Big Sur and Hatton Cyn
3-14-24
First Dave Nelson sent good photos of Lotus Green hairstreak in Big Sur, then various observers found western tiger swallowtail, anise swallowtail, fiery skipper, and common checkered-skipper in Hatton Canyon; our 2024 species list is now at 30 species.
Long Canyon
5-1-24
Don Roberson photographed the year's first Leanira Checkerspot . . a little early for this species, and rare for this canyon. Given the continued closure of the Arroyo Seco gorge and the only known reliable leanira colony, this may be the best location to see the species this year.
Hatton Canyon
5-1-24
Rick Fournier, Inger Marie Laursen, Francis Toldi joined Chris Tenney on his bi-monthly survey. temps 70-75, light winds: 16 species, 43 total butterflies
5-1-24
Rick Fournier, Inger Marie Laursen, Francis Toldi joined Chris Tenney on his bi-monthly survey. Cool winds didn't deter a nice showing of butterfly species:
22 species, estimated 124 total butterflies
Variable checkerspots are out now in good numbers and the rare two-banded checkered-skipper gave us brief looks. Propertius and mournful duskywings at the first creek crossing just past the barn were a surprise. Sara orangetips and large marbles are still flying, but only one gray-veined white as rthe winter flight of this species seems nearly over.
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Soberanes Canyon
Piney Creek area
4-29-24
Barbara Banfield joined Chris Tenney for yet another visit to this very active butterfly area.:
24 species, estimated 360 total butterflies
slightly cooler today with occasional wind gusts but still many butterflies; we bypassed the ridge and instead walked to the campground and creek for several mudding species, adding two-banded checkered-skipper and gorgon copper to our 2024 list, now at 34 species for this area, 51 species for Monterey County.
two nice hairstreaks:
4-24-24
Blake Matheson (yes, that birder) photographed a rare Thicket hairstreak (photo near right) on 14 March near Jacks Peak, which he reported on iNaturalist; after several searches, Chris Tenney found a Western Pine elfin (photo far right) in the Del Monte Forest this week.
Las Garzas Creek/Terrace Trail
4-22-24
Diana Magor walked this trail for the hoped-for Sonoran blue, but it may have been too late in the day; most interesting is the day-flying Caerulean looper moth (at right) which looks much like one of our blue butterfly species, especially in flight: Sara orangetip, silvery blue, CA buckeye, CA sister, CA ringlet,
Piney Creek area
4-22-24
Another big day in the Piney Creek area - report by Rick Fournier, Bill Hubick, Irene Rosen, and Chris Tenney: 24 species, estimated 251 total butterflies
flights of overwintering adult species like tortoiseshells and CA dogface are now largely finished as we await the expected strong late spring flights; other early-season flyers like echo azure and Sara orangetip are also on the wane, but this week brought on promising good flights of checkerspots and CA sister, Lorquin's admiral, and painted lady.
Partington and JP Burns SP
4-20-24
Dave and Margaret Nelson, Big Sur residents, continue to send updates as road closures persist: w. tiger swallowtail, pale swallowtail, cabbage white, Sara orangetip, echo azure, silvery blue, Bramble green hairstreak, Gabb's checkerspot, satyr comma, painted lady, Lorquin's admiral, CA ringlet, umber skipper
new species this week
4-18-24
Dave and Margaret Nelson: Painted Lady
Chris Tenney, Piney Creek area: Edith's checkerspot
Long Canyon
4-17-24
Long Canyon on E. Carmel Valley road has been a great spring butterfly area for many years - report by Chris Tenney: w. tiger swallowtail, pale swallowtail, Sara orangetip, echo azure, silvery blue, acmon blue, bramble green hairstreak, brown elfin, Gabb's checkerspot, Edith's checkerspot, mylitta crescent, CA tortoiseshell, gray buckeye, CA sister, CA ringlet, propertius duskywing, common sootywing; 244 total butterflies, 17 species
in May 2014 all four checkerspot species flew on the same day in this canyon
Las Garzas Creek/Terrace Trail
4-16-24
