Garden Canyon - Ft. Huachuca

Date & Time: 
September 8, 2018 -
8:15am to 2:30pm
Meeting Place: 
7:00 AM - For those that wish to carpool please meet Cindy Bethard in the Fry's parking lot (8080 S. Houghton Rd.) at the corner of Houghton Rd. and Rita Road in Tucson or 8:15AM in the parking lot near the guard station at the Van Deman gate entrance
Trip Leader: 
Cindy Bethard
Special Notes: 
Ft. Huachuca is a military base. You must be a US citizen and show a valid driver's license or have a military ID in order to enter the fort. You will be required to fill out paperwork to apply for a base pass, and you can ask for one which is good for one year. Non-US citizens must be vouched for and accompanied at all times by a Military ID holder. We anticipate an hour's delay at the base Van Deman gate while those who don't already have them get passes using your driver's licenses as ID.

 

Please join us for an early fall outing in one of the most beautiful canyons in SE Arizona, which is full of a variety of butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies. Dragons and damsels may include Forktails, Firetails, Rubyspots, Bluets and Dancers. Some of the butterfly species that we may find are: Swallowtails, Blues, Sulphurs, Admirals, Checkerspots, Sisters, Frittilaries, Metalmarks and a variety of Skippers, including the Huachuca Giant-Skipper.  We may even get to see some Chiricahua Whites. Be aware that butterflies and dragonflies are greatly influenced by the amount of winter rains. We are hoping to find golden fairy moths (adela ridingsella) flying at the top of the canyon.

 

We will explore various spots and picnic areas as we proceed up the canyon. Terrain will be mostly level, however, a few areas are brushy, and there will be some uneven ground.

 

Please R.S.V.P. Trip Leader Cindy Bethard @ cindynik@hotmail.com prior to Saturday, September 8th if you plan to join this field trip.

 

Directions to Van Deman Gate meeting location:
From Interstate 10, turn off on Hwy 90/Ft. Huachuca exit. Travel southbound about 25 miles, turn right onto Hatfield Street.  This street is marked "Ft. Huachuca Van Deman Gate" (previous name of this gate was East Gate).  Note if you turn left at the intersection, you would continue on Hwy 90 toward Sierra Vista.

Travel on Hatfield Street about 1/4 mile and park in the second parking lot on the right (the first parking lot is for large vehicles) just before the Entrance Guard Stations. We will meet in this parking lot.

To Obtain a Base Pass:

From the parking lot, walk up to the small tan building with sign "Visitor Control Center".  This building is just beyond the Base Entrance Guard Stations on the left.

Go inside the building, take a number and clipboard with one page form to fill out, and wait to be called.  You will have to show a valid driver's license. The guard looks at his computer for a few minutes, and then hopefully asks you to face the camera on the left to take your photo for the badge.  If you think you will be going on the Fort often, ask for a one year pass.  You will receive a plastic Visitor Access Badge with expiration date on it. Passes are good for one year.  Take a base a map before you leave the office and return to the parking lot.

 

Photo: Golden Fairy Moth (adela ridingsella) © Jillian Cowles

 

Trip Butterfly Reports: 

SEABA members and friends found 40 species of butterflies.  The canyon was very lush, with basket flowers, Bidens, a bit of Asclepias tuberosa (past bloom), vetch, fleabane, and lots of other wildflowers.  The group also got good views of male and female trogons and two deer.

 Multiple individuals of many of the species listed were seen, and Red bordered satyrs were abundant at the top of the road. Species seen:

  1. Pipevine Swallowtail                        Battus philenor
  2. Giant Swallowtail                              Papilio cresphontes
  3. Two-tailed Swallowtail                    Papilio multicaudata
  4. Chiricahua White                              Neophasia terlootii
  5. Orange Sulphur                                  Colias eurytheme
  6. Southern Dogface                            Colias cesonia
  7. Cloudless Sulphur                              Phoebis sennae
  8. Mexican Yellow                                 Eurema mexicana
  9. Tailed Orange                                    Eurema proterpia
  10. Dainty Sulphur                                   Nathalis iole
  11. Gray Hairstreak                                  Strymon melinus
  12. Leda Ministreak                                 Ministrymon leda
  13. Western Pygmy-Blue                        Brephidium exile
  14. Marine Blue                                        Leptotes marina
  15. Ceraunus Blue                                    Hemiargus ceraunus
  16. Reakirt’s Blue                                     Hemiargus isola
  17. ‘Echo’ Spring Azure                           Celastrina ladon
  18. Acmon Blue                                        Plebejus acmon texana
  19. Ares Metalmark                                 Emesis ares
  20. American Snout                                 Libytheana carinenta
  21. Gulf Fritillary                                       Agraulis vanillae
  22. Variegated Fritillary                          Euptoieta claudia
  23. Bordered Patch                                 Chlosyne lacinia
  24. Mylitta Crescent                                Phyciodes mylitta
  25. American Lady                                   Vanessa virginiensis
  26. Red-spotted Purple                           Limenitis arthemis astyanax
  27. ‘Arizona’ California Sister                Adelpha bredowii
  28. Nabokov's Satyr                                Cyllopsis pyracmon
  29. Red-bordered Satyr                          Gyrocheilus patrobas
  30. Monarch                                              Danaus plexippus
  31. Queen                                                  Danaus gilippus
  32. Dull Firetip                                          Pyrrhopyge araxes
  33. Silver-spotted Skipper                      Epargyreus clarus
  34. Northern Cloudywing                       Thorybes pylades
  35. Golden-headed Scallopwing          Staphylus ceos
  36. Pacuvius Duskywing                         Erynnis pacuvius
  37. Funereal Duskywing                         Erynnis funeralis
  38. Orange Skipperling                            Copaeodes aurantiacus
  39. Dotted Roadside-Skipper                 Amblyscirtes eos
  40. Huachuca Giant-Skipper                  Agathymus evansi
Leader email: 
Please R.S.V.P. Trip Leader Cindy Bethard @ cindynik@hotmail.com prior to Saturday, September 8th if you plan to join this field trip.

General Information

Beginners are welcome on all field trips! Experienced members will share their butterfly knowledge and expertise with all field trip participants. Children accompanied by a responsible adult are welcome on SEABA field trips. A donation of $5 per person to benefit SEABA will be appreciated. Carpooling from the meeting place is encouraged and it is kind to share gas expenses. If high clearance vehicles are required for a trip, it will be noted in individual trip descriptions. Dress for the field with sturdy shoes, hat, sunscreen, and insect repellent. Bring your own water, snacks, and lunch. Close-focusing binoculars, cameras, and field guides will be helpful aids for butterfly observation and identification. Trips usually end by mid-afternoon unless noted differently in individual trip descriptions.

Please be aware that:

1. Collecting or netting is NOT allowed on SEABA field trips.

2. Pets, with the exception of service animals, are NOT allowed on SEABA field trips.

3. All field trip participants are required to sign SEABA's Release and Assumption of Risk form at the beginning of the trip. The form may be viewed at SEABA Release.

4. Please arrive a few minutes prior to the meeting time posted for trips to facilitate paperwork and introductions to other trip participants.

5. Field trips may be cancelled or rescheduled on short notice due to changing weather or road conditions. Please check the website for updates prior to the Field Trip.

 

Our Southeastern Arizona Butterfly Checklist can be downloaded here. Please note that the SEABA checklist is copyrighted.

Local NABA Butterfly Counts are listed at NABA Counts

Field trips organized by the Central Arizona Butterfly Association are listed at their website: CAzBA.