Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Reecer Creek - June 26

On Sunday, I took my family up Reecer Creek for my first real butterfly-outing in the northwest this year.  The weather was great, no wind, clear, and temperatures ranging from 68 to 74 (according to my car anyway!).  This spring seemed to be just as wet as last year, but was a bit warmer.  I was happy to tally a good list of butterfly species and abundance, as well as observe most of the flowers seemingly blooming "on time".  Thanks to my mom for writing the list as I called out names and numbers from across streams and meadows!
Dreamy duskywing - Erynnis icelus - 1
Western branded skipper - Hesperia colorado - 2
Sara orangetip - Anthocaris sara - 5 m
Cabbage white - Pieris rapae - 1 m
white - Pontia sp. ? - 1
sulphur - Colias sp. - 1
Mountain parnassian - Parnassius smintheus - 2 m
Indra swallowtail - Papilio indra - 1
Two-tailed swallowtail - Papilio multicaudatus - 2 m
Western tiger or two-tailed swallowtail - Papilio sp. (yellow) - 1
Pale tiger swallowtail - Papilio eurymedon - 11+
Lilac-bordered copper - Lycaena nivalis - 2 m, 1 f
Western tailed blue - Cupido amyntula - 4 m, 1 f
Echo blue - Celastrina echo - 15 m, 1 f
Silvery blue - Glaucopsyche lygdamus - 3 m, 1 f
unnamed blue - Euphilotes (on heracleoides) - 5 m, 1 f
Columbia blue - Euphilotes columbiae - 3 m
Boisduval's blue - Plebejus icarioides - 30 m, 4 f
acmon/lupine blue - Plebejus acmon/lupini - 1 m
Zerene fritillary - Speyeria zerene - 1 m, 1 f
Callippe fritillary - Speyeria callippe - 3 m
Coronis fritillary - Speyeria coronis - 10 m, 2 f
fritillary "fly-by"s - Speyeria sp. - 23 (likely all coronis)
Western meadow fritillary - Boloria epithore - 1 m
Hoffman's checkerspot - Chlosyne hoffmanni - 6
Snowberry checkerspot - Euphydryas colon - 200+ (all male with at least one or two female)
satyr or hoary anglewing - Polygonia sp. - 2
Milbert's tortoiseshell - Aglais milberti - 2
Ochre ringlet - Coenonympha tullia - 4
26 species total, with one more possible if the unknown white was not a cabbage white.

View of Kittitas Valley from one of the meadows along Reecer Creek
Bitterroot
Wild onion (Allium sp.) and desert parsley (Lomatium sp.)
Milbert's tortoiseshell - Aglais milberti
Milbert's tortoiseshell larvae on stinging nettle
Echo blues (two in background) and Boisduval's blues (two in foreground)
Columbia blue - Euphilotes columbiae
Hoffman's checkerspot - Chlosyne hoffmanni 
Coronis fritillary - Speyeria coronis
Snowberry checkerspot - Euphydryas colon 
Snowberry checkerspot on arrowleaf balsamroot
Snowberry checkerspots on arrowleaf balsamroot
Snowberry checkerspots puddling
Snowberry checkerspot larva on showy penstemon
All photos are copyright Caitlin C. LaBar
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3 comments:

  1. John F. HultquistJune 30, 2011 at 8:24 AM

    Fantastic pictures. I'm logged on to Google acct, so we will see if this comes through. Interesting, it says it's coming from John, not me, Nancy, and don't know why. I didn't even know he had a google account. Weird... but maybe he set it up to respond to you on this site. TTYL.

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  2. Robin LaBarJuly 23, 2011 at 9:07 AM

    This was one of the greatest days for me, hanging out with you and Dad and Bekah, and being your journalist. :-) I was a bit jealous Dad got that job on your Sinlahekin trip. :-)

    I am new at this posting stuff, so I hope this works.

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  3. Robin LaBarJuly 23, 2011 at 9:12 AM

    PS...I really like that picture of the wildflowers and grasses (right above the Bitterroot flowers). Hint. Hint. :-)

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