Our Annual WBA study weekend at Ritzville June 7-9 in the heart of the “Scabland Wonderland” was held under mostly sunny skies and warm temperatures. The butterflies responded and we were treated to greater diversity and abundance than we were expecting. My scouting trip of the area in late May yielded 17 species (under admittedly suboptimal conditions) but during our study weekend we more than doubled this number and recorded 37 species! That is close to half of the species recorded for Lincoln County so I think we did pretty well. The landscape and scenery did not disappoint either and I think everyone had a pretty good time in the field.

We visited four BLM locations: Coffee Pot Lake (CP), a marshy area between Coffee Pot Lake and Twin Lakes (MA), Twin Lakes (TL) and finally on Sunday Upper Crab Creek: Rocky Ford (RF). On the list of species below I have indicated which locations species were found at.

In addition, to the 37 species, Cheryl Bellin spotted a Monarch in Drumheller Canyon along Crab Creek near Moses Lake, so we might also want to include this as an ‘honorary’ record for our weekend. In fact, a ‘large orange butterfly’ was seen briefly at Coffee Pot Lake that may have actually been a Monarch!

And then there were the ticks. As leader I thought I should bear the brunt of tick attack and single handedly, I attracted 22 ticks during the 2 days! Thankfully, I removed all of them before engorgement. Just another responsibility of being a WBA Study Weekend field trip leader! You are welcome!

BUTTERFLIES SEEN IN LINCOLN COUNTY JUNE 8 and 9 2024

HESPERIDAE: Skippers (6)

Hesperia juba (JUBA SKIPPER) CP, RF

Polites mystic (LONG DASH) RF

Polites sabuleti (SANDHILL SKIPPER) MA, TL

Burnsius communis (COMMON CHECKERED SKIPPER) RF

Heliopetes ericetorum (NORTHERN WHITE SKIPPER) CP, TL

Oarisma garita (GARITA SKIPPERLING) RF

PAPILIONIDAE: Swallowtails (4)

Papilio eurymedon (PALE TIGER SWALLOWTAIL) TL

Papilio rutulus (WESTERN TIGER SWALLOWTAIL) CP, TL, RF

Papilio multicaudata (TWO-TAILED TIGER SWALLOWTAIL) TL, RF

Papilio bairdii (OREGON SWALLOWTAIL) TL

PIERIDAE: Whites & Sulphurs (5)

Pieris rapae (CABBAGE WHITE) CP, TL, RF

Pontia beckeri (BECKER’S WHITE) CP, TL

Pontia occidentalis (WESTERN WHITE) CP, MA

Colias eriphyle (CLOUDED SULPHUR) CP, RF

Colias eurytheme (ORANGE SULPHUR) TL

LYCAENIDAE: Coppers, Hairstreaks and Blues (13)

Tharsalea heteronea (BLUE COPPER) CP

Tharsalea helloides (PURPLISH COPPER) CP, MA, RF

Callophrys affinis (WESTERN GREEN HAIRSTREAK) TL

Satyrium semiluna (HALFMOON HAIRSTREAK) CP

Euphilotes columbiae (COLUMBIA DOTTED BLUE) CP, RF

Euphilotes heracleoides (HERACLEOIDES DOTTED BLUE) CP, MA, TL, RF

Glaucopsyche piasus (ARROWHEAD BLUE) CP, MA. TL, RF

Glaucopsyche lygdamus (SILVERY BLUE) TL

Icaricia icarioides (BOISDUVAL’S BLUE) CP, TL, RF

Icaricia acmon (ACMON BLUE) CP, RF

Icaricia lupini (LUPINE BLUE) RF

Icaricia saepiolus (GREENISH BLUE) CP, RF

Plebejus melissa (MELISSA’S BLUE) CP NYMPHALIDAE:

Brushfoots (9)

Argynnis callippe (CALLIPPE FRITILLARY) MA, TL, RF

Limenitis lorquini (LORQUINS ADMIRAL) CP

Aglais milberti (MILBERT’S TORTOISESHELL) CP, RF

Nymphalis antiopa (MOURNING CLOAK) CP

Boloria myrina (SILVER BORDERED FRITILLARY) RF

Phyciodes cocyta (NORTHERN CRESCENT) TL, RF

Chlosyne acastus (SAGEBRUSH CHECKERSPOT) RF

Coenonympha california (OCHRE RINGLET) CP, MA, TL, RF

Cercyonis oetus (DARK WOOD NYMPH) CP, RF

Click on a photo to view larger in gallery.

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