time along the main wash, which is dry and sandy. ... more
March 11, 2018 - 8:45am to 1:00pm
Meeting Place: East side of Chase Bank at the SE corner of Magee and Oracle, or 9:00 am at the trailhead at the east end of Suffolk Hills Drive.
Trip Leader: Cindy Bethard
Special Notes: Please RSVP to: Cindy Bethard by e-mail at: cindynik@hotmail.com. Try to carpool as much as possible, as trailhead parking is limited.
This is a very beautiful trail in the northwest Tucson area where many wonderful vistas can be seen as we hike this interesting trail. We hope to see multiple spring species of butterflies including Emperors, Oranges, Blues, Checkerspots, Desert Marble and Sara Orangetips.
Type of terrain: This trip includes a lot of uneven rocky trail, especially the first 3/4 mile. The trail has some rough areas; trekking poles may be helpful
February 23, 2018 - 10:00am to 2:00pm
Meeting Place: Meet at 10:00 am at Green Valley: Continental Road, I-19 Exit 63, Safeway/McDonald’s parking lot, food and restrooms available.
Trip Leader: Mary Klinkel
Special Notes: CANCELLED DUE TO INCLEMENT (too COLD for butterflies) WEATHER FORECAST
Our first stop will be the Desert Meadows Community Garden in Green Valley, then up to Proctor Road & maybe higher, depending on temperatures/weather. We will check Madera Canyon for early season butterflies.
Bring lunch, snacks, water, binoculars, personal items.
February 3, 2018 - 9:00am to 1:00pm
Meeting Place: McDonald's Parking Lot at Tanque Verde and Catalina Highway
Trip Leader: Cindy Bethard
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 the parking lot in Molino Basin.
We hope the spring like weather has brought out the Manzanita blooms and several species of butterflies. We are very fortunate here in S. E. Arizona to have Brown Elfins occasionally found in and around the Manzanita during their spring brood. Please join us on the hunt for Brown Elfin and other species found in the spring which may include Blues, Queens, Sulfurs, Oranges and others. Last year we found only one Brown Elfin but it was a very chilly and wet day so we hope to find several this... more
January 2, 2018 - 9:00am to 2:00pm
Meeting Place: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum entrance plaza
Trip Leader: Mary Klinkel
Special Notes: Let’s start the new year off looking for butterflies among the natural history delights of the Desert Museum! We’ll look for butterflies in the mistletoe, fairy dusters, and any other blooming plants, as well as enjoying Raptor Free Flight in the morning. Bring lunch or buy lunch at the restaurant(s). We’ll finish by 2pm.
Desert Museum entrance fees or membership required for entrance onto the grounds.
Keep an eye on the weather and CHECK THE WEBSITE FOR POSSIBLE WEATHER-RELATED CANCELLATION OF THIS FIELD TRIP.
December 1, 2017 - 9:30am to 2:00pm
Meeting Place: Meet at 9:30am at Green Valley: Continental Road, I-19 Exit 63, Safeway/McDonald’s parking lot, food and restrooms available. We will check Madera Canyon for late-season butterflies.
Trip Leader: Mary Klinkel
Bring lunch, snacks, water, binoculars, personal items. Approximate stop time: 2pm.
November 1, 2017 - 7:30am to 4:00pm
Meeting Place: 7:30am at Fry’s grocery store parking lot at Houghton & Rita Roads, or 8:45am at Baker’s Dozen bakery on Fry Blvd. 1/4 mile east of the Buffalo Soldier Gate to Ft. Huachuca.
Trip Leader: Mary Klinkel
Special Notes: We will enter the Fort at the Buffalo Soldier Gate to Ft. Huachuca. YOU MUST HAVE YOUR Ft. HUACHUCA PASS TO ENTER THIS GATE. Please be aware that Ft. Huachuca is a military base and you must be a US citizen and show a valid driver’s license or have a military ID in order to enter the fort. You will be required to fill out paperwork to apply for a base pass, and you can ask for one which is good for one year. Non-US citizens must be vouched for and accompanied at all times by a Military ID holder.
