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Quino Checkerspot Butterfly (Euphydryas editha quino) Monitored Reference Site Information

The first Quino checkerspot butterfly of the season was observed in southwestern San Diego County on January 28, 2003. Despite the early emergence of some southern populations in January, apparently most Quino checkerspot butterfly larvae remained in or returned to diapause in December/January. February rains apparently resulted in a late February larval emergence from diapause in most areas, and a second adult flight season in March (see evidence described at the bottom of the page*). As of March 25, the flight season appeared to be well underway in all occupied areas of the species range. If surveys were not done during the first two weeks of the flight season, multiple surveys per week during the second through fourth week of the flight season was an acceptable deviation from the protocol.

The reference sites listed below were not monitored on a regular basis, they were monitored as often as staff were available, and information was posted as soon as possible (not on weekends). The sites we visited most regularly were Lake Skinner, Anza, Rancho San Diego, and Marron Valley. The flight season may have started in any given area before we reported Quino checkerspot butterfly adults at the nearest reference site. Monitoring was primarily for phenological information, search efforts were not always equal, but negative surveys under unsuitable weather conditions (weather suitability per protocol) were not reported. Permittees must use the best available scientific information to decide when to initiate surveys. 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." Permittees must estimate the beginning and duration of the flight season for their survey site using the best available scientific information. The best scientific methodology includes consideration of our ability to accurately determine the timing of the flight season.

The Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office currently monitored nine reference sites occupied by the Quino checkerspot butterfly in western Riverside and southwestern San Diego counties. Three of the nine reference sites contained specific larval host plant patches where we have been able to consistently find larvae and focus monitoring efforts. The larval host plant patches were located at the Lake Skinner site, a site south of Anza in Riverside County; and the Marron Valley site in San Diego County.

Larval host plant patch	Date	# Larvae	Larval length statistics	Host plant condition
Marron Valley	1/8	5	11 mm-2 cm, mean14 mm	Abundant plantago, many with flowering structures.
	1/28	13	18 mm-35mm, mean 27 mm	Abundant plantago, many with open flowers, some showing signs of drought stress.
	2/4	0	n/a	Plantago abundant, most showing signs of drought stress, many dying.
	2/19	1	3 cm	Plantago abundant to dense, some setting seed, some without flowerng structures yet.
	4/23	2	pre-diapause (no clusters)	Plantago going to seed, most are drying. Owl's clover blooming, beginning to dry. Some bird's beak with flowering structures.
	5/2	10	pre-diapause (no clusters)	Most plantago drying, owl's clover beginning to dry. Some bird's beak with flowering structures.
Lake Skinner	1/11	0	n/a	Abundant plantago, no flowering structures yet
	1/24	0	n/a	Abundant plantago, no flowering structures yet, some showing signs of drought stress.
	2/17	4	18-26 mm, mean 24 mm	Abundant plantago, no flowering structures yet.
Anza	1/6	0	n/a	Abundant white snapdragon, multiple sets of leaves.
	1/24	0	n/a	Abundant white snapdragon, multiple sets of leaves. Abundant plantago, no flowering structures yet.
	2/21	0 (but see host plant condition description)	n/a	Abundant white snapdragon, multiple sets of leaves, some beginning to form flowering structures. Much evidence of feeding damage to white snapdragon in the larval host plant patch where the most larval clusters have been observed. Abundant plantago, no flowering structures yet.
	5/12	1	pre-diapause**	All host plants abundunt White snapdragon forming flowering structures, but most stalks grazed, so it is hard to tell if they would be flowering. Plantago setting seed, owl's clover in flower.

There were five primary monitored sites in southwestern San Diego County, 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. All monitored reference sites in San Diego County were generally coastal sage scrub dominated by buckwheat, 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 populations in San Diego County consisted of dwarf plantain (plantago, Plantago erecta) and thread-leaved bird's beak (Cordylanthus rigidus). White snapdragon (Antirrhinum coulterianum) and woolly plantain (plantago, Plantago patagonica) also occur in San Diego county, but no eggs or larval clusters have been observed on those species.

There were four monitored sites in Riverside County, 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 were generally coastal sage scrub dominated by buckwheat, with the exception of the one near Anza. The Anza site was primarily redshank chaparral, with interspersed open areas dominated by buckwheat and great basin sagebrush. Monitored primary host plant populations in Riverside County consisted of dwarf plantain (Plantago erecta), white snapdragon (Antirrhinum coulterianum), and woolly platain (Plantago patagonica). Thread-leaved bird's beak (Cordylanthus rigidus) also occurs in Riverside county, but no eggs or larval clusters have been observed on that species.

