Sycamore Canyon

Date & Time: 
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 the canyon away from our vehicles, so be prepared to carry a lunch and enough water for 4-5 hours. 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 butterflies, including Blues, Sulphurs, Admirals, Ladies, Checkerspots, Duskywings, and Skippers. Maybe we’ll find tropical strays!

Photo: Dark Tropical Buckeye (Junonia genoveva nigrosuffusa) © 2024 Gerry Wolfe

Trip Butterfly Reports: 

The day was sunny and warm with light winds. We hiked down canyon to the "Falls" and the Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) bloom did not dissapoint! We identified 33 species in the canyon and 2 additional species at a small wet area on Ruby Road on the way home (marked with *)*. Species found:

  1. Pipevine Swallowtail                      Battus                  philenor
  2. Two-tailed Swallowtail                  Papilio                  multicaudata
  3. Southern Dogface                            Colias                    cesonia
  4. Cloudless Sulphur                           Phoebis                sennae
  5. Large Orange Sulphur                    Phoebis                agarithe
  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. Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak              Strymon              columella
  12. Western Pygmy-Blue                     Brephidium        exile
  13. Marine Blue                                       Leptotes              marina
  14. Ceraunus Blue                                   Hemiargus          ceraunus
  15. Reakirt's Blue                                    Hemiargus          isola
  16. Acmon Blue                                       Plebejus               acmon
  17. Fatal Metalmark                              Calephelis           nemesis
  18. Arizona Metalmark                         Calephelis           arizonensis
  19. *Sonoran Metalmark                       Apodemia           mejicanus
  20. *Palmer's Metalmark                       Apodemia           palmeri
  21. American Snout                               Libytheana         carinenta
  22. Gulf Fritillary                                      Agraulis               vanillae
  23. Mexican Fritillary                             Euptoieta            hegesia
  24. Bordered Patch                                Chlosyne             lacinia
  25. Tiny Checkerspot                             Dymasia              dymas
  26. Elada Checkerspot                          Texola                   elada perse
  27. Common Buckeye                           Junonia                coenia
  28. Red-spotted Purple                         Limenitis              arthemis astyanax
  29. Red Satyr                                            Megisto               rubricata
  30. Queen                                                  Danaus                gilippus
  31. Arizona Powdered-Skipper          Systasea              zampa
  32. Funereal Duskywing                       Erynnis                 funeralis
  33. White/Common Checkered-Skipper    Pyrgus      communis/albescens
  34. Desert Checkered-Skipper           Pyrgus                  philetas
  35. Orange Skipperling                         Copaeodes         aurantiacus
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.