We will explore this beautiful canyon and hope for a Chiricahua White fallout at the top. If the timing is right, there could be dozens of them of both sexes. Bring cameras, batteries, lunch, snacks, water, sun protection and personal items. Approximate return time to the bakery 2:30pm, Fry’s in Tucson 4pm.
October 29, 2017 - 7:45am to 2:30pm
Meeting Place:
Trip Leader: Larry Fellows
Special Notes: Meeting places and time:
1. 7:45AM - Fry's parking lot located at 8080 S. Houghton on the corner of S. Houghton & Rita Road. Please arrive on time in order to sign the SEABA waiver form and to run personal errands so that we can leave right at 8:00 am.
2.9:15AM - Patagonia Butterfly Garden in Patagonia across the street from Red Mountain Foods at 347 McKeown Ave, Patagonia.
Boisduval's Yellow photo © Larry Fellows
The rabbitbrush field trip Sunday October 29 in memory of Bill Adams. Bill and Mary did a fabulous job as trip leaders. The last trip they led was to the rabbitbrush on Harshaw Creek October 29, 2016 – one year to the day from when this year’s trip will be. Bill was a dedicated butterflyer, a committed SEABA member, a successful businessman, and a gentleman. He used his extensive business experience to help guide SEABA. We’re fortunate to have had Bill as a member.
This annual fun... more
October 10, 2017 - 8:30am to 2:00pm
Meeting Place: McDonald’s/Safeway parking lot at Tanque Verde and Catalina Highway
Trip Leader: Mary Klinkle
We’ll stop at Molino Basin, Chihuahua Pine and Willow Canyon for colorful flowers, foliage and butterflies.
October 8, 2017 - 8:00am to 12:00pm
Meeting Place:
Trip Leader: Cindy Bethard
On Sunday October 8th, 13 SEABA members and friends met at Garden Canyon in the Huachuca mountains to find butterflies. We succeeded in finding our target species, the Pine White. Weather was sunny and warm, and although the nectar sources were drying out, there were sufficient nectar and water sources to allow the group to identify 32 species. Thanks to Fred Heath and Jim Brock for your excellent help in spotting and identifying butterflies.
August 30, 2017 - 8:00am to 12:00pm
Meeting Place: McDonald’s/Safeway parking lot at Tanque Verde Road and Catalina Highway.
Trip Leader: Mary Klinkel
We will look for Rita Blues at Gordon Hirabayashi, with stops at other areas depending on nectar sources. Bring lunch, snacks, water, sun protection, binoculars, cameras, and personal items.
August 20, 2017 - 7:30am to 2:00pm
Meeting Place: 1. 7:30 AM at Safeway on Continental Road of I-19 in Green Valley or 8:15 AM at White Rock Campground restroom near Pena Blanca Lake. The campround is 9.7 miles west of I-19 on Ruby Road (AZ 289)
Trip Leader: Larry Fellows
Special Notes: The leader last drove Ruby Canyon Road on August 10th and it was passable for all vehicles, albeit a bit rough in places. Low clearance sedans may have difficulty negotiating the wash crossing just before the turnoff to the Sycamore Canyon parking area.
If you want to visit one of the premier canyons in SE Arizona, this is it! We will carpool from both meeting places. Although it is a long drive (approximately 1.5 hours from the 1st meeting place), most years it is quite productive and at the very least extremely scenic. We don’t know what’s blooming now or what species we might see, but it’salways possible that some strays may have blown in during the monsoons.
We will be walking for approximately 1.0 - 1.5 miles down the... more
August 5, 2017 - 7:30am
Meeting Place: 1. Fry’s parking lot on Houghton at Rita Road at 7:30 AM 2. Gathering Grounds Cafe in Patagonia at 8:30 AM
Trip Leader: Fred Heath
Join Fred as he scouts some of the areas which he will cover on the NABA Patagonia Count two days later. As you know, this NABA count is almost always in the top three counts for species, and is known for recording many of the uncommon skippers unique to SE AZ. Don’t worry if you have skipper-phobia, there are lots of other gaudy butterflies to be found!
