THE 4TH OF JULY BUTTERFLY COUNT

is an ongoing program of NABA to census the butterflies of North America (United States, Canada and  Mexico) and to publish the results. Volunteer participants select a count area with a 15-mile diameter and conduct a one-day census of all butterflies seen in this area.  If you are interested in participating in 2007 in southeastern Arizona, please contact the compiler listed and join that count for a day of fascinating butterfly counting. Counts held in June or July are officially 4th of July Counts.  Due to the climate here most of our counts are in August because that is when the most butterlfies are flying.  However these non-4th of July Counts will also be published.
On these counts nets will be used to take voucher specimens to insure accuracy of identification, especially for species that are unusual for the count areas.

2007 Portal Butterfly Count

There will be two Portal Counts this year.  There will be a new count added on July 30 to make the 4th of July schedule.
Also the previously advertised Portal count will be held on August 4.  For more information please contact the compiler, PD Hulce,  at 520-558-1154/ pd@chiricahuanaturalist.net


OTHER LOCAL COUNTS FOR 2007

August 11: Ramsey Canyon Count - contact Doug Danforth
August 18: Patagonia Count - contact Rich Bailowitz

Results of the 2005 Portal Butterfly Count
    Overcast skies and occasional to prolonged rain showers were the order ofthe day on Saturday, August the 13th, as eleven eager watchers took to the field around Portal, Arizona, in the Chiricahua Mountains, for the seventhannual Portal 4th of July Butterfly CountDespite the general lack of sunshine, a total of 56 species was seen for
the day. 
    The best butterfly of the day was probably the immaculately freshWhite-striped Longtail, seen in Horseshoe Canyon, a new species for the
count's cumulative list.  Other interesting species seen included 4 Satyr Commas, a Mylitta Crescent, 104 Dull Firetips, 7 Silver-spotted Skippers (a
new count high), 2 Gold-costa Skippers, an Arizona Powdered-Skipper, 3 Common Streaky Skippers, 4 Snow's Skippers, and 6 different species of
Roadside-Skipper. 
    Thanks to the counts great participants:  Hank Brodkin, Alan M. Craig, Tom Deecken, Tom Horton, P. D. Hulce, Narca Moore-Craig, Arnold Moorhouse, Pat Owens, Melinda Parmer, John Saba, and Judy Winslow.

Results of the 2004 Portal Butterfly Count


Below are the results of the 2004 Portal Butterfly Count in Cochise County, AZ.
We saw 678 individuals of 62 species.
Considering the mostly overcast and drippy weather - we were lucky to have done that well.

