Butterflies - Latest Sightings - Sabinal River Valley

2007 Utopia Area Butterfly Highlights Summary

Occasionally, notes about current butterfly
sightings can be found on the Bird News page,
as we have been unable to keep this page current.

However, the following summary highlights some
of the interesting aspects of this past year (2007)
mostly in the Sabinal River Valley around Utopia.

2007 Utopia Butterfly Highlights

rubyspotted swallowtail

Ruby-spotted Swallowtail at Utopia, November 20, 2007.
(Papilio anchisiades)

2007 Butterfly News

Here is a summary of Butterfly highlights for 2007, mostly from
around the Utopia area, with a little Concan and misc. Uvalde Co..
For the unaware, Utopia is in latilong 99 x 29, in NE Uvalde. Co.,
at 1350' altitude (the town) on the southern escarpment of the
Edwards Plateau. At north end of town is south border of Bandera Co..

If you bear through the text, there will be some of the documentation
photos of the highlights below. :)

It was the best year in the four I've been here for species diversity,
and unusual southerly origin vagrants, with noticeable incursions of
several species from Mexico. There were 44 to 48 inches of rain around Utopia,
and the Sabinal Valley Jan.- Sept., depending on where you were. The spring
and summer averaged 3-5 degrees F. cooler than normal. It seemed many of the
normal regular species were WAY WAY down in numbers all spring and summer.

It finally dried out, warmed and flowered up in fall. The frostweed was so tall you
only saw ventrals of anything "up top." The Ragweed was like Jack and the Beanstalk.

In September, just around Utopia, I saw 93 species of butterflies, despite not
doing more than a couple hours a day, a few days a week. This is not
the LRGV, it is the hill country, so I think a reasonable one month total.
D. Gaskin over 8 years of extended collecting visits, and some 28,000 specimens,
from Tarpley to Lost Maples to Leakey to Garner found 100 (One hundred) species.
(Journal of the Lepidopterists Society, 52(3), 1998, 229-261)

His area was roughly a thousand square miles compared to my 8 mile diameter circle
of less than 100 sq. miles, around Utopia). The biggest difference in coverage probably
being the presence of a "butterfly garden" now in Utopia, coupled with rather
sustained coverage at this one site, so as to record more dispersant turnover,
as well as more even coverage thoughout the year.

Surely an expert could have gone a bit over a hundred species around here in
Sept. '07 alone with some effort! Nearby, in a Sept. week at fall Nature Quest
in Concan, Derek Muschalek found about 90 species, with 8 species not in my 93
species around Utopia in Sept., so, Utopia-to-Concan recorded over 100 species
in September '07. Significant, for literally in a small pocket of the county.
A few spots along the Frio River corridor around Concan, and a couple spots,
mostly in and around Utopia, along the Sabinal River corridor. Respectable me thinks.

There were a number of NCR's - new county records - amongst the 108 species I saw
around the Utopia area in 2007. Perhaps most exciting was the
RUBY-SPOTTED SWALLOWTAIL (Papilio anchisiades), beat and worn as it was,
on Nov. 20, a NCR for Uvalde Co..! There are still not very many (a dozen?)
that have been found away from the Rio Grande Valley.

In Bandera Co., at Cypress Hollow, the male BLUE-EYED SAILOR (Dynamine dyonis) was the
"best bug," and another very interesting NCR, quite northwardly. That dull mustard-olive
color dorsally in the books, iridesces brilliant neon metallic gold-lime in the sun!

Then there was the spectacular RED RIM (Byblis hyperia) invasion, with 15 in a day,
easily, at Uvalde. I saw 3 at least in my yard near Utopia, and saw a number
of others around town, (including one flying across Main. St.!), and finally after
much searching I saw one in Bandera Co. (NCR), on Jones Cmty. Rd.. Derek Muschalek
had Red Rims at Estrella Ranch during fall Nature Quest. He also had a
MALACHITE (Siproeta stelenes) at Concan during fall NQ, and Terry Doyle saw another
Malachite at Concan in October.

