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Tahoe butterfly explosion

Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2019 7:00 am
by SSSdave
When I drove out from the Glen Alpine Creek trailhead at Fallen Leaf Lake near Lake Tahoe Saturday afternoon, myriad orange and black hued California tortoiseshell butterflies were everywhere along the road, especially at the east end of the lake. Large numbers had crashed into cars and were scattered atop the road. I wondered if it was an annual phenomenon I had simply not been around to witness in the past or unique to this summer.

https://southtahoenow.com/story/08/01/2 ... l-eruption

Earlier this spring in March while I was working wildflower fields in Joshua Tree National Park there were myriad painted lady butterflies, also orange and black, especially in the Palm Springs region.

https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/en ... 032888002/

All these butterflies are a good sign as during recent decades butterfly and moth numbers in parts of California for some species have crashed in part due to habitat destruction. But the current news shows much is also dependent on rainfall and vegetation cycles.

Re: Tahoe butterfly explosion

Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2019 8:50 am
by dave54
They are also pretty thick in the Almanor area. A good year for them. They breed on Ceanothus and ravens are their largest predator.

Re: Tahoe butterfly explosion

Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2019 1:17 pm
by TahoeJeff
SSSdave wrote: Wed Aug 07, 2019 7:00 am myriad orange and black hued California tortoiseshell butterflies were everywhere


Yep, they were still out thick this past weekend.