Jeffrey Glassberg 2012 NABA Meeting in by Mary Klinkel Sky Islands Biodiversity Sierra Vista, , and Fred Heath Part 2: Jeffrey Glassberg Sharon Wander A view of the , looking southwestward.

SEABA’s assistance with the 2012 NABA Fire means renewal. Biennial Members’ Meeting, to be held in A massive release of nutrients from burned Sierra Vista, AZ at the base of the Huachuca vegetation creates opportunity for fresh new Mountains. SEABA members agreed to host Trahan Jeff growth to occur, which nourishes caterpillars the meeting and suggested September 6-9, and provides nectar-rich wildflowers for 2012, as the “goldilocks” timing for not- butterflies. too-hot and not-too-wet weather as well as excellent butterfly diversity at the end of the Summer 2011. Fires burned for weeks in summer rainy season (monsoon). both the Huachuca and Chiricahua mountain For the next 14 months, we worried about ranges, two of the biologically-rich sky our choice of dates, especially as September island mountain ranges in SE Arizona. The 2011 was the wettest month of that year. Top: The beautiful purple color of pleasing fungus Monument Fire in the Huachucas burned beetles (Gibbifer californicus) is quite surprising. over 40% of the Summer 2012. The monsoon had been Midlle left: This spectacular and huge Columbia above 5,000 feet elevation. While firefighters “normal” with periods of heavy downpours silk moth caterpillar was seen by many meeting participants. Middle right: This Plain-capped worked to control these infernos, NABA causing debris flows to block roads into the President Jeff Glassberg contacted the Starthroat, a rare Mexican stray to the U.S., was Huachuca Mountains that we planned to use present throughout the meeting time period. Left: Southeast AZ Butterfly Association (SEABA, for our field trips. Two weeks before the a local NABA chapter) and requested Flame Skimmer was only one of a number of NABA meeting, temperatures in the sky island interesting odonates. Rosemary Seidler 32 American Butterflies,Fall/Winter 2012 33 Sharon Wander Bill Bouton valleys were as high as 110 degrees F. Even SEABA-sponsored post-meeting field trips Bill Bouton though our rallying cry in the Sonoran Desert visited this butterfly colony and saw the Rita is “yes but it’s a dry heat,” we sweated about Blues. participants possibly experiencing heat-related illness. The Meeting September 6-9, 2012. Over 160 Scouting trips intensified as the meeting participants gathered at the Windemere Hotel dates neared. Weather and road conditions in Sierra Vista for three exciting days of field changed constantly, and we needed to know trips, workshops and evening presentations. the absolute latest information about habitat Weather had shifted from scorching heat quality and accessibility. Since field trip to sudden cool with rain in the forecast. A descriptions were written months in advance stellar group of field trip leaders was ready for we included the caveat that all trips depended any condition, and this was fortuitous as we on weather and road conditions. Ultimately experienced nearly everything possible during we only had to substitute for one planned the next several days. destination due to less-than-optimal rainfall and conditions, although access to other The grasshoppers in southeastern Arizona locations required high-clearance or even four- are spectacular! wheel-drive vehicles. One of the best canyons

(Garden Canyon on Ft. Huachuca) was closed Jeffrey Glassberg to all vehicles beyond a certain point due to This page: Western horse lubber washed-out roads, although walking up the grasshopper (Taeniopoda eques). road was allowed. Sycamore Canyon, Santa Cruz Co., AZ. Sept. 6, 2012. September 3, 2012. SEABA members Opposite page top: Arid land grasshopper scouting in the Santa Catalina Mountains (Melanoplus aridus). Opposite page for post-meeting field trips discovered a middle: Painted grasshopper (Dactylotum colony of Rita Blues previously unknown bicolor). Coronado NM, Cochise Co., in this mountain range (see sidebar). This AZ. Sept. 7, 2012. Opposite page exciting discovery was announced to the bottom: Panther-spotted grasshopper NABA meeting participants three days later as members convened for the Thursday evening (Poecilotettix pantherinus). Hereford, welcome program. All participants of the Cochise Co., AZ. Sept. 9. 34 American Butterflies,Fall/Winter 2012 35 Sharon Wander Thursday evening’s program included introductions by Jeff Glassberg and Mary Rita Blue Discovery Klinkel, SEABA President, with a short photo program set to music introducing field trip While scouting the Santa Catalina leaders. To whet everyone’s appetite, Priscilla Mountains in advance of SEABA’s Brodkin gave a beautifully illustrated program post-NABA field trips, a previously- introducing the butterflies of the region. unknown colony of Rita Blues was Field trips began at 7:30 AM, with the discovered. early start intended to get everyone out before the major heat of the day. As it turned out weather was unseasonably cool and no one On September 3, Mary Klinkel, Gary had any problem with the heat, including the Jue, Fred Heath & Doug Mullins butterflies. So we enjoyed the lush vegetation checked out a dry wash for possible and wildflowers, snakes, birds and other blooming Mule Fat (seep willow) for insects until the butterflies warmed up enough nectaring butterflies and Mary spotted to start flying. Meeting participants were a field of buckwheats with a blue Who can resist the allure of a Mexican gracious, easy-going and ready for adventure, butterfly flying in it. She quickly which created delightful experiences. robber fly Archilestris( magnificus)?