There were small numbers of ZEBRA LONGWING (Heliconius charithonia) (multiple in a day,
on best days) present, the first since the big invasion in 2004. There were at least
three local JULIA LONGWING, (Dryas iulia) including the first photos I've been able to get of
this beautiful rarity. Besides the Red Rim, Jones Cemetary Rd. in Bandera Co also produced
the first Bandera Co. photos of DORANTES Longtail (Urbanus dorantes) (NCR), and my
4th sighting of YELLOW ANGLED-SULPHUR (Anteos maerula) in that Co., plus a male
ORANGE-BARRED SULPHUR, (Phoebis philea), which was more numerous this year than
the prior 3. I saw way over a dozen, instead of one or two, or none.

While not a NCR, the TWO-BARRED FLASHER (Astraptes fulgerator) at the Utopia Library
Butterfly Garden (UL hereafter) one afternoon that stopped for photos was as visually
spectacular a vagrant as one could see. Derek Muschalek had at least one at
September Nature Quest, and I saw another at the Uvalde Fish Hatchery in April.

Some species that were only seen once or twice a year the prior three years,
were common, like White-striped Longtail (Chiodes albofasciatus) (dozens),
Coyote Cloudywing (Archalarus toxeus) (many many dozens), Zilpa Longtail (Chiodes zilpa)
(half dozen plus), Long-tailed Skipper (Urbanus proteus) (dozens), Sickle-winged Skipper
(Eantis tamenund) (10), and so on. Mestras (Mestra amymone) were present
in the hundreds (in a day) and surely many many thousands cumulatively over the season.

Whirlabout (Polites vibex), nearly unlocateable the prior three years was numerous
Sept.-Nov.. Same for Tropical Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus oileus) which for a while
outnumbered the regular more expected Common/White Checkered-Skipper
(Pyrgus communis/albescens). Desert Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus philetas) was
far more common than ever, as was Clouded Skipper (Lerema accius), which was
abundant with over 100 at once at UL.

It was amazing in sum, both the numbers of species, and individuals of them,
that were common or regular, that were nearly absent three prior seasons here.
It certainly felt like an invasion. Was it a response to the 4' of rain?
We were covered in things we couldn't find for three prior seasons of looking hard.
It well illustrates how any given year may be not representitive, and that even
3 years of coverage is but a tiny corner of the big picture. Do these events
occur once a decade, more or less often, whenever there is 4' of rain, etc., etc.?

Mimosa Yellow (Pyrisitia nise) was more obvious than ever too, with finally one being
hungry enough to let me get a picture in Nov. It is typical of species that are
not altogether impossible to find, or even field ID when you can get some yellows
puddling for instance, but getting a picture is infinitely harder than netting one.
In other words, if I was netting I could have proven their existence or presence much sooner.
Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargryeus clarus) is a similar dilema: easy to see, but even
harder to net or photo. I saw a couple of them this year, and only one
Brazillian Skipper (Calpoedes ethlius) locally.

Interesting in their absence I guess was the lack of any unusual rare vagrant
Metalmark, Blue, or Hairstreak. Mallow Scrub-HS was more common than ever though.
Fatal and Rounded MM's (Calephelis nemesis and perditalis, respectively) were common
at times, instead of uncommon. Large Orange and Cloudless Sulphurs (Phoebis agarithe
and sennae, respectively) never got numerous this year. We only had a few Snouts
(Libytheana carinenta), fine after last years' zillions, and I only saw about two
Soldiers (Danaus eresimus) all fall. Last years'big invader, the White Peacock
(Anartia jatrophae) went unseen locally this year.

In the spring there was a Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) "hatch" or flight.
First in April at Concan during spring Nature Quest a remarkable four were seen.
Then I saw a couple here at Utopia for a half-dozen total, whereas there were zero
in 3 prior years. In May I took a Least Skipper (Ancyloxypha numitor) voucher,
a NCR for Uvalde Co., off my back porch! Yes it was a weedy micro patch of habitat
it was at, about 4' x 8', but it was at 1500' on a rocky juniper slope!

