January 16
The annual WBA Winter Party will be held on Saturday. Our beloved Science Advisor, Jon Pelham, is again hosting our fun winter party at his home. Bring a main dish, salad, or dessert, your favorite beverage. Also bring a wrapped “white elephant” nature-related gift. (Note: Traditionally, a white elephant is something you no longer want or that you choose to re-gift.) The party is an excellent opportunity to better get to know fellow WBA members. Friends and spouses are welcome. Dress is casual.
FEBRUARY 3
Butterflies, Bears, and 12-Foot Fennel: Exploring Sicily and the French Pyrenees—by Bill Yake
That triangular ‘football’ off Italy’s toe? Sicily-an island of active volcanoes (think Etna & Stromboli), a deep history of invasive critters (humans included), and a surprising range of butterflies. In 2006 and 2009 Bill Yake and Jeannette Barreca explored the National Parks and waysides of Sicily while pursuing the history of Jeannette’s family and their tasty holiday cookies. Also included-a side trip to the homeland of Cro-Magnon art-the French Dordogne and the Pyrenees Mountains-where other butterflies coexist with a remnant population of Ursus arctos, the smaller European version of the grizzly.
In February, with “Butterflies, Bears, and 12-Foot Fennel: Exploring Sicily and the French Pyrenees,” Bill Yake covered everything from butterflies and bears to ancient cave art.
MARCH 3
Identifying Hairstreaks of Washington-by Bob Hardwick
Bob Hardwick will review the hairstreak species of Washington butterflies. He will include photos and tips for beginners to advanced butterfliers on identification as well as the habitat in which they are found. Whether you are new to WBA or a long-time member, you will benefit from Bob’s excellent teaching skills and infectious enthusiasm. He’ll get you fired up for spring butterflying!
April 7
Hesperiidae (Skippers) of Ecuador and Peru Join Richard Lindstrom, a co-founder of WBA, in the jungles of Ecuador and Peru where he has spent much of the past several years photographing and documenting the skippers occurring there. Be prepared for his superb photos of many beautiful and unique butterflies, some perhaps the first for their species in the wild.
May 5th
Identifying Swallowtails, Whites and Sulphurs of Washington David Droppers will review the Swallowtails, Whites and Sulphurs of Washington with photos and tips on identification and habitats in which they are found for beginners and advanced butterfliers. Whether new to WBA or a long-time member, you will benefit from David’s excellent teaching and identification expertise. This is the second of our “species review programs.” June 3 – Color Vision and Color Blindness in People and Butterflies With Gary D. Bernard. Some can tell Red from Green, others can not. Some can see Red, others can not. Some can see UV, others can not. Why? How? So what? Objects of discussion include Monarchs, Viceroys, Metalmarks, and Heliconian mimicry.
May 5th
Identifying Swallowtails, Whites and Sulphurs of Washington David Droppers will review the Swallowtails, Whites and Sulphurs of Washington with photos and tips on identification and habitats in which they are found for beginners and advanced butterfliers. Whether new to WBA or a long-time member, you will benefit from David’s excellent teaching and identification expertise. This is the second of our “species review programs.”
June 3
Color Vision and Color Blindness in People and Butterflies With Gary D. Bernard. Some can tell Red from Green, others can not. Some can see Red, others can not. Some can see UV, others can not. Why? How? So what? Objects of discussion include Monarchs, Viceroys, Metalmarks, and Heliconian mimicry.
August 4
“Share the Wealth” Please bring your butterfly photos, whether to share or to get help with identification.
September
September, Al Wagar filled in to show how some African cheetahs hooked him on video. He shared some video experiences, including encounters with butterflies, and then discussed some of the technical details of recording, editing, and sharing video. Some glitches prevented him from showing everything he had prepared, so he’s putting a narrated version on DVD for anyone who wants to see the whole program.
October
For the October program, with “Basic Butterfly Biogeography,” Jonathan Pelham showed how barriers, corridors, and refugia from past glaciation explain a great deal about the ranges of butterflies, but also showed the effects of such barriers and corridors as mountains, deserts, and broad valleys. He then gave likely explanations for the current ranges of 32 species–in the arctic, the boreal region, and in western North America, including the Great Basin and West Coast.
November 3
Dr. John McLaughlin Butterfly Research in Alpine and Subalpine Meadows in North Cascades and Mt. Rainier For reasons well known to WBA members, butterflies are very sensitive to climate and climate change. During 2008 and 2009, John organized butterfly surveys in alpine and subalpine meadows in North Cascades and Mount Rainier National Parks. They are analyzing those data to develop butterfly inventories, volunteer-based long term monitoring programs, and assessments of butterfly responses to climate change for each park. Dr. McLaughlin is a professor at Western WA University.
December
Bob Hardwick Butterflies of the Amazonian Region of Ecuador Bob will discuss his adventures in Quito as well as the wildlife he photographed at three different lodges located on the Napo River: La Selva, Sacha, and Cabanas Allinahui. The Napo River is a major tributary to the Amazon, and aside from oil exploration going on is still a jungle paradise. This will compliment the excellent program given by Shirley Sekarajasingham and Richard Lindstrom on skippers of this region.