Category: G’num Messages & Columns
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Lake Cushman Post-Fire Butterfly Survey, Field Trip Report
May 4, 2026 On May 4th, nine WBA members enjoyed a memorable survey in the Cushman area of Olympic National Forest: Tanna Knouse, Karen Holtrop, Jeannette Barreca, Travis Thurber, Cathy Clark, Dan Dunphy, Melanie Weiss, Paulette Murphy, and Liz Kuehn. Despite some initial uncertainty around wildfire-burned areas, the day proved to be a rewarding one,…
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Cowiche Canyon, Yakima, Field Trip and Outreach Report
April 25, 2026 By David James The Cowiche Canyon Conservancy in Yakima has held an Annual Earth Day celebration of nature in the canyon for many years. For at least 15 of those years, I have had the pleasure of hosting a butterfly station in the canyon where I would have books and pictures of…
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Juniper Dunes, Field Trip Report
April 29, 2026 By David James Following on from our WBA field trip in April 2025 seeking proof of life for the Columbia Basin segregate of the Juniper Hairstreak, we again made a trip on April 29, 2026 to the surreal landscape of Juniper Dunes, just north of Pasco, WA. Both years, we failed to…
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WBA on the Radio!
Where on the dial: KPTZ, 91.9 FM, podcast #760 “Butterflies of Washington, Part 1”When: Recorded 9 February 2026; first aired 11 February 2026Who from WBA: Dan Dunphy, Regina Johnson Representatives from your butterfly association were invited to the KPTZ studios in Port Townsend this past February to sit down with Nature Now host Debaran Kelso…
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Bring Back the Butterflies – One Year at Magnuson Park
One Year at Magnuson Park By Liz Kuehn and Julie O’Donald Earth Day 2026 marks the one-year anniversary of the WBA Magnuson Park Butterfly Meadow and Garden Restoration. Beginning with Earth Day 2025, WBA volunteers have pitched in to help with the restoration work parties at Magnuson Park. The transformation is becoming more evident with…
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President’s Message May 2026
Hello butterfly fans, Living on the west side of the Cascades, and with my continued attempts to lure butterflies to my garden with their favorite nectar plants, I only get a few species every year. However, this year, to my delight, I have seen four species, and it is still early in the season. The…
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Butterflies at Olympia’s Procession of the Species
Photos by Regina Johnson Butterflies are popular creations at Olympia’s annual Procession of the Species. A preschooler as a Monarch, and an infant sibling as the chrysalis. And check out the wood duck and peacock in the background. This is what you get when you’re the headquarters for the state wildlife agency – a lot…
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Who Calls Who?
By Melanie Weiss A friend recently asked me, “Who calls who? I think flowers seduce butterflies.” It’s a good question. Yes, flowers seduce butterflies, but their relationship is a two-way dance of attraction and exchange. It’s all about reproduction and survival of the species. Flowers create patterns, colors and fragrances that are attractive to butterflies…
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First Butterfly of 2026
By David James After weeks of gray, cold and wet weather, the sun shone in Yakima today, the 5th day of January and I took a walk at Snow Mountain Ranch. I was not expecting to see a butterfly, but there it was flying through the sunny patches and occasionally basking! A Milbert’s Tortoiseshell! This…
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2026 Wild and Wonderful Field Trips and Outdoor Fun
Melanie Weiss, Field Trip Coordinator Given the mild winter weather so far, Washington’s butterfly season may surprise us with an early start this year. We are fortunate to have enthusiastic and knowledgeable community members volunteering as field trip leaders throughout our state. I especially appreciate this opportunity to visit quiet, out-of-the-way areas where butterflies are…
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WWU Environmental Studies grad student models potential habitat for highly endangered local butterfly
Emily Bradford’s thesis maps areas where the endangered and endemic Island Marble butterfly could thrive outside of its tiny current habitat on San Juan Island . Read the article here:https://news.wwu.edu/wwu-environmental-studies-grad-student-models-potential-habitat-for-highly-endangered-local Grad Student Needs Your Help! Hello, my name is Taylor Hatcher, and I am a PhD student at the University of Washington Seattle. My thesis…
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President’s Message February 2026
Hello WBA members and friends, My last message reflected on the end of summer, with thoughts of hot apple cider and hot chocolate. And now after celebrating the shortest day of the year on December 21st, we can look ahead to longer, warmer days and the butterflies awaiting us in the 2026 field season. Melanie…