July 30, 2017 - 7:30am to August 1, 2017 - 12:00pm
Meeting Place: Travel Center of America Truckstop, Willcox (I-10 exit #340)
Trip Leader: Diane Touret
Special Notes: This TRIP is FULL! * * *
RSVP to: seaba_publicity@yahoo.com to be put on a waiting list for this trip. * * *
Donation of $15.00/participant (3 days x $5.00) will be appreciated.
Trip description:
1) Day 1: Sunday, July 30th – 7:30AM - meet in Willcox, AZ on the restaurant side of the Travel Center of America Truckstop. Drive via NM78 over the Big Lue Mountains into New Mexico and then north to Alpine via US180. Various stops for butterflies along the way. Overnight in Springerville. Several motels are available in the Springerville area.
2) Day 2: Monday, July 31st – This day we will need to carpool into no more than... more
July 8, 2017 - 10:00am
Meeting Place: NONE
Trip Leader: Cindy Bethard
Special Notes: THIS TRIP HAS BEEN CANCELLED due to the Frye Wildfire
Trip description:
CANCELLED!!!!!
July 8, 2017 - 8:00am to 2:00pm
Meeting Place: NONE
Trip Leader: Cindy Bethard
Special Notes: CANCELLED - THE CATALINA HIGHWAY UP MT. LEMMON IS CURRENTLY CLOSED TO ALL TRAFFIC DUE TO THE BURRO WILDFIRE.
We will carpool from the meeting place to the higher elevations along the Mt. Lemmon highway in search of mid-summer butterflies, ending somewhere around Summerhaven or Mt. Bigelow. Actual stops will depend upon what is blooming and the availability of parking, since the Mt. Lemmon highway will undoubtedly be very busy this weekend.
June 2, 2017 - 7:30am to 4:00pm
Meeting Place: McDonald’s/Safeway parking lot at Tanque Verde & Catalina Highway
Trip Leader: Mary Klinkel
We’ll meet at 7:30am at McDonald’s/Safeway parking lot at Tanque Verde & Catalina Highway to carpool up the mountains to about 7000’ elevation to look for Colorado Hairstreaks, Thicket Hairstreaks, AZ Hairstreaks and other beauties. Plan on all day in the field or leave when you need to.
May 12, 2017 - 12:00am
Meeting Place: To Be Determined
Trip Leader: Mary Klinkel
Special Notes: This field trip is limited to five participants and you must contact the field trip leader, Mary Klinkel, to participate on this trip.
We will Ping-Pong up the Catalina Highway making quick stops along the way to our main goal of finding Black Checkerspot. Meeting time and place will be shared with the first five people to contact the leader and register for a spot on this trip. Plan on 5-6 hours in the field with no stop for lunch (leader has to work later in afternoon). Bring snacks, water, etc.
Black Checkerspot photo by Larry Fellows
April 30, 2017 - 9:00am to 2:00pm
Meeting Place: Trader Joe's parking lot located at Oracle Road & McGee. We will carpool from here approximately 5 miles to Catalina State Park on the western side of the Santa Catalina Mts. There is a $7 fee per car (up to 4 people) or AZ State Park Pass required.
Trip Leader: Mary Klinkel
At Catalina State Park We will wander around the Sutherland Trail and various wet streambed areas. We will finish by 2pm.
April 22, 2017 - 8:45am to 1:30pm
Meeting Place: 8:45AM in the Safeway/McDonald’s parking lot in the Continental Plaza west of I-19 (take Continental Exit, turn right) to sign in and carpool to Box Canyon.
Trip Leader: Gerry Wolfe
Special Notes: Alternative meeting place: 9:30AM at the Box Canyon bridge (8.0 miles west of AZ Hwy 83 on Greaterville road which becomes Box Canyon Road. Please note the last 4.7 miles are on a dirt road.
