A report from last Saturday’s (Aug. 5, 2006) WBA field trip to the
Swauk/Blewett Pass area led by Dave Nunnallee. By my count we had 21
attendees. Special kudos go to young Colin Doan who made numerous unique
catch/release captures with a net only (about) 1 foot on diameter. If
Colin decides to focus on leps (rather than, say, frogs which vied for
his attention) a promising career awaits. [A promising career probably
awaits in any case.]

We paid special attention to the streamside Upper Naneum Meadows, with a
visit at the end of the day to Naneum Meadows proper. Both are near
Haney Meadows and the associated horse camp; all several miles SE of
Swuak Pass. In addition to the species list below, the following
observations are noted:

* Dave Nunnallee located and pointed out the eggs and larvae of
Greenish Blues (Plebejus saepiolus) within several clover heads (I don’t
know the variety Stewart). Some of the clover heads were pretty bloomed
out.
* Dave was especially excited about the Sonoran Skipper sightings.
There were several – maybe a half dozen.
* The Green and Hoary Commas were extraordinarily bright; the
green on the P. faunus ventral HW especially evident.
* Five species of Greater Frits, including both silvered and
un-silvered Mormons. .
* Debates about the identity of certain sulfurs (Clouded or
Western?) and Greater Frits (Zerene or Coronis?) were entertaining. In
the end, the principal identifiers (Dave and Kiyoshi) decided we had all
4 of them.
* We located 3 nice Boletus edulis on the way out. Two for drying,
one for an especially tasty soup.
* The Sooty Hairstreak and Lilac-bordered Copper were rumored to
have been located by Kiyoshi Hiruma after Jeannette and I were headed
back to Olympia for a wedding reception.

All in all a salutary day; the kind that lets one temporarily forget the
misdeeds and resultant travails of a demented federal administration.

Sightings:

Moths
* Bluebell Tiger Moth – Gnophaela vermiculata
* Pero mizon
Butterflies
* Western Branded Skipper – Hesperia colorado
* Sonoran Skipper – Polites sonora
* Woodland Skipper – Ochlodes sylvanoides
* Mountain Parnassian – Parnassius smintheus
* Pine White – Neophasia menapia
* Cabbage White – Pieris rapae
* Clouded Sulfur – Colias philodice
* Western Sulfur – Colias occidentalis
* Purplish Copper – Lycaena helloides
* Lilac-bordered Copper – Lycaena nivalis
* Mariposa Copper – Lycaena mariposa
* Sooty (Half Moon) Hairstreak – Satyrium fuliginosum semiluna
* Echo Blue – Celastrina echo
* Anna’s Blue – Plebejus (Lycaeides) anna ricei
* Greenish Blue – Plebejus saepiolus
* Boisduval’s Blue – Plebejus icarioides
* Field Crescent – Phyciodes pulchella
* Western Meadow Fritillary – Boloria epithore chermocki
* Zerene Fritillary – Speyeria zerene
* Coronis Fritillary – Speyeria coronis
* Callippe Fritillary – Speyeria callippe
* Hydaspe Fritillary – Speyeria hydaspe
* Mormon Fritillary – Speyeria mormonia
* Green Comma – Polygonia faunus
* Hoary comma – Polygonia gracilis
* Mourning Cloak – Nymphalis antiopa
* Milbert’s Tortoiseshell – Nymphalis milberti
* Ochre Ringlet – Coenonympha tullia
* Dark Wood Nymph – Cercyonis oetus
* Great Arctic – Oeneis nevadensis

Bill Yake

WBA Member, Poet & Scientist