This past weekend I had the opportunity to visit my old stomping grounds in central Washington, between Kittitas and Vantage. It was gorgeous weather and the spring flowers were in full display tucked among the sagebrush. Between the two days, I recorded the following species:
Anise Swallowtail
Papilio zelicaon, 1
Becker's White
Pontia beckerii, 5+
Spring White
Pontia sisymbrii, 7+
Large Marble
Euchloe ausonides, 3
Desert Marble
Euchloe lotta, 100+
Sara's Orangetip
Anthocharis sara, 15+ males, 4 females
Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice, 1 female
Sheridan's Green Hairstreak
Callophrys sheridanii, 10
Western Pine Elfin
Callophrys eryphon, 2
Gray Hairstreak
Strymon melinus, 3
Silvery Blue
Glaucopsyche lygdamus, 2 males
Gray/Zephyr Anglewing
Polygonia gracilis, 1 female, possibly saw 2 others
This is the first time I've seen and collected Desert Marbles, so it was quite exciting! I also had the opportunity to watch a pair of Desert Marbles courting, flying around the sagebrush for about a minute before settling to mate, which allowed me the only opportunity to photograph this species without capturing it, as they seem to fly continuously, only stopping for a few seconds to nectar, never long enough to focus a camera!
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My very first Desert Marble (Euchloe lotta)! |
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Mating pair of Desert Marbles (Euchloe lotta), female is larger, on left, male is on right. |
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Mating pair of Desert Marbles (Euchloe lotta), female is larger, on left, male is on right. |
Also, here is a selection of the wildflowers that were blooming...
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Sagebrush violets Viola trinervata |
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Sagebrush violets and cushion phlox (Phlox hoodii) |
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Cushion phlox (Phlox hoodii) |
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Dry-ground lupine (Lupinus aridus) (maybe, not sure) |
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Woolly-pod locoweed (Astragalus purshii) |
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As near as I can tell, this is either hanging-pod locoweed (Astragalus arrectus) or thread-stalk locoweed (A. filipes) |
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Some kind of green paintbrush |
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Hooker's Balsamroot (Balsamorhiza hookeri) |
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Assortment of shrub-steppe spring flowers in Kittitas County |
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Buckwheat (Eriogonum sp.) |
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A half-grown Pygmy Short-horned Lizard, it was barely an inch long snout to vent. |
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Catching butterflies (dad) and photographing flowers (mom) in the Whiskey Dick Wildlife Area |
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