Washington Butterfly Association, PO Box 31317, Seattle, WA (2026)

05/02/2026

WBA'S MONTHLY ZOOM MEETING!
Wednesday, May 6, 6:00 pm Pacific time
Dr. David James will present an overview of the history of tracking monarch migration in the Pacific Northwest from Bob Pyle's pioneering 'chasing' of monarchs in the late 1990s, to the 2012-2025 WSU tagging program, to the exciting advent of solar-powered electronic tracking, which will begin this fall. You will hear how you can become an active part of this exciting, groundbreaking research by adopting and naming a monarch.

Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ZPY3SM-PTY6FaaPq7sKp9w

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

03/29/2026

WBA MONTHLY ZOOM MEETING
Wednesday, April 1, 6:00 pm Pacific Time

"CONSERVATION, GENOMICS, AND CONSERVATION GENOMICS: THE CASE OF A CURIOUSLY ISOLATED AND ENDANGERED BUTTERFLY"
Speaker: Dr. Zachary MacDonald
Description: For decades, a small population of hairstreak butterflies in Waterton Lakes National Park was assumed to be the Half-moon Hairstreak (Satyrium semiluna), even though it occurs more than 400km from the nearest known populations. Using a new chromosome-level reference genome and whole-genome sequencing, we found that this Waterton population is extremely genetically distinct and has likely persisted as a small, isolated lineage for up to about 40,000 years. Our genomic data also suggest a long history of inbreeding and local adaptation, which means “genetic rescue” (introducing conspecific butterflies from other populations to increase genetic diversity) could risk disrupting what has kept this population viable, potentially leading to outbreeding depression. In a follow-up paper, we evaluated the full body of evidence under the general lineage concept of species and proposed that the Waterton population represents a distinct species, which we described as the Curiously Isolated Hairstreak (Satyrium semiluna). This presentation tells this butterfly’s story in full, and aims to present the genomic methods in an accessible way while conveying the remarkable evolutionary history we uncovered.

Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/30BhHW_gSwCrbZBRontiwg

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

03/01/2026

WBA MONTHLY ZOOM MEETING! COME JOIN US!
March 4, 2026, 6:00 PM Pacific Time
“Gorgeous Nightflyers with a Surprising Superpower"
OR "The Underwing Moths (Catocala) of Taylor's Ridge, Walker Co., Georgia and a nod to other locations in Georgia (and Covid 19)”
Presenter: Dr. James Adams

The Underwing Moths are one of the most popular groups of moths among budding nighttime lep enthusiasts! These are gorgeous moths, and Taylor's Ridge, or some area similar to it along the southern reaches of the Appalachians, likely represents THE hotbed of diversity for this genus IN THE WORLD! I have, so far, taken 47 species on the ridgeline, and there are at least three (and potentially as many as seven) more that could be taken on the ridge. The ridgeline happens to be my "go to" spot when people visit and want to see moths, because there are a number of other unusual species that can be taken there besides the Underwings, and I'll share a few of these with you as well!!

Dr. James Adams is a professor at Dalton State College in Georgia, where he teaches Ecology, Evolution, Entomology, and Ethology. Since 2011 he has been editor of the “News of the Lepidopterists’ Society.” Although he specializes in moths, particularly Noctuoidea, he also has an interest in butterflies.

March 4, 2026 06:00 PM Pacific Time

Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/qZ4P8T2LSquD8L3m5SOI8w

02/01/2026

WBA MONTHLY ZOOM MEETING IS THIS WEEK!
Feb 4, 2026, 6:00 PM Pacific Time. Please join us!
"Like a Butterfly to a Flame? Butterfly Recolonization Following Fire"
David Droppers, presenter

David has stumbled upon a new project. After the Bolt Creek Fire of 2022, he is seeking to understand how butterflies recolonize after a wildfire in the coniferous forests of western Washington and how it compares to other fire studies in other habitats. See who has appeared in the early years of recovery, what he has learned so far, and what may be applied to other fire studies in the state.

You are invited to a Zoom meeting.
When: Feb 4, 2026 06:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/P2np_HHMScGWwUkqY3H2hQ

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

01/12/2026

McGuire Center: Moth Monitoring with Automated Camera Light Traps and AI
Dennis Bottger
Date & Time: January 13, 12:00 pm (Tuesday) Eastern Standard Time
Format: Zoom seminar (projected for in-person viewing)
Zoom link: https://ufl.zoom.us/j/99860117226

01/12/2026

The Washington State University Pacific Northwest Monarch tagging program, which started 14 years ago has proved that all Oregon Monarchs and the vast majority of Washington Monarchs migrate to California and overwinter along the coastline. However, it has not answered the question of where the majority of Idaho Monarchs go. From many thousands of Monarchs tagged in Idaho, only three have been recovered in California (compared to hundreds of Oregon and Washington-released Monarchs). Where do most Idaho Monarchs migrate to? It is possible that they head due south (we have some short-distance tag recoveries that suggests this), flying through Utah, Arizona and perhaps end up in Mexico for overwintering. Conventional tagging, using sticky paper tags seems unable to throw a light on this mystery likely because of the wide, open spaces and relative lack of people to sight tagged Monarchs on an inland route south through Utah and Arizona.

