In celebration of National Moth Week, Pinnacles staff will be setting up a few moth lights in the Pinnacles Campground on the east side of the park. All are welcome to come out, see what insects come to the lights, and help document observations on iNaturalist. We'll start at the Pinnacles Campground Amphitheater at 8:30 pm and continue for a few hours. The daytime high temperature is expected to be around 100, with a night time low of around 60, so we expect a good turnout of nocturnal insects.

In keeping with this year's challenge to record species in San Benito County that have not yet been documented in iNaturalist, below is an annotated list of butterflies to look for. With concerted effort, the first four species should be fairly easy to observe in the right season and habitat. The next set are either strays or were regularly seen during wetter periods, but have not been reported since the drought began. The final three species are long shots. Additional unlisted species could stray into the county so keep a sharp eye and open mind!

Confirmed San Benito County residents:
--Sandhill Skipper - look on/near Salt Grass (Distichlis spicata, grows in slightly wet areas); recorded in April, late June/early July, and Oct (3? generations); reported from Pinnacles NP (just north of large rose patches 1/2 mile NE of Bacon Ranch), Paicines Ranch (private), and near Dry Lake (private); get an underside photo
--Golden Hairstreak - look near Canyon Live Oak (Quercus chrysolepis) in July-Sept; throw rocks at sunny branch tips to roust butterflies; check mud for puddlers; reported from Laguna Creek Gorge (BLM)
--Pacific Dotted-blue - look on/near nude buckwheat (Eriogonum nudum) probably in Aug-Sept; reported from New Idria area; get an underside photo
--Coronis Fritillary - glides much more than Callippe Fritillary; look on hilltops in June, nectar in Sept; reported from Pinnacles NP; get an underside photo

Confirmed records for San Benito County, but may be only strays or occasional colonizers:
--Sachem - seen April-Sept about 20 years ago
--Eufala Skipper - one record for Sept
--Harford's Sulphur - moved into the county in 2012, persisted through one winter; prob best June-July
--Purplish Copper - seen March-Aug about 20 years ago; near water with Polygonum sp.
--Dainty Sulphur - single record is in March
--Marine Blue - existing records are in Sept-Oct
--Eastern/Western Tailed-blue - two existing records are near a small sunny stream in June

Long shots:
--Common Sootywing - apparently recorded in the county, but date/location unknown; likely March-Jun? in weedy areas
--Moss' Elfin - no records, but Sedum host plant is present; larvae may be easier to find than adults
--Cloudless Sulphur - usually flies fast and high; probably best in summer and fall