    08/14/04
Pipevine Swallowtail                 B. philenor  13
Giant Swallowtail  P. cresphontes  3
Two-tailed Swallowtail  P. multicaudatus  14
Checkered White  P. protodice  10
Cabage White  P. rapae  1
Orange Sulphur  C. eurytheme  9
Southern Dogface  C. cesonia  5
Cloudless Sulphur  P. sennae  47
Lyside Sulphur  K. lyside  2
Mexican Yellow  E. mexicanum  4
Tailed Orange  E. proterpia  90
Sleepy Orange  E. nicippe  12
Dainty Sulphur  N. iole  26
Gray Hairstreak  S. melinus  3
Western Pygmy-Blue  B. exile  17
Marine Blue  L. marina  5
Ceraunus Blue  H. ceraunus  5
Reakirt's Blue  H. isola  12
Spring Azure  C. ladon  8
Acmon Blue  P. acmon  1
Ares Metalmark  E. ares  3
Mormon Metalmark  A. mormo  1
Palmer's Metalmark  A. palmerii  2
American Snout  L. carinenta  10
Variagated Fritillary  E. claudia  5
Bordered Patch  C. lacinia  14
Tiny Checkerspot  D. dymas  2
Elada Checkerspot  T. elada  51
Texan Crescent  P. texana  1
Painted Lady  V. cardui  10
Common Buckeye  J. coenia  5
Tropical Buckeye  J. genoveva  1
Red-spotted Admiral  L. arthemis  9
California Sister  A. bredowii  6
Hackberry Emperor  A. celtis  2
Nabakov's Satyr  C. pyracmon  2
Canyonland Satyr  C. pertepida  1
Red Satyr  M. rubricata  1
Monarch  D. plexipus  16
Queen  D. gilippus  64
Dull Firetip  P. araxes  102
Golden Banded-Skipper  A. cellus  10
Northern Cloudywing  T. pylades  16
Drusius Cloudywing  T. drusius  1
Acacia Skipper  C. hippalus  1
Golden-headed Scallopwing  S. ceos  14
Juvenal's Duskywing  E. juvenalis  1
Mournful Duskywing  E. tristis  4
Pacuvius Duskywing  E. pacuvius  2
Funereal Duskywing  E. funeralis  1
Common/White Checkered-Skipper  P. communis/albescens  1
Desert Checkered-Skipper  P. philetas  1
Common Sootywing  P. catullus  1
Edward's Skipperling  O. edwardsii  1
Orange Skipperling  C. aurantiacus  9
Pahaska Skipper  H. pahaska  1
Snow's Skipper  P. snowi  4
Taxiles skipper  P. taxiles  11
Large Roadside-Skipper  A. exoteria  1
Texas Roadside Skipper  A. texanae  2
Dotted Roadside-Skipper  A. eos  1


The Results of the 2003 Portal Butterfly Count
July 26, 2003

Juvenal's Duskywing
Juvenal's Duskywing Erynnis juvenalis Rustler Park 07/26/03 HB

Date: 07/26/2003
Number of Species: 56
Number of Individuals: 1006
Location:
Portal
AZ , USA   85632
Notes: This was the fifth 4th of July Portal Butterfly Count.  The area was quite dry with few nectar sources.  The meadow at Rustler Park was blooming with Sneezeweed and among other species had at least 250 Painted Ladies.
The weather started clear and temps rose to the 90's in the lowlands.  Monsoonal clouds were forming by mid day and the the day ending with a large thunder storm that doused Portal with 1.93 inches of rain in a couple of hours.


Pipevine Swallowtail Battus philenor 43
Two-tailed Swallowtail Papilio multicaudata 8
Checkered White Pontia protodice 16
Orange Sulphur Colias eurytheme 24
Southern Dogface Colias cesonia 2
Cloudless Sulphur Phoebis sennae 135
Tailed Orange Eurema proterpia 4
Sleepy Orange Eurema nicippe 25
Dainty Sulphur Nathalis iole 16
Gray Hairstreak Strymon melinus 1
Western Pygmy-Blue Brephidium exile 6
Ceraunus Blue Hemiargus ceraunus 13
Reakirt's Blue Hemiargus isola 1
Spring Azure Celastrina ladon 7
Gulf Fritillary Agraulis vanillae 2
Variegated Fritillary Euptoieta claudia 50
Tiny Checkerspot Dymasia dymas 1
Elada Checkerspot Texola elada 2
Painted Crescent Phyciodes picta 4
Satyr Comma Polygonia satyrus 1
Mourning Cloak Nymphalis antiopa 3
American Lady Vanessa virginiensis 3
Painted Lady Vanessa cardui 266
West Coast Lady Vanessa annabella 2
Common Buckeye Junonia coenia 5
Red-spotted Admiral Limenitis arthemis 5
California Sister Adelpha bredowii 27
Nabokov's Satyr Cyllopsis pyracmon 2
Canyonland Satyr Cyllopsis pertepida 1
Red Satyr Megisto rubricata  4
Pine Satyr Paramacera allyni 1
Monarch Danaus plexippus  9
Queen Danaus gilippus 27
Dull Firetip Pyrrhopyge araxes 9
Silver-spotted Skipper Epargyreus clarus 1
Arizona Skipper Codatractus arizonensis 1
Golden Banded-Skipper Autochton cellus 12
Northern Cloudywing Thorybes pylades 67
Drusius Cloudywing Thorybes drusius 3 new for count
Acacia Skipper Cogia hippalus 9
Juvenal's Duskywing Erynnis juvenalis 4
Mournful Duskywing Erynnis tristis  1
Funereal Duskywing Erynnis funeralis 2
Common/White Checkered-Skipper Pyrgus communis/albescens 66
Desert Checkered-Skipper Pyrgus philetas 1
Common Sootywing Pholisora catullus 7
Orange Skipperling Copaeodes aurantiacus 2
Taxiles Skipper Poanes taxiles 81
Large Roadside-Skipper Amblyscirtes exoteria 4
Cassus Roadside-Skipper Amblyscirtes cassus 6
Bronze Roadside-Skipper Amblyscirtes aenus 4
Texas Roadside-Skipper Amblyscirtes texanae 2
Slaty Roadside-Skipper Amblyscirtes nereus 2 new for count
Dotted Roadside-Skipper Amblyscirtes eos 1
Orange-headed Roadside-Skipper Amblyscirtes phylace 1
Orange-edged Roadside-Skipper Amblyscirtes fimbriatata 4



