NABA Santa Rita Mountains - Fall Count

Date & Time: 
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.

Trip Butterfly Reports: 

Number following the genus/specie name are number of that butterfly that was counted by the group as a whole. Species in bold type were new to this count.

  1. Pipevine Swallowtail Battus philenor 25
  2. Black Swallowtail Papilio polyxeness 1
  3. Two-tailed Swallowtail Papilio multicaudata 5
  4. Giant Swallowtail Papilio cresphontes 14
  5. Chiracahua White Neophasia terloonii 2
  6. Checkered White Pontia portodice 5
  7. Orange Sulphur Colias eurytheme 5
  8. Southern Dogface Zerene cesonia 74
  9. Cloudless Sulphur Phoebis sennae 96
  10. Boisduval's Yellow Eurema boisduvaliana 2
  11. Mexican Yellow Eurema Mexicana 120
  12. Tailed Orange Abais proterpia 63
  13. Sleepy Orange Abais nicippe 37
  14. Dainty Sulphur Nathalis iole 123
  15. "Siva" Juniper Hairstreak Callophyrs gryneus 'siva' 1
  16. Leda Ministreak Ministrymon leda 2
  17. Marine Blue Leptotes marina 65
  18. Western Pygmy-blue Brephidium exilis 1
  19. "Echo" Spring Azure Celestrina ladon 'echo' 45
  20. Acmon Blue Plebejus Acmon 'texana' 3
  21. Ceraunus Blue Hemiargus ceraunus 33
  22. Reakirt's Blue Echinargus isola 44
  23. Fatal Metalmark Calephelis nemesis 12
  24. Arizona Metalmark Calephelis arizonensis 5
  25. Mormon "Sonoran" Metalmark Apodemia mormo mejicanus 1
  26. Parmer's Metalmark Apodemia Parmerii 12
  27. American Snout Libytheana carinenta 392
  28. Gulf Fritillary Agraulis vanillae 7
  29. Varigated Fritillary Euptoieta claudia
  30. Theona Checkerspot Chlosyne theona 1
  31. Bordered Patch Chlosyne lacinia 143
  32. Elf Microtia elva 57
  33. Tiny Checkerspot Dymasia dymas 82
  34. Elada Checkerspot Texola elada 25
  35. Texan Crescent Anthanassa texana 41
  36. 'Dark' Tropical Buckeye Vanessa virginiensis 23
  37. Common Buckeye Junonia coenia 16
  38. Mourning Cloak Nymphalis antiopa 1
  39. Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta 3
  40. Painted Lady Vanessa virginiensis 7
  41. American Lady Vanessa virginiensis 30
  42. Red-spotted Purple Limenitis arthemis 24
  43. 'Arizona' California Sister Adelpha bredowii 102
  44. Hackberry Emperor Asterocampa celtis 12
  45. Empress Leilia Asterocampa leilia 57
  46. Tawny Emperor Asterocampa clyta 57
  47. Nabokov's SatyrCyllopsis puracmon 7
  48. Red Satyr Megisto rubricata 4
  49. Red-bordered Satyr Gyrocheilus patrobas 40
  50. Monarch Danaus plixippus 2
  51. Queen Danaus gilippus 13
  52. Arizona Skipper Codatractus arizonensis 1
  53. Dorantes Longtail Urbanus dorantes 9
  54. Golden-headed Scallopwing Staphylus ceos 1
  55. AZ Powdered-skipper Systasea zampa 2
  56. Mournful Duskywing Erynnis tristis 1
  57. Funereal Duskywing Erynnis funeralis 14
  58. White Checkered-skipper Pyrgus albescens 8
  59. Desert Checkered-skipper Pyrgus philetas 24
  60. Clouded Skipper Lerema accius 1
  61. Orange Skipperling Copaeodes aurantiaca 49
  62. Fiery Skipper Hylephilia phyleus 1
  63. Pahaska Skipper Hesperia pahaska 1
  64. Sheep Skipper Atrytonopsis edwardsii 2
  65. Eufala Skipper Lerodea eufala 2
  66. Arizona Giant Skipper Agathymus aryxna 4

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.