The Checkerspot Butterflies of SW Washington or Gun Play on the Washougal

Possibly Queen Alexandra;s Sulfur,  Dougan Falls, July 2022

        Before leaving for Mount Rainier, Sandra and I visited Dougan Falls.  This idyllic spot has become our go to butterfly area by default; it is the only place nearby where we can find a variety of butterflies.

  On this day, as we arrived at the falls,  we chose to head up the Washougal, looking for butterflies in all the usual spots.  Even though it was the middle of the week, the weather was fine and there were lots of cars parked where people could descend into the canyon, down to the river where they could splash around in the cool clear water or sun themselves on the adjacent boulders.  This meant that some of our favorite butterfly spots were unavailable. We weren't in competition with a gaggle of similarly minded naturalists, there simply was no place to park.

     And so we made it all the way out to Reeder Falls before we stopped to look for butterflies.   This is an extremely picturesque spot with a view of the falls from the small wooden bridge.  

Edith's Checkerspot  Dougan Falls, July 2022

    Before long Sandra had captured a medium sized yellow butterfly.  the picture doesn't do it justice..it was a soft, buttery yellow, the color more intense towards the wing margins.  We transferred her prize to a bag and moved the car into the shade in order to keep both us and the butterfly cool while we looked at the field guide.  

   While we were discussing the merits of the sundry sulfurs, a large pick up pulled up beside us. The driver was a lady at least ten years my junior and who outweighed me by at least six stone.  In a rural twang she warned us that this wasn't a good place to park.  She went on to say that the owner of the land watches the spot with video and will come down and accost what he deems as trespassers.  In fact, she said, recently her husband was parked in essentially the same spot that we occupied and the man came down and not only threatened him with a gun but actually fired off a shot to emphasize his point.  Welcome to Skamania County!

Edith's Checkerspot, ventral side, July 2022

       The picture you see was taken the following morning with the assistance of some cooling.  The closest we can come to an identification is Queen Alexandra's Sulfur.  We are in range for this species, but sadly our butterfly lacks a white spot in the middle of the ventral hind wing.  Perhaps it is a Duchess Alexandra.  Seriously, for the moment it must go unnamed.

    On that same day we wandered back around to Dougan Creek, enjoying lunch in our favorite creek side shade.  There were relatively few butterflies on this day, but I was able to catch a small dark butterfly that (the next morning)  was revealed to be Edith's Checkerspot. As the butterfly rests on Sandra's hand, you get a clear idea about the size of this tiny gem.

    Last year we photographed a Snowberry Checkerspot on the Washougal side.   Being parvenues of the first order, we did not realize that it was not Edith's until corrected on the NW Butterfly facebook page.  In our defense, the snowberry was not pictured in the inferior field guide that we were using at that time. Now we are older and wiser.  I believe this handsome fellow will pass muster.

    I'm including here the pictures we took of the Snowberry checkerspot a year ago.  suffice it to say, we are still mighty proud of these images, taken en plein aire, sans réfrigération.    for the beginner these butterflies look so similar that its hard to believe they are not the same species.  Careful comparison, however, points up some definite differences.  

   As we say in the bird watching world,  "Tick it off!"

   Just last week we made it back to the falls area.  On the creek side we were enjoying a resurgence of Clodius parnassians with a few

Snowberry Checkerspot, Dougan Falls, 2021

Lorquin's Admirals flying by.  As it happened, there was a discarded tissue in the road not far from where we had parked.  Just as we were getting ready to leave,  this tired warrior  landed in the road and started creeping, such as old butterflies do, towards the tissue.  I managed to net him and he came home for a photo session.  As ragged as he was, this might have been one of his last days.  As it was, he got his picture taken and fluttered back into the SW Washington sky.

     Now that you have the necessary materials, I leave it to you to make the identification.

    Well, you guessed it...Snowberry.  So we have two tiny checkerspots living along Dougan Creek.  Not surprisingly, the snowberry uses the eponymous plant as a host.  Edith's may use a variety of plants, but favors snapdragons.  I like snapdragons, as well.  And I think its pretty cool that they are a native plant.  So the next time you see them growing beside a stream, you won't have to wonder who planted them.  (It was Mother Nature.)

      Thanks for playing and leave those soiled tissues for the butterflies.

jeff

Name that checkerspot, win a soiled tissue!

  

Captain Checkerspot cleared for take off!