Pasadena Audubon Society

Three Butterflying Trips in the Pasadena Area
by Jane Strong
Successful butterflying is dependent upon the season, the time of day and the weather. Best season is between April through July beginning in the lower elevation foothills and canyons and then peaking later in July in the High Country. Best time of day is between 10:30 am and 2:30 pm. Air temperature should be above 60 degrees Fahrenheit, and the sky without clouds and without breezes. Perfect summer day, eh?

 

1. Garden Butterflies: Around the Eaton Canyon Nature Center

Description of Area:
Native plant garden surrounding nature center building has some plants chosen specifically to attract butterflies. ECNC has all the butterflies found in urban gardens plus some found in foothills and canyons. Best Butterfly: Queen found in the butterfly bush, Bramble Hairstreak [the green St. Partick's Day butterfly] in the deerweed.

How to Get There:
From I-210, the Foothill Freeway, eastbound, exit at Sierra Madre Blvd/Altadena Dr. Turn left (north) at the first light (Altadena Drive) and go 1.6 miles to the park entrance. From I-210 westbound, exit at San Gabriel Blvd/San Marino. Turn right (north) at the second light (Altadena Drive) and go 1.5 miles to the park entrance. Eaton Canyon Natural Area is at 1750 North Altadena Drive, one block north of New York Drive. There is a sign on the east side of the street which clearly marks the entrance to the Park. Restrooms.

Butterflying the Area:
Start by following the path left [clockwise] around the building checking the butterfly bush in the front then continuing on to the Bird and Insect Habitat Garden on the west and north sides. The more cosmopolitan butterflies such as Painted Lady are found here.

Next cross the parking lot to the east and walk along the edge of canyon and check the native mustards for whites and orangetips in spring.

For a longer trip, walk up the canyon to an old landslide which is almost to the bridge. Here are 'Bernardino' Square-spotted Blues among others in the buckwheat.

 

2. Foothill and Canyon Butterflies: Monrovia Canyon Park

Description of Area:
Foothill canyon / chaparral / riparian area butterflies. East-west trending Sawpit Canyon has multiple habitats suited to butterflies. Best season: May. Best butterfly: Sonora Blue, Brown Elfin, both early season butterflies.

How to Get There:
From I-210, the Foothill Freeway, exit Myrtle, drive through Old Town Monrovia to Foothill Blvd., turn right, go two lights to Canyon Blvd., turn left, drive through residential area for about 1 mile staying to the right, turn right into Canyon Park at the 3 foot tall sign. Canyon Park is open 8 am to 5 pm daily except Tuesday. Closed Christmas and the 4th of July weekend. Restrooms. Parking fee.

Butterflying the Area:
Two possibilities, one is the shaded walk to the waterfall which has garden and canyon butterflies like American Lady and California Sister. The other, much longer, hike along Sawpit Fire Road has greater diversity. Check the dudleya for Sonora Blue in March. The stream crossings have an extraordinary amount of mud-puddling butterflies. The flat, open, disturbed areas with the "weedy" vegetation are very good for a variety of species.

Other good locations of this type: San Olene Fire Road [from Chantry Flat] and Big Dalton Canyon. Both are closed due to fire, flood and landslide damage as of 02/24/05.

 

3. Ridgetop Butterflies: Along the Angeles Crest Highway, State Route 2

Description of Area:
Car tour along official California Scenic Highway through Angeles National Forest. High elevation butterflies: hilltopping, migrating, small populations with limited distribution. Best season: late June to early July. Best butterfly: hard to choose from many ... Thicket and Juniper Hairstreak, comma, tortoiseshell ...

How to Get There:
From I-210, the Foothill Freeway, take State Route 2, the Angeles Crest Highway, north continuing on to Islip Saddle. Adventure Pass required.

Butterflying the Area:
Check all the largest turnouts that have popular nectar plants -- buckwheat, yerba santa and rabbitbrush -- blooming. The butterflies are at the edges in the vegetation and in the flat spots hidden behind the berms.

MM means mile marker. These are white reflective posts on the side of the road. LA means Los Angeles County. The intersection of SR 2 and I-210 is LA 24.54.

Usually productive stops:
MM LA 36.50?: Ladybug Curve, large turnout with deerweed and yerba santa; whites, blues
MM LA 42.60: a short side trip up Barley Flats Road may yield Great Basin Wood Nymph and Becker's White
MM LA 46.00: Windy Gap, Golden Hairstreak in canyon oaks, Mountain Mahogany Hairstreak and blues on buckwheat
MM LA 47.50: if you are birding at Charlton Flat, think of hiking to Vetter Mt Lookout, presently [due to road closure] a 2 mile hike from the entrance. On a quiet, warm day the ridgetop has multitudes of butterflies, many individuals and many species ... Pale Swallowtail, Callippe Fritillary, blues, metalmarks, hairstreaks, duskywings
MM LA 52.80: Three Points, check the flowers around the PCT parking lot; sulphurs in spring, skippers in fall
MM LA 61.09: Cedar Springs, look in the lupines for Boisduval's and Arrowhead Blues, in the low spot behind the berm for Tailed Copper
MM LA 62.40: Williamson Trailhead, search the northeast corner; if this spot is good today, it will be the best spot on the whole trip for number and rarity of species, butterflies have been seen when snowdrifts are still four feet high, but sometimes there is nothing at all; Nelson's (Juniper) Hairstreak, Thicket Hairstreak, Callippe Fritillary, duskywings
MM LA 64.10: Islip Saddle, park in the PCT lot and cross the street to the southeast corner and search above and in the basin; Nelson's (Juniper) Hairstreak, fritillaries, blues Return the way you came.

If you wish to continue further toward Wrightwood [out of Pasadena area] there are two productive spots:
MM LA 67.60, Call Box 676: Lily Springs, check the seeping water along the road and behind the railing; Hairy Comma
MM none, Call Box 776: "My Blue Heaven", large turnout, check the lupines on the south-facing slope behind the berm; many species of blues, skippers

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