Any butterflies in Las Vegas in Feb?

emmayct

15 years ago

A few friends talked me into a three day trip to Las Vegas around Feb 10. The fares are so cheap I couldn't refuse.

How's the weather there then, any chance of butterflies at all??

I'm thinking about one day away from the city, hiking and sightseeing.

Maryann in CT

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (2)

ladobe
15 years ago
Depends on the year Maryann.

February is the wettest month in LV, which doesn't mean much since this is a true desert and drier than almost anywhere else. Just means there might be several small storms during the month instead of the single big ones we get in spring and late summer. February can be bright sunshine and warm, but more likely clouded over and windy with some days very sunny and warmer. I've seen it pushing the 90's by early February some years, but normal day time highs are more like around 60-70. Warm snaps do trigger the butterflies here and south of here though, causing some wintering-over pupae to emerge and strays to fly into the area. If there's been any warmer days, several Pierid species could be on the wing for sure, and some of the early Papilio species as well. Also larva that wintered-over will probably be out starting to feed again.

A fun day trip if they are out is to go south of LV to Christmas Tree Pass road just south of CalNevAri for the Pierids, especially the Euchloe and Anthocharis. One species that flies strong there is a great find, E. lotta. The A. cethura and maybe even A. thoosa will be out too as well as other species. A closer day (since you have people in BC) might be to look for larva up on the slopes of Railroad Pass between Henderson and Boulder City. Could be several species of larva found there, both moth and BF if you know the LFP's... AND it's a good place to see adults moving back and forth between south/north, including stray species. Weather doesn't matter for the larva, but you'll need some sun or at least warmth for the adults to be flying in any numbers.

L.
emmayct
Original Author
15 years ago
Larry, thanks for the info and thanks for reminding me that I had posted this. Rude of me to not check back on it but things scroll so fast here because of the activity on this forum.

I'm still hoping to make the trip, but I broke my wrist last week. have another dr appointment this thursday and I'll ask him for the ok.

Nice to know i might feel some warmer weather and see a few species.

Maryann
Related Discussions
Anyone still collecting seeds in Jan, Feb or March?
Q
Comments (16)
susanc, I *WISH* we even had the 7,000 sq. ft. that you have. IMHO you're blessed to have that much space to work with since most gardeners here are limited to itty bitty spaces. :) A normal- sized garden in my community is a 10x10 plot- often carved out of tiny backyards that the wealthier people like doctors and lawyers, business owners, etc. can afford to have. In the more affordable housing that average people like teachers, salespeople, secretaries and such live in, there is no yard at all, just, a small sunny patio (lanai). That is my situation- no yard...Our patio garden is roughly 10'x10 and that's where the growing gets done! OTOH this is a lovely zone to live in... Like you, I also never have to stop seed collecting here if I don't want to. There's always something making seed. Currently there's heirloom bokchoy, tiger eye amaranth, and "cut and come again" heirloom zinnias setting seed in the patio garden. The Hawaiian super hot pepper (Capsicum frutescens) plant has peppers on it which will be ripe and ready for seed saving soon. Lots of tropical plants growing in parks nearby seed out during Jan- March. Bird of paradise (Strelitzia) sets seed Dec. thru Feb. and Pua Keni Keni sets seed in Feb thru March. Emilia javanica (red tassel flower) is flowering and seeding all over the place this month; it grows in lawns here like dandelions do on the mainland. And the Asarina scandens are starting to set seed too. :)
...See More
Butterflies are here!
Q
Comments (21)
My Christmas cassias/C. bicapsularis or Senna bicapsularis, whichever it is, are just beginning to make new growth mostly from the bottom, so I cut back most of the top. I get a lot of new growth that way. There's only about 5" of new growth at the bottom, and there are already sulphur eggs on the little leaves! They're big enough that I can see them, so they must be either sleepy orange/Eurema nicippe eggs or cloudless sulphur/phoebis sennae eggs - little yellow/Eurema lisa eggs are just about microscopic! I'll guess they're sleepy oranges, since I don't usually see cloudless sulphur eggs this early in the season - I've seen all three adults flying, though, so they could possibly be any of the three. A female promethea moth emerged this morning, and a male just showed up - I opened the cage door, he flew in, and then I zipped the door back up! I've read that the way the males of the various types of Callosamia know whether it's a female of their type is by the time of day she calls - their pheromones must be the same. Callosamia promethea calls in the late afternoon. Yesterday I saw what had to be either a C. anguilifera or C. securifera - it was orangish colored. I have no idea why it was flying in the morning, unless his flying time is that early! I just checked the cage, and they're a couple - how sweet! :) Sherry
...See More
I'm taking a trip to Vegas...
Q
Comments (4)
Thanks for the advice...Strangely enough I know someone (unrelated to the wedding) who's going to be staying at the Bellagio over that weekend. She's a friend of a friend so I may just have to pay her a visit. Since the niece who's getting married is a biologist with the state of Nevada, I'll bet she'll know about the butterflies there..(although she might be a tad bit too busy to think butterfly...) Maryann in CT
...See More
Gregg's Mist Flower And Butterflies
Q
Comments (7)
Hi Greg. I'm in Las Vegas. Sounds like you might be down around Searchlight or Cal-Nev-Ari. There are some look-a-likes flying in our area right now of the above mentioned species as well. So maybe some pictures side by side will help you see that the different genera are actually quite different. At least two Vanessa are flying right now in our area as the end of a southerly fall migration, Vanessa carye (or annabella) and Vanessa cardui. Vanessa virginiensis is also possible here, although I haven't seen any of them this year. For a noobie, probably the easiest guide to tell carye/annabella and cardui apart from a fair distance is by the color of the costal postmedian scales on the dorsal forewing that form a fairly large and distinct slash/spot from the costal margin. In V. carye it is orange and in V. cardui white. Vanessa carye - Vanessa cardui Sherry posted a picture of Danaus plexippus that would approximate any you might see in our area, but we also have Danaus gilippus thersippus flying right now. Danaus plexippus - Danaus gilippus thersippus Both of these Danids have mimics in our area as well. Limenitis archippus lahontani mimics the D. plexippus here and Limenitis archippus obsoleta the D. g. thersippus. Limenitis archippus lahontani - Limenitis archippus obsoleta It's been a very poor year for leps here in Las Vegas, but I'd bet much better in your area with such close proximity to so many of their wild larval food plants in your surrounding hills and flats. You'll have a pretty rare species flying as early as February that doesn't get this far north. When I lived in the far frozen north I used to escape the deep snow and drive down to collect it's livestock out near Christmas Tree Pass. Kind of funny I guess, but I've lived on the Mojave Desert 19 years (in Vegas almost 13 years of it) and have never made the short drive down for that species again in all that time. Ladobe
...See More

