Small Checkered-Skipper and the Flat-tailed Horned Lizard Both seen on the NABA Butterfly Count -- Borrego Springs & Environs 22 March 2004

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Small Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus scriptura) sipping Cryptantha. Wingspan is ~ 20 - 21 mm. This small and uncommon butterfly, a long-sought-after lifer for us, was seem in Culp Valley near Pena Springs late in the afternoon. One consequence of the Big Pine fire of late summer 2002  that completely devastated all vegetation is the abundance of mallows that came in after the burn. Two species are here.  Apricot Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua) is a known hostplant of P. scriptura. Shrub Globemallow is also here in great numbers. Last October there were dozens of Northern White-Skippers on the Globemallows, and several White-Skippers have also emerged this spring. It may also be a hostplant for Pyrgus scriptura.

The Flat-Tailed Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma m'callii) is listed by the CA Dept. of Fish and Game as a "Species of Special Concern." It pre-fers desolate areas such as sandy hummocks and hard-pan flats, the same type of area where we were looking for the Mojave Sootywing and the Western Pygmy Blue. Notice its sandy color and almost perfect camouflage.