The second annual "4th of July" White Mountain Butterfly count took place on Tuesday July 25, 2006. Counters gathered at the Crooked Creek station at 8:30 am and travelled up and down the White Mountain road observing, counting and collecting voucher specimens as needed to confirm identification. Count sites were approximately the same as those in the 2005 count, although some modifications were made to improve the scientific value of the count. We had much better weather than in 2005. The count ended back at the Crooked Creek station at about 5 pm. At least 18 species were seen totalling 441 individuals. See WM count list excel file for details.
Here is the species list for each site, including vouchers identified by John Emmel (italics):
Campito meadow: 7 Coleas eurytheme, 2 Lycaena. cupreus, 17 L. editha, 1 Hemeiargus isola, 8 Plebejus saepiolus, 31 P. icarioides, 5 P. shasta, 1 P. lupinus, 1 Nymphalis antiopa, 2 N. milberti, 1 Vanessa virginiensis, 1 Cercyonis oetis, 6 Neominois ridingsii, 2 Thorybes mexicanus, 10 Polites sabuleti. Vouchers: P. saepiolus albomontanus (1 m + 1 f ) and Icaricia. lupini ssp. (1m)
Barcroft Plateau: 1 L. cupeus, 4 P. saepiolus, 6 P. shasta, 2 P. lupinus, 2 P. sabuleti. Vouchers: P. saepiolus albomontanus (1 f ) and I. lupini ssp. (1f)
McAfee Meadow: 5 L. cupeus, 37 P. saepiolus, 3 P. shasta, 8 P. lupinus, 39 P. sabuleti. Vouchers: I. lupini ssp. (5 m, 2 f)
Sheep Pass: 4 P. saepiolus, 10 P. shasta, 3 P. lupinus, 2 N. milberti. Vouchers: I. shasta (1 f)
Crooked Creek turnoff: 1 L. cupreus, 1 H. isola, 1 Lycaeides melissa, 1 Plebejus saepiolus, 26 P. icarioides, 9 P. shasta 1. C. oetus, 2. P. sabuleti. Vouchers: I. icarioides albihalos (2 m, 1 f), L. melissa near fridayi (1 f).
Crooked Creek station: 5 C. eurytheme, 2 L. editha, 1. P. melissa, 81 P. icarioides, 1. P. shasta, 1 N. antiopa, Hesperia uncas, 1 H. comma, 4 P. sabuleti. Vouchers: C. eurytheme (albinic) (1 f), Icaricia. icarioides albihalos (1 f), I. lupini ssp. (2 m), Lycaeides melissa near fridayi (2 m, 2 f), Plebjus saepiolus albomontanus (1 f), Hesperia colorado ssp. (1 m), H. uncas macswaini (1 f), P. sabuleti albamontana (3m, 1f)
2006 Counters included Derham Giuliani, Paul MacFarland, Sean Schoville and John Smiley.
In Campito meadow