The Results of the 2002 Portal Butterfly Count
July 27, 2002

Date: 07/27/2002
Number of Species: 31
Number of Individuals: 138

Notes: Poor conditions - very dry weather for months before the count plus a cloud cover 0f 90 +% with some occaisional drizzle kept numbers way down.

Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor) 11
Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme) 2
Western Pygmy-Blue (Brephidium exile) 2
Marine Blue (Leptotes marina)  3
Ceraunus Blue (Hemiargus ceraunus) 6
Reakirt's Blue (Hemiargus isola) 18
Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia) 1
Elada Checkerspot (Texola elada) Adult 1
Painted Crescent (Phyciodes picta) 1
Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) 2
Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis) Adult 2
California Sister (Adelpha bredowii) 2
Nabokov's Satyr (Cyllopsis pyracmon) 1
Red Satyr (Megisto rubricata) 1
Pine Satyr (Paramacera allyni) 4
Monarch (Danaus plexippus) 1
Short-tailed Skipper (Zestusa dorus) 1 (new for count)
Arizona Skipper (Codatractus arizonensis) 10
Northern Cloudywing (Thorybes pylades) 2
Acacia Skipper (Cogia hippalus) 4
Golden-headed Scallopwing (Staphylus ceos) 9
Common/White Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus communis/ albescens) 1
Desert Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus philetas) 1
Orange Skipperling (Copaeodes aurantiacus) 3
Taxiles Skipper (Poanes taxiles) 5
Large Roadside-Skipper (Amblyscirtes exoteria) 7
Cassus Roadside-Skipper (Amblyscirtes cassus) 4
Bronze Roadside-Skipper (Amblyscirtes aenus) 18
Texas Roadside-Skipper (Amblyscirtes texanae) 1 first for count
Nysa Roadside-Skipper (Amblyscirtes nysa) 2
Orange-edged Roadside-Skipper (Amblyscirtes fimbriata) 12


The Results of the 2001 Portal Butterfly Count
July 28, 2001
 
 

Gold-costa Skipper
Gold-costa Skipper Cogia caicus Cave Creek 28 July, 2001

On Saturday, July 28, we had the third Portal Fourth of July Butterfly Count sponsored by The SouthEast Arizona Butterfly Association.  The weather was mostly clear and the area was, on the main, lacking in many nectar sources. Next year our count will be on July 27.
85 species were counted. Here is the list:

