Omak – Okanogan

Over 50 enthusiastic butterfliers, including 5 children, converged on the Okanogan area for three days of field trips and a presentation Saturday night by Dr. Dave McCorkle on his research with the Johnson’s Hairstreak. The heat was 109 degrees in Omak on Saturday, yet we saw leaping, running, and dynamic net styles in Moses Meadows, our first field trip site. New species were seen by many participants including the Northern Checkerspot, Northern Blue, Northwestern Fritillary, Northern Crescent, Arrowhead Blue, Christina’s Sulphur. A moose sauntered across the road during our lunch break!

On Sunday our visit to the Sinlahekin brought many surprises. We saw a Great Spangled Fritillary, a freshly eclosed Elegant Sheep Moth, a Sonora Skipper, a bush full of nectaring Behr Hairstreaks, a Painted Lady larva in its web of silk, Old World Swallowtails and a Canadian Tiger Swallowtail. The latter two were new species for many participants. A Monarch larva was discovered in the photos of an Old World Swallowtail by two members later in the day! While eating lunch at Blue Lake, we watched a territorial kingbird force a small brown bat and then a kingfisher into the lake! Many participants said they would like to return to this beautiful area that is so rich in wildlife.

Those that stayed for the Monday loop from Long Swamp to Salmon Meadows were treated to a butterfly feast. Much of this area was recovering from the 2006 fire, and the butterflies were back in abundance along the sides of the road, mudding in the road, and in all the meadows. We saw 46 species that day including patrolling Sara’s Orangtips, the Mountain Parnassian, the Large Marble, many sulphurs: Clouded, Pink-edged and Christina’s, Anna’s Blue, Lupine Blue, the Arctic Fritillary, the Vidler’s and the Common Alpine, the Chryxus Arctic. The road lived up to its reputation as being extremely poor.

Seventy seven species were detected over the three days. That is more than half the species in WA state, and a record for any previous conference.

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