2006 SEASON
Quino Checkerspot Butterfly (Euphydryas editha quino)
Monitored Reference Site Information
Updated: 6/2/2006
Please check this page frequently for updates.
General monitoring information:
This was a difficult year to monitor and survey for Quino, due to late rains and continuing cool, rainy periods interspersed with periods of warm sunny days. This type of weather appears to reduce adult detectability and has apparently prolonged the flight season that started later than usual. The best way to increase the probability of detection is to continue surveys as long as there is a possibility of adult flight, the timing of peak adult abundance has not been obvious anywhere within the range of the butterfly. Recently negative surveys were reported from Anza (5/26 see notes below) and Lake Skinner (5/18 see notes below) in Riverside County, and Dulzura (5/21 see notes below) and Jacumba (5/24 see notes below) in San Diego County. Most reported Quino observations are listed in the table below.
The reference sites listed below are not monitored on a regular basis, they are monitored as often as staff are available, and any information is posted as soon as possible (not on weekends). The sites visited most regularly are Lake Skinner, Anza, Rancho San Diego, and Marron Valley. The flight season may start in any given area before we report Quino checkerspot butterfly adults at the nearest reference site. Monitoring is primarily for phenological information and to document continued presence. Search efforts are not always equal, but negative surveys under unsuitable weather conditions (weather suitability per protocol) are not reported.
Link to weekly weather forecasts for southern California: http://www.wrh.noaa.gov
General Notices and FAQ :
Please note our survey area map has been updated. We expanded the northeast boundary in Riverside County, in the Anza/Garner Valley area. We have updated host plant distribution information under Monitored Site Descriptions below.
Survey validity is assessed on a case-by-case basis after the season is over and 45 day reports are received. The Service cannot provide concurrence for habitat assessment or survey validity before reports are received. Surveys contracted and initiated after adults are observed at reference sites may still be considered valid, depending on site-specific information and complete monitoring information at the end of the season. Note the 2002 protocol states: "Butterfly surveys may not be considered credible if... unfavorable weather such as drought limits Quino checkerspot butterfly detectability."
Notices of planned Quino surveys should be submitted 10 days prior to survey initiation, however, if permittees are not notified or contracted by employers 10 days prior to survey initiation, they should notify us as soon as possible.
Post-season (45 day) reports should include a signed affidavit from all contributing permittees confirming that their data was accurately incorporated.
Some surveyors have expressed confusion with regard to the number of recommended surveys once Quino checkerspot butterflies have been detected. As stated in bullet #2 on page 4 of the 2002 protocol, complete surveys are to be conducted, "...once per week for a minimum of 5 weeks... even if Quino checkerspots are observed on an earlier visit."
Permittees must use the best available scientific information to decide when to initiate surveys and their duration. The 2002 protocol states, "If butterflies are not detected during the first 5 surveys, weekly surveys should continue until the end of the flight season to maximize likelihood of detection of low-density populations." The best scientific methodology includes consideration of your ability to accurately estimate the end of the flight season.
Table 1. Post-diapause larval host plant patch Quino checkerspot butterfly monitoring information 2006. Click on underlined text to see additional notes and photos.
| Larval host plant patch | Date | # Larvae | Larval length statistics (mm) | Host plant condition |
| Marron Valley | 12/23 | 0 | No germinating plants of any kind. | |
| 1/31 | 1 | 10 |
Plantago erecta low in abundance relative to most years (restricted to higher moisture areas), but all plants were green and appeared suitable for larval feeding. |
|
| 3/16 | 37 | range= 5-20, mean= 11 |
Plantago erecta abundant in unburned areas, some with flowering structures, some newer growth from recent rains. |
|
| Otay Lakes | 12/16 | 0 | No germinating plants of any kind. | |
| 1/31 | 0 |
Plantago erecta low in abundance relative to most years (restricted to higher moisture areas), but all plants were green and appeared suitable for larval feeding. |
||
| 2/24 | 0 | see notes below | ||
| 3/8 | 0 | |||
| Lake Skinner | 2/8 | 1 | 28 | see notes below |
| 3/16 | 3 | range= 12-24, mean= 19 | no information submitted | |
| 3/2 | 0 | see notes below | ||
| Anza |
Link to map of Quino checkerspot butterfly monitored sites
The Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office currently monitors nine reference sites occupied by the Quino checkerspot butterfly in western Riverside County and southwestern San Diego County. Three reference sites contain specific larval host plant patches where we have been able to consistently find larvae and focus monitoring efforts (Table 1). The larval host plant patches are located at the Lake Skinner site north of Temecula in Riverside County, the Anza site in Riverside County; and the Marron Valley site east of Otay Mountain in San Diego County. If post-diapause larvae are ever incidentally observed at one of the other monitored sites, these observations are also reported. We also monitor a larval host plant patch at Otay Lakes where larvae were observed after the 2003 fires, and the first adult was observed during the 2005 season (12/17/04).
