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Butterflies and Moths' Habitat:

Wasatch Canyons

Slide Canyon/Y Mountain Trail Provo

Overview

The hike up to the 'Y' on is a traditional trek for BYU students and local residents alike.  At the same time, about 1/4 the way up the trail towards the block 'Y', at the southernmost point of the trail, is a spot where the trail intersects with Slide Canyon.  This steep dry canyon (or ravine) has, at different times of the spring and summer, many differing species of butterflies flying along it.  Unlike Rock Canyon, however, there are no easy trails or roads to traverse it .   However, because the Y trail intersects Slide Canyon in this one narrow spot--see picture below--all one needs to do to collect several species of butterflies including the Two-Tailed Swallowtail, Sagebrush Checkerspot, Utah Stella Orange-Tip, and several species of fritillaries, is to literally stand there and wait for them to come to you.  

As you collect or observe butterflies there, please be courteous to the many hikers as they work their way up to the 'Y.' The butterfly species and the timing of these species, as copied and pasted below, is very similar to Rock Canyon.  

During March, some of the species you may find flying along the Y Trail as it approaches Slide Canyon on a sunny, 50+  degree (F) day include some of our over wintering nymphalids such as the Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa,) Milbert's Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis milberti furcillata,) Satyr Comma (Polygonia satyrus satyrus,) and/or Hoary Comma (Polygonia zephyrus.)  Towards the end of March, the Checkered White (Pieris protodice,) flies accompanied soon thereafter by the very common moth, Litocala sexsignata; which becomes quite abundant in the canyon.

During the warmth of mid-April, several butterfly species of swallotwails, blues, and whites emerge from their pupae, and begin to fly.  These species include the Anise Swallowtail (Papilio zelicaon gothica,) Spring White (Pieris sisymbri sisymbri,) Utah Stella Orange-tip (Anthocaris stella browningi,) Large Marble (Euchloe ausonides coloradensis,) Yellow Sulphur (Colias philodice eriphyle,) Silvery Blue (Glaucopsyche lygdamus oro,) and Thistle Crescent  (Phyciodes mylitta mylitta.)  Flying with the Utah Stella Orangetip (Anthocharis stella browningi,) it is possible that you may find an occasional Southwestern Orangetip (Anthocharis sara thoosa) flying.  (Southwestern Orangetips have been found recently in nearby Rock Canyon.)  This butterfly is normally found in Utah's Basin and Range Province such as the hills behind Cedar Fort.

Towards the end of April, skippers such as the Sleepy Duskywing (Erynnis brizo burgessi,) Rocky Mountain Duskywing (Erynnis telemachus,) the Common Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus communis,) and the Juba Skipper (Hesperia juba) start flying.  

A special note about the Spring White (Pieris sisymbri sisymbri:)  It is a fun butterfly to look for in the canyon; but you won't find it in the canyon bottoms or revines.  You need to climb the side of the mountain towards hilltops to find males of this butterfly ascending towards the top.  As you do so, you may find a few males of the Anise Swallowtail (Papilio zelicaon gothica,) behaving similarly.

During the first week of May, keep a look out for Queen Alexandra's Sulphur (Colias alexandra alexandra.)  It is a large yellow sulphur that loves to tease collectors as it flies east and west perpendicular to hikers along the 'Y' trail.  Its males do not traverse Slide Canyon.  They fly vertically up and down the mountainside in search for females who are not too far away from the larval hostplant--Astragalus ssp.

Other species that start flying in early May, whose males do fly right along this dry canyon are the Two-tailed Swallowtail (Papilio multicaudata pusillus,) Western Tailed-Blue (Everes amyntula,) Melissa Blue (Plebejus melissa melissa,) Sagebrush Checkerspot (Chlosyne acastus acastus,) Field Crescent (Phyciodes pulchella camillus,) and the Northern Cloudywing (Thorybes pylades pylades.)

Towards the end of May, other species that may start flying along the trail/canyon intersection is the Western Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio rutulus rutulus,) Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus franki,) Coronis Fritillary (Speyeria coronis snyderi,) Callippe Fritillary (Speyeria callippe harmonia,) Pale Crescent (Phyciodes pallida barnesi,) Variable Checkerspot (Euphydryas anicia maria,) Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui,) Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta rubria,) Weidemeyer's Admiral (Limenitis weidemeyeri latifascia,) and the Common Ringlet (Coenonympha tullia brenda.) 

During the month of June, other species of fritillaries begin to fly such as the Great Basin Fritillary (Speyeria egleis utahensis,) Northwestern Fritillary (Speyeria hesperis wasatchia,) which fly along with the Northern Crescent (Phyciodes cocyta.)   

The month of June also provides the first, almost unnoticeable, flight of the Arizona Sister (Adelpha bredowi eulalia.)  This butterfly becomes much more noticeable in the canyon as its numbers usually increase during its second flight which occurs in the fall.

Occasionally, during June, individuals of the Clodius Parnassian (Parnassius clodius menetriesi) and the Pale Swallowtail (Papilio eurymedon) will descend from higher elevations of the canyon to fly in Slide Canyon.  However, in order to find more individuals of these two species, you're probably better off traveling to Provo Canyon, and then taking Squaw Peak Road back to Rock Canyon Campground.

Towards, the end of June, you will start finding a butterfly that seems to prefer to dance within the shady confines of the Scrub Oak than out in the open canyon along with the rest of the butterflies.  This butterfly is the Great Basin Wood Nymph (Cercyonis sthenele masoni.)  Because this butterfly flies within and around the scrub oaks, they seem to get tattered and chipped faster than most other species of butterflies in the canyon; thus making collecting or photographing quite difficult.

It is possible to find another species of satyrid called the Canyonland Satyr (Cyllopsis pertepida dorothea)  To date, Slide Canyon/Y Trail happens to be the Northernmost extension of this butterfly as only 1 recorded record exists from June, 1986.  It should be possible to produce more records from this spot.

Butterfly Species Checklist For This Habitat:

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