Acacia Skipper (Cogia hippalus) photo by Larry Fellows
Trip description: This is a great time to join your fellow butterfly enthusiasts for a few hours enjoying the outdoors. We will go to a very beautiful canyon that runs east to west (providing a good butterfly flight path) in the foothills of the Santa Rita Mountains. On recent trips in the past few weeks various SEABA members have identified over 30 species in Box Canyon. Come and join us to hopefully see some interesting species before the real heat of late spring... more
April 2, 2017 - 8:00am to 1:15pm
Meeting Place: 8:00AM at McDonald’s in Green Valley, AZ, on Continental Rd. off I-19
Trip Leader: Gerry & Vicki Wolfe
Special Notes: Alternate Meeting Place: 8:50AM at USFS restroom at White Rock Campground at Peña Blanca Lake.
Directions: From I19 and route 289 (Ruby Road) turn west (right) and proceed 9.7 miles until you come to a Y. Turn left onto Ruby Road and proceed .2 mile to White Rock CG.
Trip description: Spring at Pena Blanca Lake is a very pretty time to visit. We will be looking for butterflies as we walk around the north and west sides of Pena Blanca Lake. We will park at three different locations on the lake and walk for periods of time at each stop. Our last stop will be at the launch ramp facility at the end of the paved road. From there, we will walk south along the west shore of the lake towards the dam. Past trips have identified various Sulphurs,... more
March 17, 2017 - 9:30am to 1:00pm
Meeting Place: McDonald’s/Safeway parking lot at the intersection of Tanque Verde Road and Catalina Highway.
Trip Leader: Larry Fellows
Special Notes: Carpooling is encouraged, although parking at the campground should not be a major problem. 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.
Trip Description: We’ll walk along the Arizona Trail and a sandy wash, approximately 1.5-2 mi. round trip. Rhus trilobata (Skunk Bush) is blooming but Manzanitas are largely through blooming. We’ll be looking for Brown Elfins, AZ Hairstreaks, Juniper Hairstreaks, Sara Orangetips, and possibly Spring Whites, as well as other species.
Type of terrain: Much of the walking will be along the rocky, sandy Arizona Trail. We’ll also spend... more
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.) .
Trip Leader: Mary Klinkel
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.
March 4, 2017 - 9:30am to 12:00pm
Meeting Place: Pima Canyon located at 1610 E. Magee Rd. off Oracle Rd., north of Ina.
Trip Leader: Cindy Bethard
Special Notes: Please RSVP to: Cindy Bethard by e-mail at: cindynik@hotmail.com.
Try to carpool as much as possible, as trailhead parking is limited.
This is a very beautiful trail in the northwest Tucson area where many wonderful vistas can be seen as we hike this interesting trail. We hope to see multiple spring species of butterflies including Emperors, Oranges, Blues, Checkerspots, Desert Marble and Sara Orangetips.
Type of terrain: Trail has some rough areas; trekking poles may be helpful.
February 25, 2017 - 9:30am to 1:00pm
Meeting Place: McDonald's/Safeway parking lot at the intersection of Tanque Verde Road and Catalina Highway. We will sign in here and double up on transportation, although parking should not be a major problem.
Trip Leader: Larry Fellows
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 Gordon Hirabayashi Campground.
We'll walk along the Arizona Trail and a sandy wash, approximately 1.5-2 mi. round trip. Manzanita and Rhus trilobata should both be blooming. We'll be looking for Brown Elfins, AZ Hairstreaks, Juniper Hairstreaks, Sara Orangetips, and possibly Spring Whites, along with other more common species.
Type of terrain: Much of the walking will be along the rocky, sandy Arizona Trail. We'll also spend time along the main wash, which will likely have quite a bit of water in... more
February 10, 2017 - 10:00am to 1:00pm
Meeting Place: Meet about 3/10 mile north of the entrance to Sabino Canyon on Sabino Canyon Road, parking along the road near the entrance to the new overflow parking lot. There is legal parking there, pay attention to the parking signs.
Trip Leader: Mary Klinkel
We will walk in on a wonderful trail near the Southern AZ Rescue Association. The Sabino Canyon main parking area gets very congested and it is difficult to find parking at that time of the morning. This meeting place is much easier for parking, plus the parking pass is not required, for those who don’t have one. We will enjoy the fragrance of desert mistletoe blooms along the way while searching for butterflies nectaring at this wildflower and others. We will look for early Spring flyers... more
January 31, 2017 - 10:00am to 1:00pm
Meeting Place: Meet at 10:00 a.m. at McDonald’s/Safeway parking lot at Tanque Verde Road and Catalina Highway.