There are six primary monitored sites in southwestern San Diego County (Table 2), located as follows: 1) on a ridge top above Marron Valley at an elevation of 2,000 feet (ft); 2) the Rancho Jamul site, in the vicinity of the intersection of Otay Lakes Road and State Route 94 between 800-1,000 ft in elevation; 3) northeast of the Sweetwater Reservoir between 500 and 800 ft in elevation (Rancho San Diego/SDNWR); 4) the western slope of Otay Mountain at an elevation of 2000 ft; and 5) the vicinity of Jacumba Peak between 3000-3300 ft in elevation. We added a site on the southeast side of Otay Lakes in 2004 between 200 and 800 ft in elevation. All monitored reference sites in San Diego County are generally open chamise chaparral or coastal sage scrub, with the exception of the Jacumba site. The Jacumba site is "high-desert" open juniper woodland dominated by yucca, cactus spp., Mormon tea, and jojoba. Monitored primary host plant patches in San Diego County consisted of dwarf plantain (plantago, Plantago erecta) thread-leaved bird's beak (Cordylanthus rigidus), and woolly plantain (Plantago patagonica; Jacumba only). White snapdragon (Antirrhinum coulterianum) also occurs in San Diego County, but is not known to occur at any of the monitored sites. White snapdragon occurs in occupied areas near Campo, however no sites in that area are monitored.
There are four monitored sites in Riverside County (Table 2), located as follows: 1) peaks and red clay flats surrounding Lake Skinner between 1,500 and 2500 ft in elevation; 2) the vicinity of Oak Mountain northwest of Vail Lake at an elevation between 2,000 and 2,600 ft; 3) west of Wilson Valley at an elevation of between 2,000 and 2,300 ft; and 4) south of the town of Anza between 4,200 and 4,600 ft in elevation. All monitored sites in Riverside County are generally riversidean sage scrub dominated by buckwheat, with the exception of the one near Anza. The Anza site is primarily redshank chaparral, with interspersed open areas dominated by buckwheat and great basin sagebrush. Monitored primary host plant patches in Riverside County consisted of dwarf plantain (Plantago erecta), white snapdragon (Antirrhinum coulterianum), woolly platain (Plantago patagonica), and thread-leaved bird's beak (Cordylanthus rigidus). Wolly Plantain occurs only at higher elevations, and dwarf plantain at lower elevations, however their distributions overlap in Wilson Valley.
Table 2. Adult Quino checkerspot butterfly monitoring information 2006.
| Adult monitoring sites | Date | # adults | Host plant condition |
| Otay Lakes | 2/24 | 0 | |
| 3/8 | 0 | ||
| 4/18 | 1 | ||
| 4/21 | 6 | ||
| West Otay Mt. | 3/8 | 0 | |
| 3/24 | 0 | ||
| 4/17 | 1 | ||
| Marron Valley | 4/8 | 0 | see notes below |
| 4/20 | 15 | ||
| 4/29 | 7 | ||
| 5/6 | 1 | ||
| 5/7 | 1 | ||
| 5/13 | 0 | ||
| Rancho Jamul or north Dulzura | 3/30 | 3 | |
| 4/8 | 2 | see notes below | |
|
(Dulzura) |
4/19 | 9 | |
| 4/20 | 3 | ||
|
(Dulzura) |
4/30 | 1 | |
|
(Dulzura) |
5/4 | 1 | |
|
(Dulzura) |
5/6 | 1 | |
|
(Dulzura) |
5/13 | 1 | |
|
(Dulzura) |
5/21 | 0 | |
| Rancho San Diego | 4/7 | 0 | |
| Jacumba (and Campo) | 4/25 | 1 | |
| 5/24 | 0 | ||
| Lake Skinner | 3/2 | 0 | |
| 3/16 | 4 |
no information submitted |
|
| 3/23 | 4 |
no information submitted |
|
| 3/30 | 3 |
no information submitted |
|
| 4/13 | 4 | ||
| 4/20 | 4 | ||
| 4/27 | 0 | ||
| 5/11 | 0 | ||
| 5/18 | 0 | ||
| Oak Mt. | 3/8 | 2 |
no information submitted |
| 3/23 | 3 |
no information submitted |
|
| 4/21 | 12+ | ||
| 5/2 | 35 |
|
|
| Wilson Valley | 4/7 | 1 | |
| Anza | 3/1 | 0 | |
| 4/7 | 7 | ||
| 4/21 | 2 | ||
| 5/4 | 6 |
Near Bautista creek, SBNF |
|
| 5/5 | 8 | ||
| 5/18 | 4 |
Plantago dead in some patches, dying in others. white snapdragon blooming. |
|
| 5/26 | 0 |
*Additional Monitoring Notes (click on pictures for full-size image)
Alison Anderson visited the Otay Lakes site, at the location nicknamed "Klein Hill" from approximately 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. This was the location where the first adult of the 2005 season was observed on 12/17/04. No germinating plants were observed, environmental conditions appeared dry. No caterpillars or adult butterflies of any species were observed.
