On Saturday June 10th, we will hike a part of the AZ/Highline trail in pursuit of colorful butterflies.

As the temperature rises, the flowers start to bloom higher and higher in elevation. Butterflies follow this nectar flow “up the trail” and June is a great time to check it out. Nectar plants like Penstemon (Moon-marked Skipper shown), Kaibab Pussytoes, Canada Violets, Fleabane and Dandelion are blooming. Other species of butterflies like to mud puddle at one of the three seeps we will visit. Yet others, like Arizona Sister and Satyr Comma, are mostly found perched on trees.

Please wear sturdy shoes and a hat, bring water, snacks and a sack lunch. A pair of close focusing binoculars will be handy too. The trail is moderately steep in places, but we will take our time.

Trip leader: Marceline VandeWater

Meeting place is Denny’s on Shea Blvd in Fountain Hills at 6:30am or at the trailhead at 8:15am. Details to get to the trailhead: Drive to Payson, go straight at the hwy 260 intersection. After 3/4 mile turn right onto Houston Mesa Road. Cross all 3 “water crossings”, and after about 8 miles turn left at the stop sign. The road now turns into a dirt road. After about 1 miles turn right towards Shadow Rim Camp and Washington Park Trailhead. Follow this road up for about 5.5 miles until the right turn-off to the Washington Park Trailhead (marked). Turn right here, and instantly turn left (signs again) and you will find the trailhead well marked.

Please contact Marceline to let her know where you will meet: marceline@ermaroni.net We ask for a $5 donation per person

West Eugene Wetlands

Join NABA officers for a casual, educational exploration of Eugene’s nearby wetland areas where butterflies are abundant in the early season. With these experts as guides, beginners and experienced butterfliers alike are sure to have an enriching natural-history experience – one that extends beyond butterfly identification. Free. Meet at 12:00 noon in the parking area by the Red House, West Eugene’s Wetlands office, located on the NE corner of W 11th and Danebo (751 S. Danebo Ave., behind the Hertz car sales lot).
Preregister with David & Lois Hagen (NABA-ES) by email NABA.ES.trips@gmail.com.
Driving mileage: low/Physical effort: low

Check out more about the location: https://www.eugene-or.gov/647/West-Eugene-Wetlands

The North American Butterfly Association’s Butterfly Enthusiasts of Southeast Texas chapter invites all ages of the public to a free program about butterflies on Tuesday, June 6th, 2017, at 7:00pm. The meeting will be held at The Houston Museum of Natural Science in the lower floor of the Cockrell Butterfly Center.

BEST member Don DuBois will present “NABA – Photo Documentation of Butterfly Host Plants – You Are What You Eat.” The 3 butterflies life cycles that Don will talk about is the Monarch, Spicebush Swallowtail, and the Goatweed Leafwing. Don has been published many times in NABA’s Magazine – American Butterflies.

The program is free and open to the public.

For more information about NABA-Butterfly Enthusiasts of Southeast Texas, please visit http://www.naba.org/chapters/nababest/

PAGE CREEK MARSH SNA TOUR AND BUTTERFLY WALK NEW!
(and optional hike up OBSERVATORY HILL SNA)
Sunday, June 4, 2017
10:00 a.m. to Noon

The Prairie Sands chapter of The Prairie Enthusiasts (TPE), in Marquette County, will hold two field trips. In the morning we will tour Page Creek Marsh State Natural Area, which is a large wetland surrounded by diverse uplands that provide habitat for a wide variety of plants, birds and insects. The creek winds through farmland enhanced by remnants of native prairie and oak savanna. Oak uplands and prairies have been restored. Page Creek, because of its 652-acre size and habitat diversity, has been a reliable butterfly site.

Co-leader Dan Sonnenberg (SWBA) will help identify the first summer fliers. Hiking is on old logging roads and intermittent, unmarked trails, and through tall-grass fields. Ticks are abundant, so wear long pants that can be tucked into socks. Wear sturdy hiking shoes; a hat is recommended. Bring water and binoculars (the closer they can focus the better). We have a couple of extra binoculars. No facilities on site. TPE co-leaders are Laurel Bennett (Page Creek stewardship coordinator), and David Hamel. You are invited to bring a lunch to eat with the group at nearby John Muir Memorial Park where there are tables and restrooms. (From intersection of K and D take 10th Road south, then go south on Cty F for 1 mile.)

Email or Call Dan (mailto:dsonnenberg60@gmail.com or (608) 225-0451) to PRE-REGISTER or if you have a question about the trip or if weather forecast is questionable. (The trip is canceled if it rains.)

DIRECTIONS FROM MADISON: take Interstate Highway I-39 north, past Portage, into Marquette County. Take Exit# 104 and follow County D east for 3.45 miles (going through Packwaukee, where D turns right and goes across the lake). Turn left (north) onto County K and go 0.86 mile to a gated entrance on the right (east) side of K. Park here.

OPTIONAL: If you can, join the hike up 300 foot high Observatory Hill State Natural Area in the afternoon (1:30 p.m.). It is in the process of extensive DNR oak savanna restoration. Charlie Church (TPE) will lead this moderately challenging trip up Observatory Hill, so be prepared for some steep portions and rock outcroppings. (Meet at the DNR parking lot on the south side of the hill along Gillette Ave.) Map: http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/Lands/naturalareas/index.asp?SNA=223