Trip Leader: Mary Klinkel
Special Notes: Due to predicted cool weather, this trip was rescheduled from Jan 28th to Jan 31st. A National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass (Annual, Senior, Access, Military, Volunteer, Golden Age or Golden Access) or a fee is required for the parking lot in Molino Basin.
We’ll walk the paved campground road, approximately 1.5 mi. round trip. Weather permitting we’ll search for early season flyers such as Sara Orangetips and Brown Elfins.
Type of terrain: Most of the walking will be along the paved road. Those who are able may choose to walk along the hillsides adjacent to the road, where there are no trails but only rocky grassy terrain.
October 29, 2016 - 9:00am to 2:30pm
Meeting Place: 1. 9:00 AM - Fry’s parking lot located at 8080 S. Houghton on the corner of S. Houghton & Rita Road. 2. 10:00AM - Patagon Butterfly Garden at 347 McKeown Ave, Patagonia.
Trip Leader: Bill and Mary Adams
Special Notes: TRIP OFFICIAL DATE: 10/29/16
Please arrive a few minutes early in order to sign the SEABA waiver form and to run personal errands so that we can leave on time.
This annual fun and exciting SEABA trip generally produces many species in a small and easily accessible area. The Rabbitbrush is now blooming in Harshaw Creek. We expect a fun day and multiple species of butterflies such as all three Ladies, various Skippers, Monarchs, Queens, Gulf Fritillary, Variegated Fritillary, Common and Tropical Buckeye and many other species including the possibility of one or two tropical strays. Last weekend on a scouting trip 40 species were seen.
We will... more
October 8, 2016 - 8:00am to 2:00pm
Meeting Place: 1. 8:00 AM at McDonald's on Continental Road of I-19 in Green Valley. 2. 8:45 AM at White Rock Campground restroom near Pena Blanca Lake. To reach the campround from I-19, drive west on AZ 289 (Ruby Road) 9.7 miles to the Y-intersection of Ruby Road and
Trip Leader: Bill & Mary Adams
If you want to visit one of the premier canyons in SE Arizona, this is it! Although it is a long drive (approximately 1.5 hours from the 1st meeting place), most years it is quite productive and at the very least extremely scenic. We will be walking for approximately 1.0 - 1.5 miles down the canyon alonside the streambed. There is permanent flowing water in the canyon, beautiful rock formations, and high canyon walls to stimulate your senses. We will be looking for many species of... more
September 25, 2016 - 8:00am to 2:00pm
Meeting Place: McDonald’s parking lot located on Continental Rd. off I-19
Trip Leader: Gerry & Vicki Wolfe
Meeting Places and Time: 8:00 AM in the McDonald’s parking lot located on Continental Rd. off I-19 in order to carpool down to Box Canyon or meet at 8:30AM at the Box Canyon bridge (8.0 miles west of AZ Hwy 83 on Greaterville road which becomes Box Canyon Road. Note that the last 4.7 miles are on a dirt road passable to passenger cars. Please arrive a few minutes early in order to sign the SEABA waiver form and to run... more
August 31, 2016 - 8:00am to 1:00pm
Meeting Place: Sabino Canyon Visitor Center
Trip Leader: Mary Klinkle
Hundreds of butterflies performed gracefully at Sabino Canyon for the Butterfly Happiness Field Trip. Participants wandered through Sonoran desert scrub vegetation with flowering paperflower, milkweed, desert cassia, marina and other wildflowers doing well with decent monsoon rains. Sleepy Orange was observed egg-laying, and eggs of Cloudless Sulphur and caterpillars of both species were observed
August 28, 2016 - 8:30am
Meeting Place: Whitehouse Campground near Peña Blanca Lake
Trip Leader: Cindy Bethard
The Group met trip leader Cindy Bethard at 8:20 AM at White Rock Campround near Peña Blanca Lake and searched the inflow wash and Thumb Rock cove areas for butterflies on a sunny, calm, and warm morning. Fifty-one species of butterflies were seen, including 3 unusual species sightings, which are highlighted in bold. Not all of the attendees saw all of the species. Other notable sightings were a Black Witch moth (Ascalapha odorata) and numerous very small Red-spotted Toads (... more
August 21, 2016 - 7:15am
Meeting Place: Fry’s parking lot at 8080 S. Houghton Rd. at the corner of Houghton and Rita Road which is 2.8 miles north of Interstate 10 on Houghton Road.