this spot now reliable for Sonoran blue, as Rick Fournier, Don Roberson, Irene Rosen, and others observed and photographed several near the wooden steps at mile 0.75: w. tiger swallowtail, Sara orangetip, gray-veined white, silvery blue, Sonoran blue, brown elfin, bramble green hairstreak, echo azure, gray buckeye, CA ringlet
new species this week
4-11-24
Dave Nelson, Big Sur: Variable checkerspot
Margaret Nelson, Del Rey Oaks Gulf Fritillary
Diana Magor, Chris Tenney, Piney Creek area: Pacuvius Duskywing, Northern Cloudywing
Piney Creek area
4-10-24
This active butterfly site continues to deliver - report by Diana Magor and Chris Tenney: w. tiger swallowtail, pale swallowtail, anise swallowtail, Sara orangetip, echo azure, silvery blue, acmon blue, bramble green hairstreak, brown elfin, Gabb's checkerspot, mylitta crescent, CA tortoiseshell, gray buckeye, CA sister, CA ringlet, northern cloudywing, propertius duskywing, pacuvius duskywing, mournful duskywing, sleepy duskywing, common sootywing; 382 total butterflies, 21 species
declines in numbers of tortoiseshells, CA dogface, and echo azures were noted, in tandem with increases in silvery blues, and a continuing strong flight of orangetips and bramble hairstreaks
new species this week
4-1-24
Dave Nelson, Big Sur: Umber Skipper
Jan Austin, Chris Tenney, Hatton Canyon Lorquin's admiral
Chris Tenney, Piney Creek area: Mournful Duskywing, Sleepy Duskywing
Piney Creek area
4-1-24
Yet another visit to this current hotspot; a route change from Piney Creek rd. to a ridge yielded a few new species, all hilltoppers, however we missed several likely species in the campground along the creek: w. tiger swallowtail, pale swallowtail, anise swallowtail, cabbage white, Sara orangetip, CA dogface, echo azure, silvery blue, acmon blue, bramble green hairstreak, brown elfin, Gabb's checkerspot, mylitta crescent, CA tortoiseshell, CA ringlet, propertius duskywing, mournful duskywing, sleepy duskywing; 138 total butterflies, 18 species
Hatton Canyon
3-31-24
Jan Austin and Chris Tenney return to this local spot after 10 days of unfavorable weather: w. tiger swallowtail, pale swallowtail, cabbage white, Sara orangetip, echo azure, satyr comma, mourning cloak, w. coast lady, gray buckeye, Lorquin's admiral, monarch, common checkered-skipper, fiery skipper, umber skipper; 36 total butterflies, 14 species
new species this week
3-21-24
Dave Nelson, Rat Creek: Checkered White
Brian Ahern, Chris Tenney, Piney Creek area: CA sister, common sootywing, Propertius Duskywing, Gabb's checkerspot,
Piney Creek road to Piney Creek campground
3-20-24
A return to this hotspot with Brian Ahern of Saratoga: pale swallowtail, large marble, Sara orangetip, CA dogface, echo azure, silvery blue, acmon blue, bramble green hairstreak, brown elfin, mylitta crescent, satyr comma, CA tortoiseshell, gray buckeye, CA sister, CA ringlet, propertius duskywing, common sootywing; also Gabb's checkerspot in nearby canyon. altogether 319 total butterflies, 19 species
Piney Creek road to Piney Creek campground
3-18-24
Butterflies were abundant on most of this 3-mile walk to Piney Creek camp: w. tiger swallowtail, cabbage white, large marble, Sara orangetip, CA dogface, echo azure, silvery blue, acmon blue, bramble green hairstreak, brown elfin, mylitta crescent, satyr comma, CA tortoiseshell, mourning cloak, gray buckeye, CA ringlet, propertius duskywing, common sootywing; also Gabb's checkerspot in nearby canyon. altogether 272 total butterflies, 19 species
Garzas Creek trail at Garland Ranch RP
3-15-24
Howard Higley, Inger Marie Laursen, and Chris Tenney observed a strong flight of Sonoran blues on the Garzas Creek Trail, about 3/4 mi. from the Garzas Creek road parking area: w. tiger swallowtail, gray-veined white, Sara orangetip, CA dogface, echo azure, Sonoran blue, oreas comma, CA tortoiseshell
Big Sur and Hatton Cyn
3-14-24
First Dave Nelson sent good photos of Lotus Green hairstreak in Big Sur, then various observers found western tiger swallowtail, anise swallowtail, fiery skipper, and common checkered-skipper in Hatton Canyon; our 2024 species list is now at 30 species.
