Two carloads of butterfliers headed out June 3, 2023 for the Boulder and Cub Creek field trip. Sunny skies, 65-80 degrees, and good company made for a wonderful day. Two low elevation seeps provided roadside viewing along Boulder Creek of 16 species including three species duskywings and swallowtails in abundance. Julia’s Orangetips, Large Marbles, Field Crescents, Common Alpine and Ochre Ringlet flew amongst them. Higher up towards boggy Roger Lake environs (~6000’, FS-39) Juba Skipper, Silvery Blue, Western Pine Elfin, Thicket Hairstreak, Milbert’s Tortiseshell, Green Anglewing, Chryxus Arctic and a handful Freija Fritillaries basked along the roadside. Reg seemed to have a calming effect on several species that day, providing good photo opportunities.

After lunch and getting our Freija fill, we headed for Cub Creek where buckwheat, sagebrush and bitterbrush laden hillslopes, willow and violet lined creek-sides and ponderosa pine and Douglas Fir forests converge. We found Hoffman’s and Sagebrush Checkerspot puddling side by side. Seeing Sagebrush Checkerspots at this location was highlight for me having not seen them there previously; as well as seeing the two Checkerspot species from different habitats together. Gray Hairstreaks, Western Tailed and Cascadia Blues also puddled nearby, while Clodius Parnassians flew along the hillslopes where Steers Head had likely already senesced. Common Roadside Skipper, Two-Tailed Swallowtail, and Western Meadow Fritillary made their appearance along the creek. For the field trip recap, we stopped by our residence for a cool drink. Western Green, Halfmoon and Behrs Hairstreak were seen as we headed to the patio, ending the day with 37 species.

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