Pipevine Swallowtail  B. philenor 97
Black Swallowtail  P. polyxenes  5
Two-tailed Swallowtail P. multicaudatus  18
Chiricahua White  N. terlootii  1
Checkered White  P. protodice  59
Orange Sulphur  C. eurytheme  31
Southern Dogface  C. cesonia  4
Cloudless Sulphur  P. sennae  216
Lyside Sulphur  K. lyside  16
Mexican Yellow  E. mexicanum  23
Tailed Orange  E. proterpia  1
Sleepy Orange  E. nicippe  15
Dainty Sulphur  N. iole  45
Juniper Hairstreak  C. gryneus  8
Gray Hairstreak  S. melinus  9
Leda Ministreak  M. leda  4
Western Pygmy-Blue  B. exile  3
Marine Blue  L. marina  14
Ceraunus Blue  H. ceraunus  16
Reakirt's Blue  H. isola  150
Eastern Tailed-Blue  E. comyntas  1
Spring Azure  C. argiolus  40
Acmon Blue  P. acmon  7
Arizona Metalmark  C. arizonensis  2
Ares Metalmark  E. ares  2
Palmer's Metalmark  A. palmerii  1
American Snout  L. carinenta  6
Variagated Fritillary E. claudia  23
Theona Checkerspot  T. theona  3
Fulvia Checkerspot  T. fulvia  3
Bordered Patch  C. lacinia  37
Tiny Checkerspot  D. dymas  2
Elada Checkerspot  T. elada  74
Texan Crescent  P. texana  34
Pearl Crescent  P. tharos  1
Painted Crescent  P. pictus  3
Satyr Comma   P. satyrus  2
Mourning Cloak  N. antiopa  8
American Lady  V. virginiensis  85
Painted Lady  V. cardui  182
West Coast Lady  V. annabella  3
Red Admiral  V. atalanta  10
Common Buckeye  J. coenia  40
Tropical Buckeye  J. genoveva  9
Red-spotted Purple  L. arthemis  7
Weidemeyer's Admiral  L. weidemeyerii  3
California Sister  A. bredowii  23
Hackberry Emperor  A. celtis  5
Nabakov's Satyr  C. pyracmon  10
Canyonland Satyr  C. pertepida  1
Red Satyr  M. rubricata  15
Pine Satyr  P. allyni  4
Monarch  D. plexipus  3
Queen  D. gilippus  41
Dull Firetip  P. araxes  4
Silver-spotted Skipper E. clarus  4
Arizona Skipper  C. arizonensis  8
Golden Banded-Skipper A. cellus  46
Desert Cloudywing  A. cassica  5
Northern Cloudywing  T. pylades  166
Acacia Skipper  C. hippalus  51
Gold-costa Skipper  C. caicus  8
Golden-headed Scallopwing  S. ceos  32
Arizona Powdered-Skipper S. zampa  7
Juvenal's Duskywing  E. juvenalis  1
Mournful Duskywing  E. tristis  31
Funereal Duskywing  E. funeralis  11
Common/White Checkered-Skipper P. communis/albescens  5
White Checkered-Skipper P. albescens  1
Desert Checkered-Skipper P. philetas  5
Common Streaky-Skipper C. nessus  50
Common Sootywing  P. catullus  61
Four-spotted Skipperling P. polingi  11
Orange Skipperling  C. aurantiacus  36
Pahaska Skipper  H. pahaska  2
Snow's Skipper  P. snowi  2
Taxiles skipper  P. taxiles  7
Moon-marked Skipper  A. lunus  2
Sheep Skipper  A. edwardsi  3
Large Roadside-Skipper A. exoteria  4
Bronze Roadside-Skipper A. aenus  22
Cassus Roadside-Skipper A. cassus  2
Nysa Roadside-Skipper A. nysa  3
Dotted Roadside-Skipper A. eos  3
Orange-edged Roadside-Skipper A. fimbriata  4
Orange-headed Roadside-Skipper A. phylace  3


The Results of the 2000 Portal Butterfly Count
July 29, 2000

The second Portal count held on July 29 was only moderately successful with some 77 species seen by 12 enthusiastic counters.
We counted 2087 individuals of 77 species.  The Chiricahuas as well as most of SE Arizona was quite dry - Portal only had 1/2 inch of rain in July.  Flowers were few and individual butterflies were way below normal.

