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Surveys, field trips, monthly local walks, and counts are open to anyone interested in seeing or learning about Monterey County butterflies

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Participants should bring water and a lunch or snacks. Many outings are all-day.  (monthly local walks are half-day).   You may drive separately if you wish to leave early.  Binoculars and/or camera are recommended; butterfly nets may be used for catch-and-release identification

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For meeting time and place, Contact Chris Tenney, 831-241-4820; tenneyx2@mac.com 

1st 2025 outing: Partington Canyon, Big Sur

Postponed due to cold weather forecast    
 Rain, fog, or extreme cold will postpone this outing.  We can expect 5-10 butterfly species in this little canyon, including possible Sonoran Blue.  Hopefully large numbers of ladybugs will still be overwintering  

2025 Outings Schedule
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  • surveys (S) precise dates are weather-dependent, and will be posted at least several days before each survey; these surveys often target rare or difficult-to-find species
  • butterfly counts (C) are scheduled for early June; exact dates will be posted following coordination with other California counts
  • field trips (F) are planned for a few species-rich areas at the best time of year; the dates below are only approximate, and will be firmed up as the seasonal phenology progresses
  • monthly peninsula-area walks (W) short half-day trips in the peninsula area; species and numbers will be counted to monitor seasonal changes in local butterfly populations

Outings every month

W: date TBD

Hatton Canyon  - on good weather days, butterflies can be active all months of the year in some peninsula-area canyons; species counts vary from just a few in Dec-Jan to 20 or more in May-Jun.  Over the years, Hatton canyon has yielded over 40 species of butterflies.

January 2025

February

March

S: date TBD

Partington Canyon - Sonoran Blue, Gray-veined White, up to 10 other species possible

S: date TBD

Partington Canyon - Sonoran Blue, Gray-veined White, up to 10 other species possible

S: date TBD

Partington Canyon - Sonoran Blue, Gray-veined White, up to 10 other species possible

S: date TBD

Garland Ranch - early scouting trip

F: date TBD

King City and Parkfield - possible Edith's Checkerspot, Spring White, etc.

S: date TBD

Piney Creek Road - Last year's spring hot spot had 20 species in March.

April

S: date TBD

Garland Ranch RP - Sonoran Blue, 15+ species

S: date TBD

East Carmel Valley Road - target species: Common Sootywing, Edith's Checkerspot

S: date TBD

Pinnacles National Park - target species: Spring White 

May

S: date TBD

South Coast Ridge Road - target species: Muir's Hairstreak

S: date TBD

East Carmel Valley Road - target species: Common Sootywing, Edith's Checkerspot

S: date TBD

Parkfield area - target species: Lindsey's Skipper

Chews Ridge - target species: Sleepy Duskywing

S: date TBD

S: date TBD

Pine Canyon Road - target species: Thicket Hairstreak, Goldhunter's hairstreak

S: date TBD

Cone Peak - target species: Arrowhead Blue, Sleepy Duskywing

Butterfly count at UC Big Creek Reserve

Butterfly count at UC Hastings Reservation

Butterfly count at Monterey

C:date TBD

Butterfly count at Pinnacles National Park

June

S: date TBD

Chews Ridge - three fritillary species, silver-spotted skipper, 30+ species

S: date TBD

East Carmel Valley Road - target species: Great-Basin Wood-Mymph

C:date TBD

C:date TBD

C:date TBD

F: date TBD

Pine Canyon Road - target species: Thicket Hairstreak, Mt. Mahogany Hairstreak

July

F: date TBD

Chews Ridge - target species: Unsilvered Fritillary, Golden Hairstreak 

August

F: date TBD

King City along the Salinas River - continued searches for Melissa Blue, a county rarity; multiple trips may be planned

September

F: date TBD

Parkfield area - target species: Great Blue hairstreak

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