City butterfly count sets records

by Ryder W. Miller

Despite wicked marine weather, lepidopterists gathered in record numbers and got record results this year at the 16th annual San Francisco Butterfly Count. There were 14 parties, with 34 participants, this year (up from 18 participants last year) during the June 7 event. The observation crews spotted 24 species this year (up from 22 species), and a total of 775 individual butterflies (up from 645 in 2008). All three counts were records for the annual count.

"I showed up at the Randall Museum with so many eager lepidopterists," said Liam O'Brien, lepidopterist and count organizer.

O'Brien regretted the results were "slammed" by the marine layer, but he was "proud so many stepped up to their butterflying this day" for a record year.

"Look what we can do for them once a year," he said.

The results included: Western Tiger Swallowtail (with total number spotted in parenthesis) (15), Anise Swallowtail (58), Pipevine Swallowtail (5), Cabbage White (314), Large Marble (1), Orange Sulphur (12), Gray Hairstreak (1), Spring Azure/Echo Blue (5), Acmon Blue (41), Gulf Fritillary (5), Field Crescent (32), Mylitta's Crescent (2), 'Chalcedon' Variable Checkerspot (12), California Tortoiseshell (2), American Painted Lady (10), Painted Lady (3), West Coast Painted Lady (23), Red Admiral (19), Common Buckeye (10), California Common Ringlet (45), Common Checkered Skipper (10), Fiery Skipper (1), Sandhill Skipper (40), Umber Skipper (80), Unid. Ladies (15), Unid. Nymphalids (9), and Unid. Hesperides (5).

Butterflies, described as one of the most elegant of insects, have four life stages, but they are usually not noticed until they fill the sky with their brightly colored wings.

The butterfly count does not tabulate population sizes for individual species, but the numbers found can give the counters a sense of how well populations are doing.

This year, for example, 40 Sandhill Skippers, which rest on salt grass along the seashore, were seen, which suggests they are at the height of their population emergence.

Butterflies can also be "indicator species." This year, the Large Marble was seen, which is usually gone by June. Their departure was delayed by rain, indicating that it was an El Nino year.

Considered an initial success, Mission Blue butterflies were successfully introduced at Twin Peaks, despite suffering during more than usual rain in the months of April and May.

"If they had more sunny days, they would have flown longer and bred longer," O'Brien said. "But we met all of our success criteria for the transplant and the continual reintroduction for next year."

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will be moving more Mission Blue Butterflies into Twin Peaks.

O'Brien is stepping into the leadership position with the Green Hairstreak Project, taking place in the Sunset District along 14th Avenue between Funston Avenue and Pacheco Street, which seeks to create an oasis for the species in the west side of the City. One was seen this year at 14th Avenue and Pacheco.

"The enthusiasm grows daily for folks to help this creature," said O'Brien. "I couldn't be prouder."

There will also be Butterfly Habitat creation at Golden Gate Park. Details to come.

Asked where was the best place to see butterflies in the City, O'Brien replied: "Probably Grand View Terrace (at 14th Avenue and Ortega Street) on a sunny day, at about 3 p.m. There is an amazing amount of hill-topping - a behavior where both sexes meet for "power dating."

Butterflies can also be seen in abundance at the San Francisco Zoo, located at Sloat Boulevard and the Great Highway, according to Patrick Schlemmer, the keeper in charge of the San Francisco Insect Zoo and president of the San Francisco Naturalist Society.

"So long as the fog stays off the coast, the San Francisco Zoo can be a great place to see butterflies. The Zoo maintains several native plant gardens, as well as a butterfly garden, near the Insect Zoo. Flower beds throughout the Zoo provide abundant nectar sources," Schlemmer said.

"Along with the ubiquitous cabbage whites and painted ladies, Zoo visitors may spot anise and tiger swallowtails, monarchs, umber skippers, Acmon blues and Mylitta crescents," Schlemmer said.