Alison Anderson and John Digregoria visited the Marron Valley site from approximately 10:30 am to 12:00 pm. No germinating plants were observed at the larval host plant patches, environmental conditions appeared dry. No caterpillars or adult butterflies of any species were observed. Some germinating herbaceous plants were observed in lower elevation wash areas dominated by non-native plants.
Marron Valley and Otay Lakes 1/31/06:
Visits by Michael Klein, Alison Anderson, Kevin Clark. Patches of Plantago erecta (dot-seed or dwarf plantain) were observed at larval host plant patches, but environmental conditions appeared dry, and P erecta was relatively low in abundance (Figure 2). One 10 mm larva (3rd instar?; Figure 1) was observed at the Marron Valley site. Only 2 adult butterflies of any species were observed all day (one painted lady and one mourning cloak). It is not clear when the adult flight season will begin based on one data point (larva), it is possible most larvae remain in diapause, or will/have returned to diapause.
Figure 1. Quino larva, Marron Valley 1-31-06. Figure 2. Plantago erecta 1-31-06.
Personal communication from Dr. Gordon Pratt:
"As I walked out on the trail to the clay lens at Lake Skinner I observed a large Quino larva >28 mm under a large Eriogonum fasciculatum. I did not see any other Quino larvae the whole time even though I checked a lot of the area. The Plantago were not doing particularly well, but some plants were around three inches tall on the northeast sides of buckwheats or within weedy areas. There were some dense stands of Plantago, but none blooming as of yet. No competitive weeds though. Grasses were way down.
In any case the larva I observed is likely a female by its size and could be the end of the bell shaped curve of emerging larvae. She is too large to re-enter diapause. Without being out there earlier I am not sure if there were many more larvae on the lens earlier in the year. Judging by the conditions, this year does not look good, but because I observed one near mature larva there will at least be some butterflies flying this year. I also found a squished Buckeye larva. I may have missed some Quino that were buried deep in other Eriogonum fasciculatum plants. But I checked a lot of bushes."
Personal communication from Michael Klein:
"I went to Otay Lakes, ‘Klein Hill’ today to see what the conditions looked like. Really no change from January 31st. Conditions continue to be dry, plantago is 2 – 12mm and the taller plants are showing signs of stress. The only plants in bloom are nightshade, ceanothus, and deerweed. Not your typical QCB nectar resources.
No butterflies of any kind were observed there today and of course not QCB adults or larvae. Hopefully next weeks rains may provide some relief. I fear though we may be getting too late for any kind of a 'season.'"
Personal communication from Dr. Gordon Pratt:
"I went to Lake Skinner yesterday (11 am to 1 PM) and saw no Quino larvae or adults. I checked the ridge to the west, the one to the north, and the one to the east of the clay lens. No spring butterflies hilltopping on any of the ridges. There were three fresh male Behr's Metalmarks and three half grown Grammia nevadensis (Nevada Tiger Moth) larvae rapidly crawling on the ground. The tiger moth larvae were feeding on plantago. I saw one Hemileuca electra larva also crawling on the ground.
