Pinnacles Butterfly Count - My 10th Year

I actually told my friend Paul Johnson a decade ago that he should start a count there with all the cool things flying there. When I first met Paul he was the on-site herpetologist working on Red-legged Frog reintroduction, and to say he was "getting into butterflies" was an understatement: he'd talked the National Monument into it's first moth inventory and he's actually discovered a new sphingid-to-science ( DNA still being worked out). Ten years later, he is THE wildlife biologist for the place and it's a National Park now. It's always VERY HOT in this zeric place, but worth it.
iNat made it difficult to just focus on butterflies, but Pinnacles always kicks off the count season ( 4 weeks prior/after 4th of July ).
Driving towards the campsite, I watched a magnificent Bobcat saunter across road: a treat to gaze on such an illusive creature.
Walked with my friend Bill Shepard and an intern working on the Condors there, Nathan Peeling. Butterflies my group saw this day -
SOUTH WILDERNESS TRAIL 9am - 2:30pm ( only got to 95 degrees...)
1) Western Tiger ( P. rutulus )
2) Checkered White ( P. protodice )
3) Orange Sulfur ( C. eurytheme )
4) California Sister ( A. californicus )
5) Lorquin's Admiral ( L. limentis )
6) Variable Checkerspot ( E. chalcedona ) - only six/ crazy low #
7) Mylitta Crescent ( P. mylitta )
8) Common Buckeye ( J. coenia )
9) Callippe Fritillary ( S. callippe ssp.maracria )
It really was a day for the Lycaenids ...
10) Hedgerow Hairstreak ( S. saepium ) - a bizillion
11) California Hairstreak ( S. californica )
12) Brown Elfin ( I. augustinus )
13) Great Gray Copper ( L. xanthoides ) - a bizillion
14) Tailed Copper ( L. arota )
15) Gorgon Copper ( L. gorgon)
16) Echo Blue ( C. ladon)
17) Acmon Blue ( P. acmon )
18) San Bernadino Blue ( E. battoides bernadino ) - a bizillion
19) California Ringlet ( C. tullia )
20) Great Basin Wood Nymph ( C. sthenele ) - two/ very cool
21) Rural Skipper ( O. agricola )
22) Large White Skipper ( H. ericetorum) Bug-of-the-Day by far. Not in number but just seeing this rare bushmallow obligate.

Publicado el junio 4, 2013 12:05 MAÑANA por robberfly robberfly

Observaciones

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

robberfly

Fecha

Junio 1, 2013 a las 11:42 MAÑANA PDT

Descripción

First of the season. Watched a female ovipositing on the gooseberry next day.
males perch like photo.

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Mariposa Sedosa Azul de San Bernardino (Euphilotes bernardino)

Observ.

robberfly

Fecha

Junio 1, 2013 a las 12:03 TARDE PDT

Descripción

The San Bernadino Blue. The Pinnacles Count usually has the National High in this species. Gives Pygmy Blues a run as "smallest in USA" title.

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Cola de Escorpión (Heliotropium curassavicum)

Observ.

robberfly

Fecha

Junio 1, 2013 a las 01:50 TARDE PDT

Descripción

Great butterfly nectar source.

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Mariposa Sedosa Azul de California (Icaricia acmon)

Observ.

robberfly

Fecha

Junio 1, 2013 a las 01:55 TARDE PDT

Descripción

Tough day of keying - all the Lycaenids really worn...

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

robberfly

Fecha

Junio 1, 2013 a las 02:19 TARDE PDT

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

robberfly

Fecha

Junio 2, 2013 a las 10:28 MAÑANA PDT

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Avispas-hormiga de Terciopelo (Género Dasymutilla)

Observ.

robberfly

Fecha

Junio 2, 2013 a las 09:31 MAÑANA PDT

Descripción

My friend said it was a male cuz of the wings. Spectacular creature! Stunning example of aposemadic coloration.

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Álamo (Populus fremontii)

Observ.

robberfly

Fecha

Junio 2, 2013 a las 10:06 MAÑANA PDT

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

robberfly

Fecha

Junio 2, 2013 a las 11:02 MAÑANA PDT

Descripción

This is the host for the Large White Skipper.
The plant is a fire obligate, spreading into the park in the 90's...and the skipper followed.

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

robberfly

Fecha

Junio 2, 2013 a las 10:54 MAÑANA PDT

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

robberfly

Fecha

Junio 2, 2013 a las 12:41 TARDE PDT

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

robberfly

Fecha

Junio 2, 2013 a las 10:11 MAÑANA PDT

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

robberfly

Fecha

Junio 2, 2013 a las 10:44 MAÑANA PDT

Descripción

Looks like a cross between marijuana and nettle...

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Aretillo Amarillo (Bloomeria crocea)

Observ.

robberfly

Fecha

Junio 2, 2013 a las 09:46 MAÑANA PDT

Descripción

Paul said this is a species-of-concern for the park...

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Hongo Cola de Guajolote (Stereum hirsutum)

Observ.

robberfly

Fecha

Junio 2, 2013 a las 10:13 MAÑANA PDT

Descripción

Spectacular, mushroom-y-looking thing coming out of a fallen log...

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Avispa Tolteca (Dielis tolteca)

Observ.

robberfly

Fecha

Junio 2, 2013 a las 12:27 TARDE PDT

Descripción

Paul said there are three species in California and this one has been keyed to the Park.

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Saltarina Blanca Norteña (Heliopetes ericetorum)

Observ.

robberfly

Fecha

Junio 2, 2013 a las 11:02 MAÑANA PDT

Descripción

Found the host. Male perched on top.
Doesn't get better than that.

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Huico Tigre del Noroeste (Aspidoscelis tigris)

Observ.

robberfly

Fecha

Junio 2, 2013 a las 10:39 MAÑANA PDT

Descripción

They russel in the leaf like they're ten times the size they are.

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