Box Canyon (New meeting time!)

Date & Time: 
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 terrain: Walking in the canyon/dry stream bed and on some primitive trails. There will be some bushwhacking and 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 in the canyon away from our vehicles, so be prepared to carry a lunch and enough water for a few hours.

Photo: Elada Checkerspot (Texola elada)

 

Trip Butterfly Reports: 

The day started out warm and grew progressively hotter. Thankfully, the forecasted wind didn't begin until the very end of the trip. 36 species were found, with small numbers of individuals in most species. Butterflies identified:

  1. Pipevine Swallowtail                        Battus philenor
  2. Two-tailed Swallowtail                    Papilio multicaudata
  3. Southern Dogface                            Colias cesonia
  4. Mexican Yellow                                 Eurema mexicana
  5. Sleepy Orange                                   Eurema nicippe
  6. Dainty Sulphur                                   Nathalis iole
  7. Great Purple Hairstreak                   Atlides halesus
  8. Siva' Juniper Hairstreak                   Callophrys gryneus siva
  9. Gray Hairstreak                                  Strymon melinus
  10. Marine Blue                                        Leptotes marina
  11. Reakirt’s Blue                                     Hemiargus isola
  12. ‘Echo’ Spring Azure                           Celastrina ladon
  13. Acmon Blue                                        Plebejus acmon texana
  14. American Snout                                 Libytheana carinenta
  15. Bordered Patch                                 Chlosyne lacinia
  16. Tiny Checkerspot                               Dymasia dymas
  17. Elada Checkerspot                            Texola elada
  18. Texan Crescent                                  Phyciodes texana
  19. Painted Lady                                      Vanessa cardui
  20. Red-spotted Purple                           Limenitis arthemis astyanax
  21. Hackberry Emperor                          Asterocampa celtis
  22. Empress Leilia                                    Asterocampa leilia
  23. Tawny Emperor                                 Asterocampa clyton
  24. Queen                                                  Danaus gilippus
  25. Arizona Skipper                                  Codatractus arizonensis
  26. Desert Cloudywing                           Achalarus casica
  27. Acacia Skipper                                    Cogia hippalus
  28. Gold-costa Skipper                            Cogia caicus
  29. Golden-headed Scallopwing          Staphylus ceos
  30. Arizona Powdered-Skipper              Systasea zampa
  31. Mournful Duskywing                        Erynnis tristis
  32. Funereal Duskywing                         Erynnis funeralis
  33. Desert Checkered-Skipper               Pyrgus philetas
  34. Common Streaky-Skipper                Celotes nessus
  35. Orange Skipperling                            Copaeodes aurantiacus
  36. White-barred Skipper                       Atrytonopsis pittacus
Leader email: 
seaba_publicity@yahoo.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.