Buckeye adults were very common on the road and areas just north of the clay lens. Since the larvae of buckeyes also feed exclusively on plantago at this site, it suggests there could have been enough food plant for a cohort of Quino larvae. On February 8 I saw only one damaged mature buckeye larva. I think it is too early for diapausing larvae to have responded to the recent rains. The plantago looked good and perhaps swelled up from the recent rains. I think the thatch that formed from last year's rains helped plantago tremendously this year. There were numerous plantago where ever there was a light layer of thatch. Also I noted that the [plantago] seeds from last year were much larger than normal (I used them for planting) and produced initially larger plants."
Otay Lakes and W. Otay Mt. 3/5/06:
Personal communication from Micheal Klein:
"Alison, I was visiting the ‘Klein Hill’ area today, Sunday, March 5th to see what the recent rains have done. More plantain is beginning to sprout and some low growing annual herbaceous plants are also beginning to sprout but still overall conditions continue to look dry. No caterpillars or adults observed...
As to Otay Mountain, Claude and I went to 3 spots. Two of the locations are showing the beginning growth of host plants but not nectar plants are sprouting currently. The 3rd spot was the mesa top east of the bottom of XXX Canyon. It is very dry... on this spot where I had significant host plants last year, it shows signs of grazing as well as fresh manure. So any potential host plants sprouting could be eaten fairly quickly. So, my report would indicate limited host plant growth, no nectar resources currently as well as no caterpillars or adults."
Dr. Gordon Pratt reported in a phone conversation that he searched thoroughly for larvae and only observed three. He believes most Quino individuals at that site were pupating. Dr. Pratt observed 4 male adults, 3 on hilltops.
Alison Anderson and Micheal Klein surveyed for larvae in the morning. Conditions were too cool and overcast for effective adult surveys, but adults were searched for on hilltops and and none observed. Over 90% of this larval hostplant patch was burned in 2005. Plantago and larvae were abundant in small unburned patches of habitat (micro-sites; Figure 3). Plantago maturity ranged from larger plants with discernable flowering structures, to new plants that must have germinated after late February and March rains. After observing and measuring 37 larvae in unburned micro-sites, larval surveys were terminated to avoid damage to larvae or habitat. Two additional larvae were observed from the vehicle on the side of the road in a nearby unburned micro-site (identification confirmed) as they were leaving. In formerly occupied hostplant micro-patches where the cryptobiotic crust appeared damaged by fire and most plant litter had burned off, no plantago or larvae were observed. Larvae appeared to only have survived the 2005 fire in micro-sites where associated woody vegetation and plant litter had not burned. Most larvae (36) were observed in an unburned micro-site estimated to be close to 40 square meters in size; a single larvae was observed in a much smaller isolated micro-site estimated to be one square meter in size. The mosaic burn pattern of unburned micro-sites supporting hostplants and surviving larvae seems to be the typical condition of post-fire Quino habitat and populations (2004-06 USFWS post-fire monitoring study unpublished data). An observation of concern was that exotic weeds, especially Erodium sp. and Avena sp. were abundant in burned areas where native plants were not yet germinating (Figure 4; except a few Chlorigalum parviflorum soap plants), another habitat condition commonly noted in post-fire Quino monitoring studies.
Figure 3. Marron Valley Quino larvae 3/16/06. Figure 4. Marron Valley post-fire exotic weeds 3/16/06.
Personal Communication from Adam Malisch 3/28/06:
"Karin let me know that you're concerned about someone getting out to the Wilson Valley and Silverado areas to look for Quino. During our last visit to those areas there was still snow on the ground around Silverado and air temps of about 7 C."
Lake Skinner and Oak Mt. 3/23/06:
Personal communication from Angela Hyder:
"I walked a sentinel survey on Thursday to see if quino checkerspot was flying at Lake Skinner... and I found 4 adult quino. I also found 3 quino adults that day... at Oak Mountain."
Personal communication from Micheal Klein:
"I was on the Otay Truck Trail today monitoring Quino spots. No adults or caterpillars observed today. Habitat patches are beginning to look good due to recent rains. Plantain is 7 - 35mm with none showing any flower buds yet. Borages are also beginning to sprout. It could mean nectar resources would be available in the next week or so. Of course any continued rains would be most helpful."
Personal communication from Angela Hyder:
"Three quino checkerspot butterflies were found today... at Lake Skinner. It was cold in the morning, but after 11am it warmed up nicely and 6 other species of butterflies were also seen out including several chalcedon butterflies (just one seen last week). The wild flowers are also more abundant since last week even."