Partington Canyon area
3-8-24
Chris Tenney and Dave Nelson had another nice day with 16 species:
pale swallowtail, gray-veined white, cabbage white, Sara orangetip, CA dogface, echo azure, Sonoran blue, silvery blue, satyr comma, mourning cloak, CA tortoiseshell, American lady, red admiral, gray buckeye, monarch, and CA ringlet
Dave took Chris to a nearby roadside wetspot where we added the two new year species, pale swallowtail and silvery blue
Jacks Peak and Big Sur
3-2-24
Dave Nelson reported first-of-the-year sightings of field crescent and CA ringlet in Big Sur; on the same day Chris Tenney had west coast lady, CA tortoiseshell, red admiral, and echo azure on Jacks Peak while searching unsuccessfully for brown and western pine elfins
Partington Canyon and area
2-24-2024 to 2-28-24
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multiple visits this week by Dave Nelson, Don Roberson, Rita Carratello, and Chris Tenney reported over a dozen species: (the list below includes two species - gray hairstreak and CA dogface - seen by Dave Nelson in a nearby canyon)
gray-veined white, cabbage white, Sara orangetip, orange sulphur, CA dogface, large marble. echo azure, Sonoran blue, brown elfin, gray hairstreak, satyr comma, American lady, common buckeye, Monarch, mourning cloak, CA tortoiseshell
Wow! that's 16 total species, pretty impressive for late February; also good numbers of tortoiseshells, whites, and blues
Soberanes Canyon
2-26-2024
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sunny temps 55-65 finally gave us a good flight of gray-veined whites, but still no orangetips or marbles; also mourning cloak, acmon blue and mylitta crescent today - total 7 species
Hatton Canyon, Carmel
2-26-2024
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8 species today included mourning cloak and both satyr and oreas comma
Hatton Canyon, Carmel
2-21-2024
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cabbage white, gray-veined white, echo azure, west coast lady, and monarch today
PartingtonCanyon
2-12-2024
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Numbers were low - 14 total butterflies - but Dave Nelson and Chris Tenney had 8 species today, despite cool temps, about 55-60, and partial sun: gray-veined white, cabbage white, echo azure, CA tortoiseshell, mourning cloak, American lady, gray buckeye, and monarch
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Soberanes Canyon
2-8-2024
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after a slight break in the rains we walked Soberanes creek. It's still mid-winter, so we were OK with 3 species - echo azure, satyr comma, and west coast lady.
Soberanes Canyon
1-29-2024
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the last day of this late January warm spell greeted us with 6 typical early-season species: satyr comma, red admiral, echo azure, acmon blue, west coast lady, and California tortoiseshell. Hopefully the tortoiseshell is a sign that we may have a mass spring movement this year in May-June.
Partington Canyon
1-28-2024
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no Sonoran blues yet but 5 other species flying: gray-veined white, echo azure, monarch, west coast lady, and American lady.
Soberanes Canyon, lower canyon only
1-26-2024
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today's only butterfly was a nice one - a Sonoran Blue that flew across canyon, denying us a photo. This sighting has inspired me to schedule two outings this weekend, before another cold front arrives next week.
today's only butterfly was a nice one - a Sonoran Blue that flew across canyon, denying us a photo. This sighting has inspired me to schedule two outings this weekend, before another cold front arrives next week.
Hatton Canyon, Carmel
1-25-2024
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only one butterfly today - a red admiral - following over two weeks of cool wet conditions. Today was sunny but temps reached only into the low 60s, with a cool down-canyon breeze
Hatton Canyon, Carmel
1-12-2024
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the first survey of the new year: no butterflies today as temps reached only the mid-50s. lots of sunshine, but a cold down-canyon wind likely chilled any possibility of a comma, red admiral, or lady emerging from its winter hiatus.
Hatton Canyon, Carmel
12-14-2023
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by mid-December the colder nights and shorter days had reduced butterfly numbers to only a few species, all of which typically overwinter as adults - satyr and oreas commas, red admiral, and west coast lady
residential Pacific Grove
11-28-2023
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Monarch lovers growing milkweed on their property might want to check their plants for larvae. Jan Austin of Pacific Grove photographed a female laying eggs on her tropical milkweed, and subsequently found several larvae at another residence.
Hatton Canyon, Carmel
Hatton Canyon update
11-30-2023
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This was an exceptional November for butterfly activity in Hatton Canyon. Walk for an hour nearly anywhere else in the county and you may see a few (maybe 3-5) species, but not the numbers and diversity of butterflies reported here this November.
You will notice that although the staging southbound migrant painted ladies moved on by mid-month (following a cold front), most other species remained into early December, though in dwindling numbers. We will continue to update the Hatton Canyon list into December.