Trip Leader: Bill and Mary Adams
Monsoon clouds and cool weather set in just before noon, so the trip ended shortly after lunch. 21 species were identified by the group on the trip
August 20, 2016 - 8:00am
Meeting Place: Tumacácori National Historical Park
Trip Leader: Gerry & Vicki Wolfe
The National Park Service and Sky Island Alliance are working to develop pollinator gardens at Tumacacori National Historical Park. They would like to better understand the species of insect pollinators that currently occur at the park. SEABA, other pollinator experts including persons from the U of A, Desert Museum and Alianza Mariposa Monarcha, as well as general nature enthusiasts were invited to participate in this dawn to after dark inventory. Five SEABA members met met At Tumacacori... more
August 6, 2016 - 8:00am
Meeting Place: Patagonia Butterfly Garden
Trip Leader: Fred Heath
The group met trip leader Fred Heath in Patagonia, AZ at 8:00 AM and made several stops along Harshaw Creek Road and gardens in Patagonia. Although we found a decent number of 36 species (list below), the number of individuals seemed somewhat low in general. Our most exciting discoveries were not butterflies, but a Black-tailed Rattlesnake found 1.5 feet up on a grass tussock and some Mexican Long-tongued Bats, one of which hung out in the open from a mesquite leaf allowing photographs. A... more
July 31, 2016 - 7:30am
Meeting Place: McDonald's parking lot, Continental Road, west of I-19, Green Valley
Trip Leader: Mary Klinkle
Sixty-eight species were found during the count on a partly cloudy and windy morning by the participants. Two species were new to the count, listed in bold type:
July 5, 2016 - 10:14pm
Meeting Place: Wilcox, AZ
Trip Leader: Dianne Touret
The group assembled in Willcox, AZ at 8:00 AM and made several stops on Mt. Graham between Wet Canyon and Hospital Flat. 46 species were identified by the group on the trip.
June 4, 2016 - 8:00am to June 6, 2016 - 2:30pm
Meeting Place: McDonald's parking lot, Payson, AZ
Trip Leader: Dianne Touret
Special Notes: Trip was limited to 14 participants
Twelve participants butterflied from Payson to Flagstaff, and then in the mountains surrounding Flagstaff.
May 30, 2016 - 8:00am
Meeting Place: McDonald's parking lot, Continental Road west of I-19, Green Valley
Trip Leader: Cindy Bethard
We had a pleasant and liesurely trip to Madera Canyon. We saw more butterflies at Proctor than further up the canyon, but the trails were peaceful and quiet as soon as we got a few hundred yards from the parking lot. Although we did not see many species of butterflies, there were many wonderful opportunities to view other wildlife. We got great looks at a male varied bunting taking a bath in the stream not far from the Proctor parking lot. A few minutes later, we watched 5 white-tailed deer... more
April 3, 2016 - 7:30am
Meeting Place: Sabino Canyon Visitor Center
Trip Leader: Mary Klinkle
The sixth annual NABA Spring Sabino Canyon/Santa Catalina Mtns butterfly count was held April 3, with 10 groups of butterfliers covering a range of habitats from Sonoran Desert lowland to mixed conifers, The weather was perfect with temperatures ranging from about 50 degrees to 80 degrees F. Winds were light. Although a wet El Nino winter was anticipated, we actually have had a very dry and warm winter, so many of our spring fliers were done for the year. A total of 61 species were found.... more
March 26, 2016 - 8:00am
Meeting Place: White Rock Campground near Peña Blanca Lake
Trip Leader: Gerry & Vicki Wolfe
March 6, 2016 - 7:00am
Meeting Place:
Trip Leader: Cindy Bethard
The weather was partly cloudy and slightly cool, with occasional breakouts of sunshine. Winds were light. We didn't see any butterflies until we got within 1/4 mile of the stream bed. Most butterflies seen were singles, although we did see three Sara Orangetips and multiple Empress Leilias. We hiked somewhat beyond the usual lunch spot, then came back and followed the stream bed for a while between the last two stream crossings.
