Browder Ridge Count 2025 Report
On July 30th a team of four drove to Frissell Ridge to count butterflies. Unfortunately the morning was cool and cloudy, and few butterflies were found until the sun came out about 11 am. We walked portions of the Frissell Ridge road counting until 4pm, and estimated 2700 California Tortoiseshells flew northwards by us (but maybe four times that many). Other abundant species were Clodius Parnassians, Orange Sulphurs, Blue and Lilac Bordered Coppers. As we drove back to Road 15 the clouds returned, but tortoiseshells were still abundant on a seep and on the cliffs. We recorded 26 identified species and 3952 individual butterflies.
A second team of four went to southeast Linn County, and started at the Tombstone Prairie Trailhead. It was cool and cloudy but we decided to begin the hike even with the weather being adverse for seeing butterflies. The group saw just a few species in Tombstone Prairie and then headed up the Cone Peak Trail. We finally found a few more species in a small dry meadow at about noon, under still-cloudy skies. Continuing on up to the main dry meadow at the base of Cone Peak, the clouds finally cleared at about 1PM and the butterflies came out in good numbers. California Tortoiseshells passed through the meadow in a constant stream—we estimated 2500 individuals. Blue Coppers, Anna’s Blues, Clodius Parnassians, Snowberry Checkerspots and greater fritillaries were prominent, and 6 Small Woodnymphs and a Pacuvius Duskywing were a treat. The team then continued on to climb Iron Mountain in the heat of the day. The only additional species seen on the climb were Pine White and Anise Swallowtail. Altogether the hiking team saw 19 species and 3114 individuals.
The grand total for the count was 31 identified species and 7066 individuals (of which 6500 were tortoiseshells).