Rio Grande Valley – 2016

Barry Marts and I went on our now annual November trip to the Lower Rio Grande Valley. The weather didn’t cooperate as much as we would have liked but we still managed to see many lifers. We totaled 106 species for the week. This total included 11 species of Hairstreaks / Groundstreaks and Ministreaks. We stayed in McAllen, TX and ventured as far east as the Brownsville area and as far west as Falcon Dam State Park. Some the the locations visited were the Yturria Tract of the Rio Grande NWR (west of La Hoya, TX), Bentsen State Park, NABA National Butterfy center, Resaca Del La Palma State Park, Estero Llano State Park and La Sal Del Rey “The King’s Salt” section of the Rio Grande NWR which is one of three naturally occurring salt lakes in Texas. Every year there are a few uncommon to rare species that have exceptional seasons. This year it was Marius Hairstreak. Last year it was Evans’ Skipper. I’ve included a few of the more notable photos below. Can’t wait to return this fall!

Click on any image below to enlarge

Mexican Fritillary Zebra Helliconian
Marius Hairstreak Marius Hairstreak
Lacey's Scrub-hairstreak Red-crescent Scrub-hairstreak
Clytie Ministreak White Scrub-hairstreak
Rounded Metalmark Guava Skipper
Nysa Roadside-skipper Celia's Roadside-skipper
Purple-washed Skipper Violet-banded Skipper
Olive-clouded Skipper Texas-powdered Skipper
Definite Patch Definite Patch
Southern Dogface Crimson Patch
Erichson's White-Skipper Erichson's White-Skipper
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