*Most individuals observed were males that looked relatively freshly emerged, some gravid females that also looked freshly emerged. Evidence of recent rain, periodically cool, windy, overcast weather with periods of sun. One female looked extremely worn and faded, probably an individual from the earlier February emergence dates. Adult and larval observations as of 3/24 indicate there may have been overlapping flight seasons from separate larval emergences (two adult emergence peaks) at the Marron Valley site.

**Weather conditions in Anza on 5/12 were optimal, warm and sunny, low wind. We observed one abandoned larval cluster (webbing and frass), and one pre-diapause larvae on white snapdragon. We also visited an adult observation site at the San Bernardino National Forest (SBNF) survey area (not a monitored reference site) east of Anza above 5000 ft in elevation (information from 24 hour survey reports). No adults were observed at the SBNF site, however only two Quino checkerspot butterfly observations have been made at this site, one per year in 2002 and 2003.

Adult monitoring sites	Date	# adults	Host plant condition
Rancho San Diego (SDNWR)	1/28	1	Abundant plantago, many open flowers, some showing signs of drought stress.
	2/3	0	Abundant plantago, many open flowers, many showing signs of drought stress, some dying.
	3/6	0	Abundant plantago, all stages of development.
	3/20	0	Abundant plantago, most setting seed.
	4/7	0	Abundant plantago, most going to seed, beginning to dry, although some fresh green stands as well. Owl's clover in flower.
	4/17	0	Abundant plantago, most going to seed, beginning to dry, although some fresh green stands as well. Owl's clover in flower.
Rancho Jamul	1/18	0	Scattered plantago, some showing signs of drought stress.
	3/8	3 fresh males	Scattered plantago, density reduced from January levels. Most flowering.
Marron Valley	1/28	0	Abundant plantago, many with open flowers, some showing signs of drought stress. No thread-leaved bird's beak detected.
	2/4	7-9	Plantago abundant, most showing signs of drought stress, many dying.
	3/7	approx. 28	Plantago abundant, all stages of development.
	3/13	7-9
	3/19	5-6
	3/24	approx. 42*	Plantago abundant, all at least with flowering structures. Some owl's clover blooming, thread-leaved bird's beak germinated.
	4/7	11
	4/23	2 males (5 at nearby sites)	Plantago going to seed, most are drying. Owl's clover blooming, beginning to dry. Some bird's beak with flowering structures.
	5/2	0	Most plantago drying, owl's clover beginning to dry. Some bird's beak with flowering structures.
West Otay Mt.	2/19	0	Scattered plantago, some with flowering structures.
Jacumba	2/5	0	No plantago spp. observed.
	3/14	0	Abundant plantago, some with flowering structures.
Lake Skinner	1/24	0	Abundant plantago, no flowering structures yet, some showing signs of drought stress.
	2/9	0	Abundant plantago, no flowering structures yet, some showing signs of drought stress.
	3/6	1	Abundant plantago.
	3/7	1, possibly 2	Abundant plantago, all stages of development.
	3/31	3 male 1 female	All plantago was in bloom or going to seed. Conditions were to windy for Protocol survey efforts.
	4/09	2 male 1 female	All plantago has gone to seed and many now senescing. Owl's clover common and in bloom.
	4/21	0	All plantago has gone to seed and many now senescing. Owl's clover common and in bloom.
	4/24	see 24 hour survey reports
Oak Mt.
	3/31	0	Conditions were warm, windy and sunny. Plantago was in bloom.
Wilson Valley	2/3	0	Scattered plantago, no flowering structures yet.
	2/17	0	Scattered plantago, going to seed. White snap dragon common, multiple leaves, feeding damage evident.
	3/25	4 males hilltop	Plantago in flower and setting seed, white snapdragon in flower.
	4/09	1 male	Plantago has gone to seed and is now senescing. White snapdragon is in bloom. Owl's clover is common and in bloom.
	4/27	0	Most plantago dried seeded, white snapdragon and owl's clover in bloom.
Anza	1/24	0	Abundant white snapdragon, multiple sets of leaves. Abundant plantago, no flowering structures yet.
	3/8	0	Abundant white snapdragon, multiple sets of leaves. Abundant plantago, no flowering structures yet.
	3/11	3-5 fresh males in larval host plant patch	Abundant host plants. Some plantago with flowering structures, some white snapdragon showing stem elongation.
	3/12	6-7 fresh males on hilltops	Abundant host plants. Some plantago with flowering structures, some white snapdragon showing stem elongation.
	3/22	1 male on hilltop
	3/26	at least 7	Abundant host plants. Plantago with flowering structures, most white snapdragon showing stem elongation
	4/24	6 males, 1 female	Owl's clover abundant and in bloom. White snapdragon beginning to form flowering structures. Plantago abundant and in bloom.
	5/12	0**	All host plants abundunt. White snapdragon forming flowering structures, but most stalks grazed, so it is hard to tell if they would be flowering. Plantago setting seed, owl's clover in flower.