Jeffrey Glassberg Jeffrey realized it was not the locally-known Many of the field trips visited the canyons Acmon Blue, and called the others to of the Huachuca Mountains, one of the Sky check it out. Islands. These Sky Islands were the subject impressive, it is the special butterflies and of Friday evening’s informative and fun experiences that remain in our memories. presentation by Jeff Babson, owner of Sky Initial disbelief was replaced with There are a number of butterflies that can Island Tours and former SEABA president, agreement that these were Rita be found only in the southwestern United which illustrated this basin-and-range Blues. Doug pointed out that Sorrel States, primarily in southeastern Arizona biogeographical ecoregion of southeastern Buckwheat, which was being used and some only during a short window of Arizona and Sonora, Mexico, with it’s by this species, is an annual and was time. The agave-feeding giant-skippers mountain “islands” surrounded by a “sea” of fly in late summer and early fall, and we not a known hostplant for Rita Blues. desert. Traveling from the Sonoran Desert were able to find Arizona Giant-Skippers in Many NABA members witnessed Scrub in the lowlands to Montane Conifer several locations and the much more habitat- and photographed mating and egg- Forest at the highest elevations, you traverse restricted Huachuca Giant-Skipper in the laying on this plant and so holding several life zones nurturing a diversity of life

upper reaches of Carr and Garden Canyons. Bill Bouton the NABA meeting in southeastern unequalled in the United States. Red-bordered Satyrs had just begun their Arizona has resulted in the discovery At every NABA meeting, the butterflies flight period so the individuals we saw were themselves are always the star attraction. of a new sky island locale for Rita stunningly fresh. While Sunrise Skipper Field trips visited Coronado National Blues as well as a new foodplant flies May – October, the fall flight is more Memorial at the US/MX border, Coronado recorded for this species. reliable so we had special field trips to Parker National Forest, San Pedro River National Canyon Lake to find this skipper. With good Riparian Conservation Area, Parker Canyon summer rains, Mexican influx species show Lake, private gardens, Ramsey Canyon up in southeastern Arizona, sometimes in Nature Conservancy Preserve, Ft. Huachuca large numbers one year and zero in other Top: Habitat for Rita Blues, with and areas near Patagonia, AZ allowing us years. Some of those species found by Sorrel Buckwheat. to sample the local butterfly diversity while our participants included Barred Yellow, enjoying the unique scenery and habitats. Boisduval’s Yellow, Mexican Fritillary, Middle: A NABA group With post-meeting visits to two more sky Hammock Skipper and Dorantes Longtail. photographing Rita Blues. islands, the Santa Rita and Santa Catalina Meeting participants were delighted Mountains, participants found a total of by huge clouds of Bordered Patches flying 103 species. Although the species count is Bottom: One of the stars of the show!