11/3/23 Rat Creek, Big Sur: report from Dave Nelson
In early November Dave Nelson took this definitive photo of a female Marine Blue laying eggs, the first confirmation of breeding for this species in Monterey County.
Later in November Dave photographed an out-of-season Silvery Blue, nectaring on Lotus.
Hatton Canyon, Carmel
11-4-2023
10:45-12:15
four species added today, include CA dogface (left), echo azure (right), field crescent, and oreas comma
We surveyed Hatton Canyon again today: four additional species, for 20 species in two days; also the Painted Lady count doubled to 154, mostly puddling along a half-mile stretch of the canyon.
for a complete list of this day's species, go to the Hatton Canyon link here
Hatton Canyon, Carmel
11-3-2023
11:45-1:05
We surveyed this canyon two weeks ago and expected a decline in species and numbers as winter approaches, but butterflies were everywhere! Painted ladies (mostly V. cardui) were stirring in numbers suggestive of a mass movement south, probably drawn to this canyon by the unusually late creek flow - many were puddling - and nectar. Small numbers of cardui are known to fly south in the fall, but most reports are inland, to the southeast. Other features of the day include a Vanessa "grand slam" and marine blues.
for a complete list of this day's species, go to the Hatton Canyon link here
Magic Carpet, Pacific Grove
the magic carpet is just north of Lover's Pt. and south of Pt. Pinos
11-1-2023
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Yes, the Western Pygmy-blue does wander and numbers tend to increase in the fall, but what a surprise to see them flying on Pacific Grove's famous coastal Magic Carpet. We counted up to ten or so on a 5-minute walk. This ice plant (Carpobrotus edulis) is an invasive species, and belongs to a different plant family than typical pygmy-blue host plants like saltbush and Atriplex. However it may have a similar phytochemistry, and the numbers of blues were at least suggestive.
Marine Blue invasion!
10/16/23 Rat Creek, Big Sur: Marine Blue - Dave Nelson, about two dozen individuals in creekside Acmispon glaber still in bloom; male-female courtship was observed, along with nectaring and chasing
10/6/23 Rat Creek, Big Sur: Marine Blue - Dave Nelson
10/17/23 Soberanes Creek, Garrapata SP: Marine Blue - Chris Tenney, about 6-8 individuals, mostly females, in coastal scrub first mile of canyon trail.
We were first alerted to this invasion event by Dave Nelson of Big Sur (see above). Over the previous 20 years we have had a total of only 5 Monterey County records of Marine Blue, so this is an exciting, late season occurrence. Though not a complete surprise - the Yosemite late July butterfly count reported good numbers of Marine and Reakirt's blues, and Diana Magor of Santa Cruz photographed one in her back yard a few weeks ago. Marine blues are normally rare strays from southern California, where it is abundant. The last similar invasion surge in the central valley was in 2003 (Shapiro and Manolis 2007).
San Lorenzo Park, King City
8-28-2023
10:15-11:55
Notes: walked through the park and along the river's edge where flowers, especially water speedwell, were attracting good numbers of butterflies
Anise sw 2, Western Tiger sw 5, Cabbage wh 200+, Orange su 20, Checkered wh 4, Acmon bl 2, Mylitta cr 1, West Coast la 3, Gray bu 45, Woodland sk 3, Fiery sk 18
Parkfield Grade Road
9-19-2023
10:45-12:30
Notes: flowering rabbitbrush and nude buckwheat attracted many species, but Calif. buckwheat was mostly dried out. All stops were along the gravel road, which had wet seeps on the right side; best was grassy spot near the summit, with several great blue hairstreaks
checkered wh 5, Orange su 1, gray hairstreak 3, great blue ha 7, Acmon bl 2, mormon metalmark 5, painted la 3, Gray bu 6, Lorquin's admiral 1, Calif. sister 2, Calif. ringlet 5, Woodland sk 3,
Vineyard Cyn. Rd. west of Parkfield
9-19-2023
1:05-2:00
Notes: similar habitat to the previous, but more accessible. Walked about one mile of the dry creek bed, with flowering rabbitbrush and buckwheat flanked by occasional oaks. Metalmarks were plentiful.
checkered wh 10, gray hairstreak 5, Acmon bl 20, mormon metalmark 200+, painted la 3, Gray bu 8, Calif. sister 1, N. white skipper 3