In the big fancy moth department, a few are always noteworthy. There were a number
of Black Witch moths reported around the area this fall, perhaps 5 or so.
Kathy and I had three: just south of town (Utopia), one on our porch, and one at
Cypress Hollow in Bandera Co.. A few Polyphemus and Imperial Moths,
were seen, but always THE fanciest moth, the LUNA, was at Lost Maples in spring.
You can tell someone must be living right, when they get to see a LUNA around here !!
:) (Obviously it wasn't me!) :)
Only a very few each of Texas Wasp Moths and White-tipped Blacks were seen this fall.
And a few Ctenucas, but very cool was the Sisiid (voucher by Terry Doyle in Bandera Co.).

Four full seasons now, and I still haven't found a Buckeye I wouldn't call Common.
I've looked at and photo'd so many, when I close my eyes I see ocelli. :)

In the "ones that got away" department, which I will put
on my local hypothetical list based on sightings this year,
there were two new butterflies for me for the area that I
missed getting photos of, or a net on. Both were in November
at the UL. First a Statira Sulphur (Phoebis (Aphrissa) statira) circled
me several times before bolting, and then a Violet-clouded Skipper (Lerodea arabus)
was amongst the throngs of Cloudeds. Both were seen well, closely, briefly,
but neither liked the looks of me apparently.

93 species for Septmember was a monthly record total for me here by around
15 species. I'm sure the 108 is a yearly total record for me here.
I am as often looking at birds, dragonflies, fish, or anything that moved,
or did within the last, say, hundred million years, give or take a few.
A hot-rod expert might be able to find 125 or more locally in a good flight year.
My complete Utopia area 4-year list (within 4 miles) is now 129 species.
121 of those are irrefutably photographed. The rarities have of course been
reviewed for determination by an expert, usually Charles Bordelon
and or Mike Overton. To both of them I am grateful for cheerfully putting
up with all my dumb questions, and graciously helping a greenhorn get it.
Check out the new Butterfly List page to see the whole list.

Now here's the eye candy to reward you if you found the above drivel interesting.
Poor photos of good bugs, but importantly constitute documentation of the records.
....a 2007 hit parade so to speak, with a couple "oldies but goodies" at the end.

Two-barred Flasher (Astraptes fulgerator) Nov. 4, 2007 at Library, Utopia.

Julia Longwing (Dryas iulia) at a lantana in Utopia, Nov. 3. 2007.

Ruby-spotted Swallowtail (Papilio anchisiades) at a lantana in Utopia.
The first Uvalde Co. Record, on November 20, 2007.
Often rarities that have travelled hundreds of miles are quite torn up.

Blue-eyed Sailor (Dynamine dyonis) at Cypress Hollow,
Sept. 23, 2007, the first Bandera County record.
This image is a digiscope (old Mavica up to telescope)

Red Rim (Biblis hyperia) staged its biggest most northerly invasion
known. Dozens were in Uvalde Co..

Red Rim (Biblis hyperia) at Uvalde.

Coyote Cloudywing (Archalarus toxeus) were common this fall.

Laviana White-Skipper (Heliopetes laviana) finally stopped for a picture.

Male Great purple Hairstreak (Atlides halseus) is always a stunner.

Least Skipper near Utopia, May 10, 2007.
(Ancyloxypha numitor) Uvalde Co. NCR

Dorantes Longtail, Bandera Co. NCR, Sept. 30, 2007.
(Urbanus dorantes)

Best of 2006

Ornythion Swallowtail (Papilio ornythion) Sept. 2006 in Utopia.
At the Senior Center lantana... ANY patch can have the butterfly
of the month, or year !! :) Only a few have ever been found in Uvalde Co..

Gold-spotted Aguna (Aguna asander) Sept. 2006 near Utopia.
I only saw one for sure in 2007, in Concan.

Best of 2005

Spot-celled Sister - Adelpha basiloides ~ a "mega-rarity" even in
extreme south Texas, this one photo'd 11/11/05 in our yard 2+ mi.
W. of Utopia, Uvalde Co.

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