A dramatic California Tortoiseshell Butterfly irruption occurred in the Methow Valley near Winthrop, Washington. Cheryl Bellin and Jim Rauh, our Okanogan county based field trip leaders, encountered the superabundance of larva and pupae covering a swath of ceanothus nearly 2.5 miles long on one of their hikes in the area. Leading several local field walks to the area they have monitored and witnessed millions of Cal Torts take flight this week.

All photos and videos courtesy of Cheryl Bellin