Arizona archippus

[Kenn Kaufman]

> OLIVER, JEFFREY  wrote:
> > 
> > Does L. archippus fly in Arizona during March?
> > 
> 
I've not seen it in March in the southeastern part of the state. 
(And I expect there will be precious little flying here THIS 
March, after the dismal lack of winter rains this year.)  
According to Bailowitz and Brock 1991, Butterflies of 
Southeastern Arizona, recorded flight dates in this region are 
from 19 April to 11 November.  However, they also state 
that "In Maricopa County, there are records as early as 
mid-March."  Maricopa County (i.e. the Phoenix region) is 
at lower elevation than anyplace in southeast Arizona, so 
it would not be surprising to have earlier flight dates there.
Viceroys are fairly localized in AZ but they do occur in 
some places where the habitat has been disturbed a lot, 
including spots where willows have grown up at artificial 
bodies of water; so there might well be some flying early 
in the willow-saltcedar jungles along the Salt / Gila rivers 
southwest of Phoenix.  

Kenn Kaufman
Tucson, AZ



 
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