all around them and displaying their great Glassberg Jeffrey 36 American Butterflies,Fall/Winter 2012 37 Sandra Keller Jeffrey Glassberg (2) Glassberg Jeffrey Paul Levine Two-tailed Swallowtails were among the Leda Ministreaks were among the smallest The State of Arizona, perhaps directly due largest butterflies seen. Sept. 9, Garden butterflies seen. Sept. 7, Garden Canyon. to the efforts of its crackerjack governor, Canyon. placed many useful signs in the area of the NABA Members Meeting. Priscilla Brodkin came through again on both Above left: Most butterfliers realize that days with a workshop on the more difficult variation of colorful patterns. Puddle parties one cannot predict butterfly occurrence, of sulphurs, including Southern Dogface, local butterfly ID challenges. Roadside- abundance and phenology, so we assumed Mexican Yellow, Tailed Orange and Sleepy skippers can be tricky, but in September we Orange, gathered at damp areas. Running only expected to have a few species to sort that this sign was intended for the general creeks, called “washes” here, attracted other out. We managed to find seven species of public. species such as California Sister, American these little skippers, including a new late and Painted Ladies, Nabokov’s Satyrs, record for the Elissa Roadside-Skipper. Bob Above right: This sign, in the Harshaw Reakirt’s Blues, and Two-tailed Swallowtails. Herrmann gave a photography workshop both area, was puzzling, since we were under Weather created some memorable days which included his stunning photos of the impression that the large number of occasions, such as the flash flood after the butterflies and more. Gardening workshops butterflies immigrating into the region participants on the Parker Canyon Lake field were presented by Arlene and Doug Ripley Linda Cooper from Mexico were doing so legally. trip photographed very cooperative Sunrise (President of the Cochise County Native Plant Society) on Friday and by Cochise Skippers and then were unable to return to Middle left: We suspect that the State of Sierra Vista until the water levels dropped County Master Gardener Karen LeMay Arizona did not place this sign in Garden enough to drive through washes. Some on Saturday. Doug and Arlene have been butterfliers who arrived prior to the official putting together a garden at their home in Canyon (see photo of Columbia silkmoth beginning of the meeting found themselves the Dragoon Mountains (another sky island) caterpillar on page 33). But then, who stranded when water levels rose and their car which includes a complex self-built water did? was parked on the wrong side of the wash. harvesting system. Karen’s garden in Ash Fortunately, other early arrivers were nearby Canyon was spared significant damage in Lower left: The hearts of butterfliers and helped the couple wade through the wash the Monument Fire and has been a butterfly leapt upon seeing this sign — perhaps and drove them to the hotel. “Is this really a magnet for many years with over 125 butterfly the first time we had seen official signage desert?” was a frequently-asked question. species recorded. Karen and her partner Bob directing people to top-flight butterflying Behrstock welcomed several field trips to their Many of the field trips experienced rain, areas. Apparently, however, the butterflies garden where participants enjoyed butterflies, and afternoon workshops presented by local were not able to read the sign and went experts were welcome and well-attended. caterpillars and chrysalises found there.

Jeffrey Glassberg Jeffrey somewhere else. 38 American Butterflies,Fall/Winter 2012 39 Bill Bouton Painted Damselfly, Hesperagrion heterodoxum, at Parker Canyon Lake, Santa Cruz Co., AZ. September 8, 2012.

Although we had considerable rain and Conservation Biologist Leslie Ries, presented overcast weather, everyone was able to enjoy Tracking Butterfly Responses to Climate and photograph the diversity of southeastern Change Using Citizen Science Data. This Arizona aside from the butterflies. Dragonflies talk, focusing mainly on Monarchs, showed such as Canyon Rubyspot and Flame Skimmer how data collected by non-scientists in such (page 33), damselflies such as Painted programs as the NABA Butterfly Counts, Damselfly (see photo this page), pleasing along with experimental data, can help to fungus beetles (page 33), huge horse lubber illustrate the impact of climate change. grasshoppers (page 34) and multi-colored Muchas gracias to all who helped to panther-spotted grasshoppers (page 35), a make this an excellent NABA 10th Biennial Columbia silk moth caterpillar (page 33) and Members’ Meeting! We in SEABA had so enormous robberflies (page 36) were found. much fun we’re thinking of organizing another Endangered Chiricahua leopard frog, black- opportunity to share our sky islands with you tailed rattlesnake (page 26), western patch- next summer, beginning with the Ramsey nosed snake, yarrow spiny lizard and other Canyon Butterfly Count Saturday, August 3, herps were seen. A black bear provided some 2013 and continuing with daily field trips to excitement as it hung out in the lowlands. And various sky islands over the next six days to this doesn’t begin to mention the numerous the grand finale of the Patagonia Butterfly birds [OK, I’ll mention the Plain-capped Count on Saturday, August 10, 2013. Please Starthroat (page 33) that many participants saw see more information in the NABA News — Ed.) and wildflowers. There was something and Notes section (inside front cover) of this for everyone. magazine. Come back and see butterflies with Our Saturday evening speaker, us anytime!

40 American Butterflies,Fall/Winter 2012 41