DMXA - Spring Revived (4/23/01)

[Mark Walker]

Day Six:

After having such a great day in the hills above Anza Borrego, we decided to
head for the riparian habitats in the San Gabriel Mountains.  The mountains
had been exceptionally productive in the weeks preceding, with all the early
spring flyers having a bumper year.  Some of the late spring flyers - like
Chlosyne gabbii - had also been emerging.  With the recent cold spell and
additional snowfall, it wasn't clear what we could expect.  The daytime
temperatures on Monday were headed for the upper 70s, so it was at least
going to be nice and warm.

We drove into Azusa Canyon around 10:30 a.m. - a little late, but driving
from Oceanside through morning rush hour traffic was less than optimal.

We stopped at Rincon, where Bill Gendron had been graciously keeping us up
to date on airborne species.  We were pleased to find Zerene eurydice
(California Dogface) to be extremely common (this was one of Dave's must-see
bugs).  When you search for this bug in vain, it's a bit hard to get used to
seeing it so common.  The male is with out a doubt one of the most beautiful
U.S. bugs to behold.  It's one of those that you never get tired of looking
at.

While chasing a rather fresh Colias harfordii (Harford's Sulphur), I nearly
stepped on another fat rattlesnake.  That was two for Dave in just four
days.  He was cautiously pleased to have such good luck.  While in Florida
last February, Dave showed me a photograph of a 5-foot long Coral Snake that
he snapped in the woods behind his work.  I have never seen a live Coral
Snake, but being the good Eagle Scout that I am, I've long known about and
feared it.  I told him he was much the bigger stud than I for dealing with
poisonous reptiles such as these.  At least our rattlesnakes give you good
warning.  He insisted that the Coral Snake can hardly get it's fangs around
more than the webbing between your fingers.  I told him I was content in not
testing that theory (that's a beautiful snake, by the way).

Another thing that was somewhat new to Dave was the phenomenon of
uphillness.  I thoroughly enjoyed watching Dave chase after a lep after lep
on the wing in the uphill direction.  After about 40 minutes, he was one
tired puppy.  He noted that it was much easier going in the downhill
direction.  Flatlander!

The wet and cold winter weather that skunked us for Dave's first two days
ended up being a serious blessing in disguise.  Apparently the precipitation
kicked started another emergence of the spring bugs in both the lower and
higher elevations.  I was totally surprised to find Philotes sonorensis
(Sonoran Blue) still flying at 1500 ft.  It was just as common at 4000 ft.
Gray Marbles (Anthocharis lanceolata) were also flying at the higher
elevations.  Bramble Hairstreaks (Callophrys affinis) were abundant (usually
tapering off by now), as were Anthocharis sara (Sara Orangetip).  You like
the way I keep reversing the common/latin names?  Hey - there's no rhyme or
reason here.  I'm mad as hell, and there's nothing to be done about it.

After traveling back home to pick up the kids, we all headed back up the
canyon for some nighttime collecting.  We found a nice quiet spot (with no
submarine racers), and lit up the canyon.  Our favorite Sphingid, Hyles
lineata (White-lined Sphinx) returned, but not nearly in the numbers we
experienced near Needles.  After a few hours we began calling in a few other
Sphingids - like Sphinx chersis, and another black and white beauty that I
haven't yet id'd.  We were also pleased to have a number of beautiful
Hyalofora euryalus (Ceanothus Silk Moth) come to the sheet.  We got a few
more Schinia, and some other gems as well (which I again have no clue
about).  My daughter didn't like the White-lined Sphinx crawling all over
her face.  She watched from the back of the car.  Christian, my son, was
quite the little moth-er.  That's moth-er, not "mutha".  He really enjoyed
the whole ritual.  Perhaps even more than running around with a net like a
headless chicken.  That would be a fairly accurate description of his
father.

Here's our daytime butterfly list:

Papilio rutulus (Western Tiger Swallowtail)
Papilio eurymedon (Pale Swallowtail)

Pontia protodice (Checkered White)
Pieris rapae (Cabbage White)
Anthocharis sara (Sara Orangetip)
Anthocharis lanceolata (Gray Marble)

Colias eurytheme (Orange Sulphur)
Colias harfordii (Harford's Sulphur)
Zerene eurydice (California Dogface)

Callophrys affinis (Bramble Hairstreak)
Callophrys augustinus (Brown Elfin)
Leptotes marina (Marine Blue)
Philotes sonorensis (Sonoran Blue)
Plebejus acmon (Acmon Blue)
Plebejus lupini (Lupine Blue)
Glaucopsyche lygdamus (Silvery Blue)

Chlosyne gabbii (Gabb's Checkerspot)
Phyciodes mylitta (Mylitta Crescentspot)
Vanessa cardui (Painted Lady)
Vanessa atalanta (Red Admiral)
Limenitis lorquini (Lorquin's Admiral)
Coenonympha tullia californica (California Ringlet)

Erynnis funeralis (Funereal Duskywing)
Erynnis pacuvius (Pacuvius Duskywing)
Erynnis brizo lacustra (Lacustra Duskywing)
Heliopetes ericetorum (Large White Skipper)

Mark Walker


 
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