February 19, 2016 - 7:30am
Meeting Place: Sabino Canyon Visitor Center
Trip Leader: Mary Klinkle
February 13, 2016 - 8:00am
Meeting Place: McDonald's Parking Lot, NE corner of Catalina Hwy and Tanque Verde Rd intersection, Tucson
Trip Leader: Cindy Bethard
On a cool and blustery day, we searched in vain for Brown Elfin (Callophrys augustinus) in the manzanitas at Molino Basin Campground on the Catalina Highway.
January 23, 2016 - 8:00am
Meeting Place: Sabino Canyon Visitor Center
Trip Leader: John Rhodes
On a cool, sunny, and blustery day, a few hardy participants went in search of very early season butterflies along the paved tram trail in Sabino Canyon.
October 31, 2015 - 9:00am
Meeting Place: Patagonia Butterfly Garden
Trip Leader: Cindy Bethard
On a beautiful, sunny fall day, the group spent a short time in the gardens in Patagonia, made a quick search for butterflies along Red Mountain Road, and then spent the rest of the trip amidst the rabbitbrush in full bloom in Harshaw Creek Wash. Highlights of the day's sightings are in bold type.
October 17, 2015 - 9:00am
Meeting Place: Brown Canyon Road, Buenos Aires NWR
Trip Leader: Bill and Mary Adams
On a special guided trip into Brown Canyon, we followed the creek and trail up to the arch in Brown Canyon. Brown Canyon is closed to the public unless accompanied by a Buenos Aires USFWS employee or Volunteer Guide. It was a lovely fall day in the canyon. Unusual butterflies seen are listed in bold type.
October 11, 2015 - 8:00am
Meeting Place: Arivaca Cienega, Buenos Aires Cienega, Arivaca, AZ
Trip Leader: Gail Morris
Special Notes: This trip is by special invitation from Monarchwatch.org
SEABA members joined Gail Morris of Monarchwatch.org in forays off the official boardwalk to tag migrating monarch butterflies. Although only a few monarchs were found and tagged, a good time was had by all who showed to help with this important endeavor. in addition to the Monarchs, 20 other species of butterflies were seen.
October 10, 2015 - 12:23am
Meeting Place: White Rock Campground, Ruby Road off AZ 283 near Peña Blanca Lake
Trip Leader: Bill and Mary Adams
If you want to visit one of the premier canyons in SE Arizona, this is it! Although it is a long drive (approximately 1.5 hours from the 1st meeting place), most years it is quite productive and at the very least extremely scenic. We will be walking for approximately 1.0 - 1.5 miles down the canyon alonside the streambed. There is permanent flowing water in the canyon, beautiful rock formations, and high canyon walls to stimulate your senses. We will be looking for many species of... more
October 4, 2015 - 9:00am
Meeting Place: Proctor parking lot, Madera Canyon, Santa Rita Mountains
Trip Leader: Pat and Dick Carlson
On a lovely fall day, we explored the trails and Madera Creek between Proctor trailhead and Madera Picnic Area and ended the trip with lunch and exploring the creek bed at the Mt. Wrightson Picnic Area at the end of the road.
September 27, 2015 - 7:30am
Meeting Place: McDonald's parking lot, Continental Road, west of I-19, Green Valley
Trip Leader: Mary Klinkle
The group broke up into small teams of 2-4 people and surveyed a number of canyons in the Santa Rita Mountains, including, Box, Florida, Madera, Montosa, and Gardner. The Santa Rita Mtns Fall count had 5 high species national counts, with Chiracahua White and Red-bordered Satyr being unique to the nation.