2012 NABA Meeting in Sierra Vista, Arizona, Part 2

Jeffrey Glassberg Jeffrey 2012 NABA Meeting in by Mary Klinkel Sky Islands Biodiversity Sierra Vista, Arizona, and Fred Heath Part 2: Jeffrey Glassberg Jeffrey Sharon Wander A view of the Huachuca Mountains, 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 Coronado National Forest 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 Glassberg Jeffrey 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.

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