Excitingly, due to very recent technological advances, we now have the opportunity to track individual Monarchs via the use of a tiny transmitter that can be carried by a Monarch! This solar-powered transmitter allows us to see the progress and route taken by a monarch in real-time! Signals produced by these E-tags are detected by any cell phone with Bluetooth capability that is within about a quarter of a mile of the butterfly. The signals and data are automatically transmitted to a central data-gathering point and available to scientists.

This year, we hope to E-tag at least 100 monarchs in Idaho. Unfortunately, E-tags cost $200 each, so we need donations. We will accept any amount but if you want to contribute the full cost of a tag, then you can name the Monarch that carries your tag. You will also be able to track the progress of your Monarch on your cell phone! If you are interested in helping our research and solving this mystery, then go to: http://adoptamonarch.org where you will find all the details about the program and how to donate. Hopefully, our Monarch E-tagging program this year will go a long way towards solving the Idaho Monarch Mystery and you will be part of it!

01/06/2026

Here is an unusual post for January 5th: the first butterfly sighting of the New Year! A Milbert's Tortoiseshell seen today at Snow Mountain Ranch nr Yakima in 45 degrees and sunshine. This species overwinters as an adult but rarely wakes up until February or March. I (David James) have never seen one this early in the New Year! Cheers!

12/21/2025

From David James: Back in 2012, relatively little was known about the migration of monarch butterflies in the Pacific Northwest. Thirteen years later, I am happy to say we know a great deal more about PNW monarchs, especially their fall migration which we have tracked annually by tagging them with paper tags. Our most recent publication on monarch migration in the PNW was published in 2018 and can be downloaded from here: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/12/2/161

These past 13 years have seen contrasting highs and lows in the monarch population of western North America from the highest overwintering population in 2022 (335,479) to the lowest in 2020 (1,901). Annual estimates of breeding season populations across the west have not been available until now. Thanks to all you dedicated monarch observers and naturalists who have reported their PNW monarch sightings over the last 13 years, we were able to collate all these data (from multiple sources) and compile a study that shows for the first time, annual population trends for breeding populations in the PNW. This study was published a few days ago and can be downloaded here: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/17/1/1

If you sighted a monarch over the past 13 years and reported it to iNaturalist, Journey North, Western Milkweed Monarch Mapper, a monarch page or directly to us at WSU, then your data would have been part of our analysis and paper. Thank you!

11/29/2025

WBA MONTHLY ZOOM MEETING
"Resurrection Ecology of the Xerces Blue Butterfly"
Presenter: Stuart B. Weiss, Ph.D
Wednesday, Dec. 3 at 6:00pm PT
The Xerces blue butterfly (Glaucospsyche xerces) occupied sand dunes in western San Francisco but urban development drove it into extinction by the 1940s. Starting in the 1990s, many acres of sand dune habitat has been restored in the Presidio, including the presumptive hostplant of the Xerces blue, deerweed. In 2000, Bob Pyle published an article about “resurrecting” the Xerces blue using silvery blues from nearby populations. This webinar tells the story of how a community of scientists and enthusiasts executed the introduction of silvery blue butterflies, including habitat assessments, genetic studies, selection of appropriate source populations, translocation, and subsequent monitoring.

Bio: Stuart B. Weiss (Ph.D. Stanford University 1996) is an independent conservation ecologist at Creekside Science, applying cutting edge science to conserve numerous imperiled species and landscapes in a rapidly changing 21st Century environment. He has been working with imperiled (and common) butterflies on the West Coast for more than 40 years, providing scientific advice for habitat enhancement and translocation projects for the Bay checkerspot, Taylor’s checkerspot, Quino checkerspot, chalcedon checkerspot, Mission blue, California ringlet, and silverly blue butterflies.

When: Dec 3, 2025 06:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/CzEgX4PaRYaAMHmIA0qQbg

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

11/02/2025

WBA NOVEMBER ZOOM MEETING
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 5, @ 6:00 PM PACIFIC TIME
"A Pylean Potpourri in Silver, Copper, and Blue"
Presenter: Dr. Robert Michael Pyle

Bob will present a mash-up of four of his present butterfly passions:
~Part I: "The Mariposa Copper Revisited: History, New Discoveries, and First Genomic Results;”
~Part II: "Resurrection Ecology: Inspiration, Background, and Preview for Stu.”
~Part III: "Eastern Tailed Blues in Western Washington, and Their Adaptive Ecology.”
~Part IV: "The Search for the Silver Satyr: Chile, February 2025."

Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/BXoxslAwT6eujfaFeXHn5A

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Washington Butterfly Association

05/02/2026

03/29/2026

03/01/2026

02/01/2026

01/12/2026

01/12/2026

01/06/2026

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11/02/2025

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