Highlights of 2011 Butterfly Count
Mark Stromberg
Each year, Jerry Powell, Emeritus Professor, UC Berkeley, Entomology, organizes a
series of butterfly counts in northern and central California. This is our 14th year of counting
butterflies. About 25 butterfly counts are done each year in California. We split up to cover a
circle on the map that is centered on Paloma Creek just east of Hastings. One group went east on
Carmel Valley Road to Arroyo Seco Road, and then to the campground and walked up the old
Indians road. Another group went to the look out on Chew’s Ridge and worked the highest
points. A third group drove up Tassajara Road, through Jamesburg, and up to the lookout. The
final group stayed at Hastings.
Overall, there were 47 species seen, and our all-time high was 48 species. However, for
almost all these, the numbers were strikingly low.
This year the stalwarts were again present, along with some welcome new faces. Old
hands include Jerry Powell, Paul Johnson (NPS, Pinnacles), Liam O’Brien (San Francisco),
Chris Tenney (Monterey). New faces included Nick Benson and his grandfather, Walter Benson.
Nick is in 8th grade at Carmel Middle School. Ryan Hill of the Univ. of the Pacific in Stockton
was also on his first Hastings count. Ryan has funding from USFWS to look at the genetics of
the Callippe Silverspot, Speyeria callippe. How rare and how distinct these butterflies may be
needs research, and Ryan is looking at these butterflies in the Bay Area. He was able to collect
several specimens of Speyeria for these genetic studies. People have looked at the coloration
patterns and based on the color pattern, defined various “sub-species” or geographic races, etc.
Some have been listed as “endangered”. Until the genetic of the Speyeria group can be figured
out, this might be hasty. That is, all the little variations in color might easily be included in one
species once the genetics are known.
Highlights
Hastings
The usual routes were run. Jerry, Nick, Walter and I walked down the Arnold Road. It
was a warm day, in the 80s by 0930 and in the high 90s by 3pm. Recall that we had an unusually
wet, cold spring with rain persisting into June. We then checked Finch Creek near the entry gate,
and walked Robertson Creek from the Poison Oak Hill trail to the mailboxes. Jerry then drove up
the Robertson House road, past the house and up to the hilltop and ridge. We also checked the
headquarters area.
Similar to results at Big Creek last week, the numbers of butterflies were low. The
number of species was decent – 24 species on Hastings. We have between 22 and 26 species on
the previous counts. But numbers were very low. Usually we see hundreds of Acmon Blues, but
we saw 1 this year. We saw many Lorquin’s Admirals, Northern Checkerspots, Swallowtails,
California Sisters, and Buckeyes.
Jerry added 5 species to the day’s list in the last half hour. Jerry drove up the road behind
the Robertson House to the hilltop ridge. There he found four Lycaenid butterflies. These include
Coastal Green Hairstreak, Callophrys dumetorum, a stunning emerald green butterfly that
usually is not seen after mid-May.
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Photo Credit: Jean-Paul LaCoun
Jerry also found the western tailed blue, Everes amyntula up on that ridge. Both of these
butterflies were “hilltopping” or hanging out on the highest point of land in an area. This
butterfly is very late, and the larvae feed on Astragalus. This blue butterfly is found only at the
highest elevations on Big Creek Reserve in Big Sur, and last week they found a few tattered
individuals there. The ones here looked fine.
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The last of the noteworthy hilltop butterflies was the Hedgerow Hairstreak, Satyrium saepium.
This has a striking golden brassy area on the wings and feeds on Ceanothus.
Photo Credit: Brian Parker
Chew’s Ridge
Liam O’Brien and Ryan Hill went to Chew’s Ridge highlands. The highlight there was
the Unsilvered Fritillary, Speyeria adiaste. This is the only butterfly count in the US where this
narrow endemic is seen. It has been seen at Hastings in the upper Arnold Road, but not this year.
It is known from small populations in the Santa Cruz mountains, here in the Santa Lucia range,
near San Luis Obispo and there was a population in southern California that is now extinct.
Dusky winged butterflies were a highlight of the trip up there. Four species were
observed today, all in low numbers. These include the Propertius, Pacuvius, Mournful and
Mexican Cloudy Wing.
A real hilltopper there is the Columbian Skipper, seen on the tips of the biggest rocks at
the highest outcrops.
Photo Credit: Kim and Mike
Strangeland
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Arroyo Seco
Paul Johnson and Chris Tenney took the Carmel Valley Road towards Arroyo Seco. They
continued on past the Miller Lodge, up to the campground and hiked up the Indians Road a ways.
In a little canyon on the Carmel Valley Road, below Paloma Creek, closed only with a cable,
where they had permission from the landowner, they found many Checkerspots. In fact, Chris
calls this place Chekerspot canyon. There the found a noteworthy Great Basin Wood Nymph,
Cercyonis sthenele silvestris.
Photo Credit: T. W. Davies,
California Academy of Sciences
Along many places, the yellow mustard is growing vigorously and supporting good
numbers of Orange Tips, eg. Anthocharis sara sara;
Photo Credit: Adam Winer
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At Piney Creek, they found a large patch of golden yarrow supporting ...
California Hairstreaks, Satyrium californica,
Photo Credit: Christopher Christie
the Gold Hunter’s Hairstreak, Satyrium auretorum;
Photo Credit: David Powell
and Brown Elfin, Incisalia augustinus iroides.
Photo Credit: Jean-Paul LaCoun
On the Indians Road, they found red Indian Paintbrush plants supporting Laneria Checkerspots,
Chlosyme (Thessalia) laernia;
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Photo Credit: Adam Winer
Finally, along the Carmel Valley Road, near the one-lane area, is a cliff with Santa Lucia
monkey flower. There they found the notable Persius Dusky-Wing, Erynnis persius, is present.
Photo Credit: Dave Nunnallee
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along with Persius Dark-wing, Erynnis persius, the Variable Checkerspot, Euphydryas
chalcedona;
Photo Credit: Roger Hall
Edith’s Checkerspot,
Photo Credit: Adam Winer
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and the narrow coastal endemic Gabb’s Checkerspot,
Photo Credit: Sandra Huwe
The butterfly counters left the entry gate about 9:45am and we met again about 5pm at
the Hastings Headquarters to compile the data.
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