Calfornia State Butterfly, it's host plant and me.

This was the quote that got me so interested in this insect! I just couldn't imagine something so colorful and not "endangered" would be so rarely seen. A local birdwatcher and volunteer for the Sierra Foothills Audubon Society remembered seeing the host plant, the sole food source for the larval form of the dog-face butterfly, on one of our small nature preserves and expressed interest in looking for signs of the butterfly.

Last summer we took a trip to the preserve which is only several miles up the road but requires entry through multiple gates and private property. In addition to it's remote location the road leading to the preserve requires the use of a 4wd vehicle to make it through the rocky gulleys. Once there we were greeted with a small handful of female dog-face butterflies and the host plant, Amorpha californica (False indigo). It was a great day and very exciting to get to see this creature in the wild instead of pinned to a piece of mounting board.

Fast forward to a week ago.... We revisited the site with my colleagues and a local wholesale plant nursery owner and his wife. The plan was to obtain seeds from the Amorpha californica (False indigo) plant so that we could grow them out at the nursery and transplant them onto a more accessible preserve located in the city of Auburn so that children and other nature lovers could have an easy access site to view these wonderful species.

During this visit we left speechless when before we could even get out of the vehicle properly we saw a male dog-face fluttering by then settle onto a coyote mint flower! I was awestruck but reached for my camera and crashed through the brush heedless of the poison oak I may catch but hellbent on getting a photo. I was rewarded with a clean shot for ID purposes and I don't think I touched any poison oak. See pic 1 for the shot

For the next two hours we wandered on and off the trail attempting to collect any Amorpha californica seeds that were left on the plant. We were a couple weeks late for collection but so little information is available on this plant I am happy we found any seed at all. During this time were were surrounded by mostly male dog-face butterflies with the occasional female. There were so many that at any giving time there was at least one in sight. This, according to the literature, is not a common occurrence at all.

At this point I have to admit to a secret agenda. I know scientists and land preservationist are supposed to be altruistic and all about the data but I had a self-serving mission in mind.... You see, the dog-face butterfly lands and feeds with it's wings closed. It does not open and close them as most butterflies do and so one cannot get a decent picture of on with its wings open. It only opens them when it flies away and thus makes picture taking VERY difficult without an expensive camera and a lot of luck as these butterflies are generally "high fliers" and are not usually seen below 12'-20' in the air. In an email conversation with one of California's great butterfly experts Dr. Art Shapiro, a UC Davis professor of evolution and ecology, he stated that if I got a good picture of the male dog-face with its wings open he would buy me a beer. Yes, I know it is sad to think that this secret mission all comes down to a beer but hey, when someone as renowned as Art offers you a beer for a picture I consider it a call to action and not just for the satisfying first swallow of Alaskan Summer Ale!!! :rockon:

The following are pictures taken during our visits to the preserve. While not as high quality as I would like, they still paint the picture much better than my feeble words can.

 

More pics....


Pic #1: Bear River eddies

Pic #2: Amorpha californica with seeds

Pic #3: Identifying the Califonria state grass, Purple Needlegrass (Nassella pulchra). Follow the link and go look up your state grass!

Pic #4: a cool [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lichen"]lichen[/ame]! Alice Algae and Freddy Fungus took a Lichen to each other.

Pic #5: Minifalls on the Bear River

 

Look at the first picture which is a poster of the male and female dog-face. If you look at the black patch on the upper wings of the male, the patch looks similar to a poodle's face. I'll admit it is a bit of a stretch but you can see the eyes and the muzzle for sure.

 

Here is a blog about the trip on our friend's business website.

California False Indigo and the Dogface Butterfly at Shutamul - High Ranch Nursery