March 12, 2008 – Bob has had quite a trip so far, starting from his home in Gray’s River, Washington, then heading down the Pacific coast through Oregon and into California in search of overwintering monarchs, West Coast ladies, gulf fritillaries, buckeyes, and cabbage whites. In spite of darkened clouds and driving rain, Bob managed to see more than a few monarchs, particularly around the Bay area, and even spotted a few spring whites and brown elfins.

Crossing into the Yucca Valley and observing a few more monarchs, Bob then traveled south, past the Salton Sea, and down to Calexico near the Mexican border, with the weather never quite on his side. Though the rains did bring to life a profusion of desert flowers, the butterflies were not as forthcoming. Heading into California’s famous Death Valley, a seemingly inhospitable land that Bob says “seems like the largest landscape in the world,” he spotted North America’s tiniest butterfly, the Pygmy Blue.

After spending a bit more time searching for butterflies in California, Bob headed back home for a bit of re-tooling and respite before returning to the Central Valley, where a West Coast Lady and a Mourning Cloak peeked out from the incessant wind and rain. Moving into Nevada and Arizona and traveling along the Colorado River, and in a patch of purple and yellow flowers below the Hoover Dam, Bob observed great numbers of painted ladies. Then, into cold and windy west Texas, he spotted a lonely Western White.

As of March 3rd, Bob had positively identified at least 30 different species of North American butterflies, and expects this number to increase dramatically as he heads further south and east to what we hope will be better weather. We will continue to send out periodic updates of his progress. We hope that you will continue to join us in Bob Pyle’s First Butterfly Big Year, and we very much appreciate your support of our Butterfly-A-Thon. Thanks again!

From Sean Tenney, Development and Administrative Associate

The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation | 4828 SE Hawthorne Blvd., Portland, OR 97215

The Xerces Society is an international, nonprofit organization that protects wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitat.

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