Texas Butterfly Festival, 11/2-4/25

Terry Mortier and I were assigned to lead the newbie group for this year's Texas Butterfly Festival sponsored by the North American Butterfly Association.  Actually we volunteered for this group thinking they might be a little more laid back than the hardcore butterfly listers, but they proved to be enthusiastic and made us work hard.  Our little group of a dozen wound up with over eighty species for the three days.

Day 1 National Butterfly Center:  Our group met at the entrance to the visitors center for the National Butterfly Center and we found a Red-bordered Pixie right off the bat.  It was an good omen for the festival.

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We walked the sunken garden and checked a few baitlogs.  It was a beautiful morning and we were seeing lots of stuff though all common species.  We talked about how to spearate the Soldier from the common Queen.

Then we drove to the back seventy to check out the river.  I was told of a big crucita patch down the trail from the river overlook and we found plenty of butterflies there.  Desert Checkered-Skipper was a good find.

Then a rare Erichson's White-Skipper.  This has been a good fall for them.

Then our best butterfly of the morning, a flashy Zilpa Logtail.  It was my first of the year.

Skinner's (Coyote) Cloudywing was another good find.

We ate our lunch under the palapa in the south garden.  Our trip was scheduled to check out a number of locations in the Midvalley, but I decided we would stay at the butterfly park because we were doing so well.  Driving time comes out of butterfly time.  Also the group wanted a Mexican Bluewing and I thought this was a our best chance. We were rewarded with a super good looking rare Silver Emperor.  At the right angle the wing flashes a brilliant violet blue.

We finally found a Mexican Bluewing in the ditch but could never see the beautiful blue dorsal surface of the wings.  I tried flashing it with my camera and it moved a little but never opened up.

Wandering north we found the crucita patch where Terry had found a rare Starred Skipper a few days earlier.  We got a nice Brown-banded Skipper.

And our first Tailed Orange.

We then got word of a really good butterfly.  Someone had found a Yojoa Scrub-airstreak in the firebush in the sunken garden.  It's been ten or more years since I have seen one.  And this one was a beauty!

We finished the day with a very respectable 68 species.

Day 2 West Up River:  We made the long drive to the Falcon Area first stopping in Falcon Heights at Berry Nall's place where we were rewarded with dozens of migrating Monarchs nectaring on the blooming chomonque.  After a Monarchless fall, the recent stong cold front brought many to the Rio Grande Valley on their way to the mountains of Michoacan in west Mexico.

Not a lot else was going on so we checked out the butterfly Garden at Falcon State Park.  It's been hot and dry up there and not a lot was blooming but we still dug out a few things like our only Purple-washed Skipper.

And a cooperative Skinner's (Coyote) Cloudywing.

We ate our lunch, enjoying the beautiful fall weather, and then made our way down to the lake shore.  As we got out of our cars, I started to tell the group about tiger beetles, when I saw a small one run though the grass at my feet.  What the...  Shaupp's Tiger Beetle!  According to iNaturalist this is a first for Zapata County.  I taught the group about these tiny ferocious predators but only a few seemed interested.  It was find of the day for me.

Ocellated Tiger Beetles were running all over the beach.

We discussed the low levels of Falcon Lake and the fact we were parked about forty feet below the normal lake levels.  Where are the two million people of the Lower Rio Grande Valley going to get their water?  Mexico is as dry as we are.

Searching nearby marsh fleabane turned up common Phaon Cresents and Ceraunus Blues but nor much else so we ran over to the bird beeding station at Salineno where the winter hosts keep a small butterfly garden.  Baitlogs attracted Tropical Leafwings and Empress Leilias.

 

A Heiroglyphic Moth hanging in a hackberry tree got the group's attention.

We found a nice Common Mestra and a Red-bordered Metalmark.

But the real crowd pleasers were the copulating Texas Unicorn Mantises.

At this point the goup, still feeling the effects of yesterday's walking, were about done for.  We only saw 38 species of butterflies but they seemed happy.

Day 3 East Down River

Our goal for today was to head east to Resaca de la Palma State Park and the Gaytan's residence in Cameron County to pick up Blue Metalmarks and hopefully Mexican Bluewings.  The gracious host soon had us on butterflies like this Mimosa Skipper which was new for our group.

Eventually we got tis beat up Mexican Bluewing to open for us.  I wanted a better one.

Then I found a fresh one.  But it only gave me poor views and then flew over the fence and I could not find it.  Apparently it had flown back to the other side and I could hear our group oohing and awing.  It put on a show and they were happy!

One down.  Now for the Blue Metalmarks.  At about 11am several popped out in the front yard.

Pressure was off and we had out blue butterflies.  So how about a green one?  Silver-banded hairstreak.

Then I found them a sharp little Red-crescent Scrub-Hairstreak.

Off to nearby Resaca de la Palma State Park for lunch and a few more lifers for the group.  A Band-celled Sister teased us while we ate lunch.

The garden was dry but still gave us a few more Blue Metalmarks,

And our first Great Southern White.

And first Pale-banded Crescent.

Then a walk though the tall brush of the Ebony Trail gave us more Mexican Bluewings.

And another of our targets, the local Boisduval's Yellow.

Well everyone was happy so we left early for a reported Malachite at the national Butterfly Center.  But not before one last surprise bid us "adieux." on the Ebony Trail.  Red Rim!  It flew waiste high around the group and then landed in front of us.  Glassberg describes it as a chocolate cupcake with strawberry icing.

When we arrived at the National Butterfly Center not many of our begginers group were interested in the White-scrub Hairstreak.  But Terry and I raced out into the garden for it after saying good bye to our fun bunch.

Then I cheated and drove to the back for the Malachite.

A fun three days with over 80 species!  Looking good for the coming weeks of rarity season.