Below is the list:

Pipevine Swallowtail  B. philenor  75
Black Swallowtail   P. polyxenes  3
Two-tailed Swallowtail  P. multicaudatus  16
Orange Sulphur  C. eurytheme 105
Southern Dogface  C. cesonia  24
Cloudless Sulphur  P. sennae  252
Lyside Sulphur  K. lyside  3
Mexican Yellow  E. mexicanum  5
Tailed Orange  E. proterpia  247
Sleepy Orange  E. nicippe  43
Dainty Sulphur  N. iole  7
Great Purple Hairstreak  A. halesus  2
Juniper Hairstreak  C. gryneus  9
Gray Hairstreak  S. melinus  6
Leda Ministreak  M. leda  119
Marine Blue  L. marina  222
Ceraunus Blue  H. ceraunus  129
Reakirt's Blue  H. isola  124
Spring azure  C. argiolus  5
Palmer's Metalmark  A. palmerii  30
American Snout  L. carinenta  44P. tharos
Gulf Fritillary  A. vanillae  2
Variagated Fritillary  E. claudia  68
Theona Checkerspot  T. theona  5
Bordered Patch  C. lacinia  91
Tiny Checkerspot  D. dymas  1
Elada Checkerspot  T. elada  21
Texan Crescent  P. texana  2
Pearl Crescent  P. tharos  2
Painted Crescent  P. pictus  1
Mylitta Crescent  P. mylitta  1
Satyr Comma   P. satyrus  1
Mourning Cloak  N. antiopa  2
American Lady  V. virginiensis  2
Painted Lady  V. cardui  14
West Coast Lady  V. annabella  3
Red Admiral  V. atalanta  3
Tropical Buckeye  J. genoveva  1
Red-spotted Purple  L. arthemis  11
Weidemeyer's Admiral  L. weidemeyerii  1
California Sister  A. bredowii  10
Hackberry Emperor  A. celtis  8
Red Satyr  M. rubricata  13
Pine Satyr  P. allyni  3
Monarch  D. plexipus  5
Queen  D. gilippus  37
Dull Firetip  P. araxes  1
Silver-spotted Skipper  E. clarus 2
Arizona Skipper  C. arizonensis  2
Golden-banded Skipper  A. cellus  20
Desert Cloudywing  A. cassica  7
Northern Cloudywing  T. pylades  63
Acacia Skipper  C. hippalus  21
Caicus Skipper  C. caicus  1
Golden-headed Scallopwing  S. ceos  4
Mournful Duskywing  E. tristis  1
Pacuvius Duskywing  E. pacuvius  3
Funereal Duskywing  E. funeralis  7
Common Checkered-Skipper  P. communis  4
             P. communis communis  1
Common Streaky-Skipper  C. nessus  1
Common Sootywing  P. catullus  25
Four-spotted Skipperling  P. polingi  15
Orange Skipperling  C. aurantiacus  11
Pahaska Skipper  H. pahaska  1
Carus Skipper  P. carus  1
Snow's Skipper  P. snowi  1
Taxiles skipper  P. taxiles  2
Moon-marked Skipper  A. lunus  2
Sheep Skipper  A. edwardsi  3
Large Roadside-Skipper  A. exoteria  36
Bronze Roadside-Skipper  A. aenus  10
Cassus Roadside-Skipper  A. cassus  5
Nysa Roadside-Skipper  A. nysa  2
Dotted Roadside-Skipper  A. eos  2
Orange-edged Roadside-Skipper  A. fimbriata  4
Orange-headed Roadside-Skipper  A. phylace  2

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