Catalina Mountains - AZ SEABA Field Trip

Hank & Priscilla Brodkin hankb at theriver.com
Sun Apr 25 13:01:16 EDT 1999


Yesterday, April 24, the SouthEast Arizona Butterfly Association
conducted its second monthly field trip - this time to the Molino Basin
area of the Santa Catalina Mountains above Tucson.
The trip was led by Doug Mullins, Tucson artist and lepidopterist.  The
trip began during the passage of a cold front through the area but
thanks to Doug's extensive knowledge of larval forms and foodplants this
turned out to be a fascinating day for the twenty-one participants who
braved the cloudy, windy, and drizzly morning to go up into the
mountains.
American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis) larva were found on their
foodplant, a Nathalis and the more bizarre bird-dropping mimic larva of
the Rep-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis) was seen happily munching on
a willow sapling. Also the caterpillars of the local variety sabina of
the Sagebrush Checkerspot (Chloysne acastus) were seen on an aster. 
Doug also pointed out the nests and frass of Arizona Giant-Skipper
(Agathymas aryxna) on Palmer's Agave and Ursine Giant-Skipper
(Megathymus ursus) on Schott's Yucca - but not the insects themselves.
Finally the sun came out - and we did find seven species of adult forms:
Two-tailed Swallowtail (Papilio multicaudatus)
Dainty Sulphur (Nathalis iole)
Theona Checkerspot (Thessalia theona)
Golden-headed Scallopwing (Staphylus ceos)
Mournful Duskywing (Erynnis tristis)
Common Sreaky-Skipper (Celotes nessus)
White-barred Skipper (Atryntonopsis pittacus)

Our next field trip will be to Garden Canyon in the Huachucas on May 15.
For information send mailto:hankb at theriver.com



-- 
	             Hank & Priscilla Brodkin
	          Carr Canyon, Cochise County, AZ
             SouthEast Arizona Butterfly Association
	          Send Mailto:hankb at theriver.com


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