SE Arizona 2022
Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2022 9:03 pm
I had the good fortune to be able to go insect collecting again in SE Arizona the last week of July. I had an even better fortune to be able to go collecting with 2 great guys that share my passion for collecting. Being able to have a couple of companions who new the area much better than I made me (and my wife) feel better about being out all night in the desert. The collecting was pretty good, not great, but the comradery made the trip. We all had different light set ups and we were all looking for different species so sharing from each others sheets was never a problem. This made my fourth trip to Arizona and each trip has yielded new species for me.
We collected 5 nights at some of the classic collecting spots and a couple of new spots for me.
Harshaw, California Gulch, Montosa Canyon, Copper Canyon & Scholefield Canyon. I will off my observations for each of the locations and list the major species we found at each on at the end of the post. The rains were pretty heavy during the day and fortunately for us we only had a rain delay one of the nights. Otherwise the weather was perfect for collecting.
Harshaw was our first night because it was close to where we were staying as a couple of us arrived later in the afternoon. Harshaw offered the most diversity for the larger species as we collected 17 species of Sphinx moths and 7 species of Saturnid moths.
Highlights for Harshaw were Eumorpha satellitia, Anisota oalari and several color forms of Eacles oslari including 2 different tan females. Noticeably missing were Automeris cecrops pamina, A. patagoniensis and Citheronia splendens. We did record 1 each of A. cecrops and C. splendens
California Gulch was the next stop. In order to get to California Gulch you need to take about a 20 mile drive down a windy gravel road. But it is well worth the trip as the scenery in beautiful on the way in. California Gulch is much more desert like than the wooded area of Harshaw. California Gulch had a better diversity of small moths, something that Matt was looking for as he already has most of the larger species for this area. The highlights for this area included lots of Erinnyis ello, a single Erunnyis crameri and Sphinx libocedrus. There was an abundance of Manduca quinquemaculatus and Zale colorado & Z. lunata. Noticeably missing was Rothschildia cincta.
Montosa Canyon was our third destination. This was by far the easiest to get in and out of as it was all paved roads on the way in and we set up in a large gravel parking area. We encounted lots of Calosoma perigrinator running around by our sheets preying on any moths that stood still too long. There were also these nasty long spider things that Matt & Bruce called vingaroons. Also prevalent in large numbers were Manduca rustica. The highlights for Montosa Canyon were Eumorpha vitis & 3 nice Agrius cingulata.
Next stop was Copper Canyon which is narrow winding ride up the side of the mountain at the end of the Coronado National Monument, over the pass and down a much gentler road on the other side. Copper Canyon has a spectacular vista that looks down into Mexico and the sunsets to the west with the mountains in the background can be breath taking. Copper Canyon is typically the coldest of the locations because of altitude and proximity to the mountain range. It was about 60-62 degrees that night, but I have been there before where it was easily in the 50s.
By far the highlights of this night were 7 male Dysschema howardi. Other hightlights included 3 species of glassy wing moths, a couple of Calosoma scrutator beetles and a whiptail, which is a scary looking scorpion-like creature. (picture below). Noticeably missing was the beetle count and diversity of beetles. Also missing was Syssphinx raspa, which is usually common here.
Our last stop was Scholefield Canyon. We went there on a hunch that we may be able to find Sagenosoma elsa. Supposedly the food plant was prevalent here and Matt was really hoping to nab a few here as that is one of the last remaining Arizona sphinx moths the he does not have. There was not much to brag about this place, but you don't know if you don't try. The highligh however was the spectacular sunset.
Here are some pictures from the adventure.
Montana peak, California Gulch area
Ocotillo plant California Gulch (food plant for Eupackardia calleta)
setting up lights at California Gulch
female Eacles oslari
male Antheraea oculea
Whiptail at Copper Canyon
male Dysschema howardi
Sunrise coming out of Copper Canyon
Sunset on the way to Scholefield Canyon
D. howardi on the spreading board
left to right: Chris, Matt, Bruce
Without those 2 guys my trip wouldn't have been half as fun. I learned a lot from these 2 guys and also learned a lot about them as people as well. I will remember this trip for a long to to come.
We collected 5 nights at some of the classic collecting spots and a couple of new spots for me.
Harshaw, California Gulch, Montosa Canyon, Copper Canyon & Scholefield Canyon. I will off my observations for each of the locations and list the major species we found at each on at the end of the post. The rains were pretty heavy during the day and fortunately for us we only had a rain delay one of the nights. Otherwise the weather was perfect for collecting.
Harshaw was our first night because it was close to where we were staying as a couple of us arrived later in the afternoon. Harshaw offered the most diversity for the larger species as we collected 17 species of Sphinx moths and 7 species of Saturnid moths.
Highlights for Harshaw were Eumorpha satellitia, Anisota oalari and several color forms of Eacles oslari including 2 different tan females. Noticeably missing were Automeris cecrops pamina, A. patagoniensis and Citheronia splendens. We did record 1 each of A. cecrops and C. splendens
California Gulch was the next stop. In order to get to California Gulch you need to take about a 20 mile drive down a windy gravel road. But it is well worth the trip as the scenery in beautiful on the way in. California Gulch is much more desert like than the wooded area of Harshaw. California Gulch had a better diversity of small moths, something that Matt was looking for as he already has most of the larger species for this area. The highlights for this area included lots of Erinnyis ello, a single Erunnyis crameri and Sphinx libocedrus. There was an abundance of Manduca quinquemaculatus and Zale colorado & Z. lunata. Noticeably missing was Rothschildia cincta.
Montosa Canyon was our third destination. This was by far the easiest to get in and out of as it was all paved roads on the way in and we set up in a large gravel parking area. We encounted lots of Calosoma perigrinator running around by our sheets preying on any moths that stood still too long. There were also these nasty long spider things that Matt & Bruce called vingaroons. Also prevalent in large numbers were Manduca rustica. The highlights for Montosa Canyon were Eumorpha vitis & 3 nice Agrius cingulata.
Next stop was Copper Canyon which is narrow winding ride up the side of the mountain at the end of the Coronado National Monument, over the pass and down a much gentler road on the other side. Copper Canyon has a spectacular vista that looks down into Mexico and the sunsets to the west with the mountains in the background can be breath taking. Copper Canyon is typically the coldest of the locations because of altitude and proximity to the mountain range. It was about 60-62 degrees that night, but I have been there before where it was easily in the 50s.
By far the highlights of this night were 7 male Dysschema howardi. Other hightlights included 3 species of glassy wing moths, a couple of Calosoma scrutator beetles and a whiptail, which is a scary looking scorpion-like creature. (picture below). Noticeably missing was the beetle count and diversity of beetles. Also missing was Syssphinx raspa, which is usually common here.
Our last stop was Scholefield Canyon. We went there on a hunch that we may be able to find Sagenosoma elsa. Supposedly the food plant was prevalent here and Matt was really hoping to nab a few here as that is one of the last remaining Arizona sphinx moths the he does not have. There was not much to brag about this place, but you don't know if you don't try. The highligh however was the spectacular sunset.
Here are some pictures from the adventure.
Montana peak, California Gulch area
Ocotillo plant California Gulch (food plant for Eupackardia calleta)
setting up lights at California Gulch
female Eacles oslari
male Antheraea oculea
Whiptail at Copper Canyon
male Dysschema howardi
Sunrise coming out of Copper Canyon
Sunset on the way to Scholefield Canyon
D. howardi on the spreading board
left to right: Chris, Matt, Bruce
Without those 2 guys my trip wouldn't have been half as fun. I learned a lot from these 2 guys and also learned a lot about them as people as well. I will remember this trip for a long to to come.