Personal communication from Angela Hyder:
"I visited Wilson Valley and [Anza] today and found 1 Quino at Wilson Valley and 7 Quino at [Anza]. It was sunny and nice and 8 other butterfly species were out. There were 13 nectar resources at Wilson Valley, and only 5 nectar resources at [Anza]. I didn't find any host plants, but I have never seen Antirrhinum when it was just coming up. The butterflies looked fresh, and I found one Quino that had interesting colors but still had all the key characteristics. I didn't see any snow on the ground this time."
Personal communication from John Martin:
"I monitored the Rancho San Diego ridge on 7
April. Zero QCB. Plantago was on the poor side of moderate. Few other
butterflies (2 anise swallowtail, 1 west coast lady, 1 painted lady, 2 unident
Vanessids, 2 unident blues)."
Rancho Jamul and Marron Valley 4/8:
Researchers participating in a post-fire monitoring study (Christine Tischer and Sophie Chiang) reported 2 adult Quino observations, one male and one female, from an occupied site near the town of Dulzura south of Rancho Jamul. Occupied sites in western Marron Valley were also surveyed and no adults were observed, however extensive habitat damage during 2005 fires has compromised detectability in this area. Most plantago was small, but some flowering.
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Figure 5. |
Figure 6. |
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Plantago erecta in Dulzura 4/8/06 flowering |
Plantago erecta in Dulzura 4/8/06 with flowering structures |
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Figure 7. |
Figure 8. |
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Female Quino in Dulzura 4/8/06 |
Female Quino in Dulzura 4/8/06, underside |
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Personal communication from David Faulkner:
"A single female was found about 6 feet up, nectaring in a sugar bush (Rhus ovata)... I have not seen any growth for possible larval host plants so far this season."
Personal Communication from Ken Osborne:
"To see so many adults so late [relative to the "typical" flight period] suggests that numbers are indeed high. Most adults showed some wear, some especially females, were fresh."
Personal Communication from Micheal Klein (north of Marron Valley near SR94, not monitored location in the valley):
"I saw [one adult] quickly because it flew up and the winds caught it but it looked like a male and somewhat faded... I had 2 larval clusters... and I believe [one cluster] are 1st instar... [the second cluster] may be 2nd instar."
Personal Communication from Micheal Klein (north of Marron Valley near SR94, not monitored location in the valley):
"I had one Quino... it is pretty faded and difficult to tell if it is a male or female."
Marron Valley 5/13 and Dulzura 5/21:
Personal communication from Christine Tischer:
"The season is [apparently] over at these two sites. The 6th and final survey was conducted at Dulzura... and no QCB were found... The previous week's survey on May 13 had detected only one very worn QCB... no QCB were detected... on Saturday, May 13th [in Marron Valley]."
Personal communication from Gretchen Cummings:
"Royce Riggin and I went out to Jacumba Peak... we did not see any Quino, but we did see 3 or 4 Chalcedons... all were worn... Surprisingly, some of the Plantago... was still greenish (i.e. not completely dried as I have seen at other locations in San Diego, specifically Santee)."
Personal communication from Adam Malisch:
"Rosina Gallego visited the ... sentinel site today and did not observe any adult QCB flying. She saw few butterflies and said most herbaceous plants were drying up. We are calling this the end of the 2006 Quino flight season, as far as the [Riverside MSHCP] monitoring program is concerned."
6/1/06 personal communication from Adam Malisch (summary dated 31 May 2006):
"This is a very brief summary of the work the Monitoring Program did to survey for Quino checkerspot butterfly at [Lake Skinner] in 2006.
We visited the occupied habitat... nine times, and used data obtained by Gordon Pratt once. Twenty-two total Quino were observed... in 2006. Unfortunately we were not able to visit the occupied habitat on May 4th... Thus, we can say that the Quino flight season [apparently]... began on or near March 16th and continued until at least April 20th, but can not determine exactly when the flight season ended [see table below]. We know that Quino were flying at Oak Mountain until at least May 11th, but believe the flight season was over before this at [Lake Skinner]."
Numbers of Quino Observed at [Lake Skinner] Occupied Habitat in 2006.
|
Date: |
3/9 |
3/16 |
3/23 |
3/30 |
4/6 |
4/13 |
4/20 |
4/27 |
5/11 |
5/18 |
|
# Obs: |
0* |
4^ |
4 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
0~ |
0 |
0 |
*1 Quino larvae observed. ^ Gordon Pratt’s data. ~ 16.1C, cloudy, few other butterflies out.
