Lower Rio Grande Valley – “off the charts”

This is a much belated post containing a lot of photos (a good thing). I procrastinated a lot in going through the 2,500+ photos taken during the trip to the LRGV between 11-5 and 11-16. After several years in a row where Barry Marts and I have had more poor butterfly days than good ones the law of averages caught up with us on this trip. We had 7 1/2 good days out of 12 and on the crappy days we went birding which turned out to be fruitful in its own right. It was wonderful seeing old friends again and making new ones along the way. Frequent flyers to south Texas this time of year are avid lepsters. We stay in constant contact with one another so if a good butterfly shows up somewhere you’ll get a text or a call immediately. The experiences from this trip were off the charts. So many ultra rare and beautiful creatures came to visit us. Foe this trip I was hoping to pick up 5 new butterflies and ended up with 21!

We spent our time in the following locations: National Butterfly Center, Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley SP, Retama Village (wall near Bentsen), Santa Anna NWR, Falcon Dam SP, Estero Llano Grande SP, Resaca Del La Palma SP and Boca Chica road east of Brownsville.

I finally got a decent comparison photo of a Fiery Skipper and Whirlabout in close proximity. Also of note is a Tailed Orange “staying alive” by using a camouflaged perch with similar colored leaves. I’ve included comparative photos between Ocola and Hecebolus Skipper. Notable sightings included; Shadowed Hairstreak (This species had only been recorded in the lower 48 one time until this year where many were being seen in different locations), Orange Banner (the second or third documented sighting in the U.S.), Common Banner, Blomfild’s Beauty, Guatemalan and Gray Cracker, Red Rim, Strophius Hairstreak, Walker’s Metalmark, Falcate Skipper, Pale-spotted Leafwing, Four-spotted and Blue-eyed Sailor, Florida White, Dingy Purplewing and more…

If you’ve never been to south Texas before you owe it yourself to go sometime between  late October and Christmas. You will not be disappointed. This trip was one that will never be forgotten. Barry and I tallied 130+ species. To quote a friend of mine, “It’s ALL good…”

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