Related Stories

FALL GARDENING What Monarch Butterflies Taught Me About Garden Design

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Thinking like a butterfly leads to fresh perspectives in the garden and in life

Full Story

EARTH DAY The Case for Losing the Traditional Lawn

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Work less, help the environment and foster connections by just saying no to typical turf

Full Story

237

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Buddleja Marrubiifolia

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Beautiful color, soft texture and the ability to thrive in the extreme temperatures of the Southwest make woolly butterfly bush a winner

Full Story

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Great Design Plant: Paint the Summer Landscape With Desert Willow

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

If the vibrant flowers of this Southwestern native tree don't blow you away, the hummingbirds, fire resistance and low maintenance will

Full Story

HOMES AROUND THE WORLD Household Habits and Customs to Borrow From Other Countries

By Елена Амбросимова

Discover why salt may be the perfect house-warming gift, how to clean rugs in snow and why you should invest in a pair of ‘toilet slippers’

Full Story

160

VALENTINE’S DAY The Real Importance of Valentine’s Day

By Alison Hodgson

Even small traditions celebrating love can carry through an entire life

Full Story

123

DECORATING GUIDES 12 Deadly Decorating Sins

By Kurt Cyr

Are your room designs suffering from a few old habits? It may be time to change your ways

Full Story

363

FUN HOUZZ 31 True Tales of Remodeling Gone Wild

By Mitchell Parker

Drugs, sex, excess — the home design industry is rife with stories that will blow your mind, or at least leave you scratching your head

Full Story

257

PETS Houzz Call: Show Us Your Pet Projects!

By Becky Harris

Bubble windows, fountains, doghouses, showers — what outdoor treats have you put together for your furry friends?

Full Story

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Ditch the Ordinary Ditch: Create a Realistic Dry Creek Bed

By Jay Sifford Garden Design

Here’s how to turn your water runoff system into an eye-catching accent for your landscape

Full Story

Any butterflies in Las Vegas in Feb?

Comments (2)

ladobe

emmayct
Original Author

Related Discussions

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Any butterflies in Las Vegas in Feb?

Comments (2)

ladobe

emmayctOriginal Author

Related Discussions

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

emmayct
Original Author