Southeast Arizona Butterfly Tour Report (Sept 28–Oct 3, 2025): Giant-Skippers, Sky Islands & Rare Finds
Our Southeast Arizona butterfly tour (September 28–October 3, 2025) explored some of the best habitats in the region—from the Santa Rita Mountains and Huachuca Mountains to the Sky Island canyons near Patagonia and the high elevations of the Mogollon Rim. Over six full days of butterflying, we tracked down an exciting mix of Sonoran desert species, mountain specialties, and a standout lineup of Giant-Skippers.
Highlights included memorable encounters with Huachuca Giant-Skipper, Orange Giant-Skipper, Bauer’s Giant-Skipper, and Poling’s Giant-Skipper, along with a wide variety of satyrs, checkerspots, hairstreaks, and mud-puddling skippers. Below is the full day-by-day trip report with locations, conditions, and the best finds from each stop.
Table of Contents
- Day 1 — Santa Rita Mountains (Madera Canyon + Montosa Canyon)
- Day 2 — Huachuca Mountains (Garden Canyon + Coronado Peak)
- Day 3 — Sonoita, Canelo, Harshaw, Patagonia, Tumacacori & Sweetwater Wetlands
- Day 4 — Mingus Mountain (Jerome Area) & Orange Giant-Skipper
- Day 5 — Sycamore Creek, Gisela, Mogollon Rim & Mount Ord
- Day 6 — Santa Catalina Mountains (Molino Basin + Incinerator Ridge + Tucson)
- Upcoming Butterfly Tours
Day 1 — Santa Rita Mountains (Madera Canyon + Montosa Canyon)
After arrivals, we headed off to the Santa Rita Mountains, starting with Madera Canyon. We first stopped at Proctor Road and picked up our first Arizona Checkerspots (Texola perse). We then headed to higher elevation to look for a separate slate of species. There were quickly found a number of Red-bordered Satyrs (Gyrocheilus patrobas) flitting up and down the wash. We also noted a few Arizona Sisters (Adelpha eulalia) some of which eventually posed for photos. On the way back down canyon, we checked out a few other spots with nectar, most notably a stand of blooming seepwillow that held some Arizona Dull Firetips (Apyrrothrix arizonae). We spent some time trying for views and photos of the ventral side, which are anything but dull.
We then moved on to Montosa Canyon. Very different from Madera Canyon, this canyon is much drier and contains some excellent Sonoran thornscrub habitat. We poured some water in the wash and were rewarded with a Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) and a brief visit from an Arizona Skipper (Codatractus arizonensis). Eventually a flying blur caught our attention which turned out to be a Violet-clouded Skipper (Lerodea arabus), always a nice find. We then headed back to Tucson for the night.
Day 2 — Huachuca Mountains (Garden Canyon + Coronado Peak)
Garden Canyon
Today was reserved for the legendary Garden Canyon in the Huachuca Mountains. We arrived to cool temperatures but species diversity soon began to pick up. A few Nabokov’s Satyrs (Cyllopsis pyracmon) made an appearance, with a couple allowing close approach in the cooler weather. Bordered Patches (Chlosyne lacinia) quickly became the dominant species of the day. Arizona Dull Firetips (Apyrrothrix arizonae) also put in a fantastic showing; we would ultimately tally 25 on the day. Checking mud along and on the road, we found our first Arizona Giant-Skipper (Agathymus aryxna), a cooperative individual that posed for photos. We also noted several “Arizona” Red-spotted Purples (Limenitis arthemis arizonensis) on territory and a single Arizona Skipper (Codatractus arizonensis). And while not a butterfly, a rare “Santa Clara” Grassland Tiger Beetle (Cicindelidia obsoleta santaclarae) made an appearance.
As we worked our way up to higher elevation we started to see Huachuca Giant-Skippers (Agathymus evansi), our main target here. At the top of the canyon, we slowed to work stands of Parry’s Agave, the skipper’s host. Among the agaves, we not only were treated to dorsal views of this range-restricted species but also found two mated pairs! Finally sated with close-up views and photos, we began to make our way back down the canyon. Most notable on the downward trek were a cooperate Arizona Sister (Adelpha eulalia) giving great ventral views, two Two-tailed Swallowtails (Papilio multicaudata) on one thistle flowerhead, and an Arizona Giant-Skipper (Agathymus aryxna) that kept landing on us.
Coronado Peak
After taking lunch at the car, we decided to head over to Coronado Peak to look for hilltopping species. We made the short climb up to the summit and were rewarded with amazing views south into Mexico. Among butterflies, most noteworthy were the four Vanessa species: West Coast Lady (Vanessa annabella), Painted Lady (Vanessa atalanta), American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis), and Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta). With a day full of butterflies under our belts, we headed back to Tucson for some dinner and rest.
Day 3 — Sonoita, Canelo, Harshaw, Patagonia, Tumacacori & Sweetwater Wetlands
Various locations in the Sonoita/Patagonia/Harshaw direction would be on the itinerary today. We first made a brief stop in Sonoita to check for hilltopping Arachne Checkerspots (Poladryas arachne). Although we found that the checkerspots were not flying, we enjoyed the fantastic views, with seven Madrean sky island ranges present.
Canelo
We then made a run down to Canelo to check for the rare Sunrise Skipper (Adopaeoides prittwitzi). We failed to find the skipper but did pick up some more common species including the only Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos) of the trip.
Harshaw
Harshaw was next on the itinerary. We concentrated on two areas holding water. Acacia Skipper (Cogia hippalus) was our best species here; we noted a couple of individuals coming to mud. An “Arizona” Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis arizonensis) was also nice to see.
Patagonia
We next headed to Patagonia, where cultivated flowers can bring in less common species. The community gardens were especially active. We noted Acacia Skipper (Cogia hippalus) among many more common species like Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor) and Gulf Fritillary (Dione incarnata). A Golden-headed Scallopwing (Staphylus ceos) was a nice pickup, and a fast flying Toltec Roadside-Skipper (Amblyscirtes tolteca) was perhaps the best find so far.
With some time remaining, we headed out of the area to Tumacacori. Here we worked a very different habitat – low-lying floodplain of the Santa Cruz River. Blooming Tithonia plants were especially active, and we enjoyed the many Fatal Metalmarks (Calephelis nemesis) and Texan Crescents (Anthanassa texana) fighting for territory in the dappled sunlight. The big surprise here was a cooperative Toltec Roadside-Skipper (Amblyscirtes tolteca) that allowed for many photos.
Lastly, we stopped at Sweetwater Wetlands in Tucson to see what was flying. Nectar was sparse but we did pick up some new species, including Eufala Skipper (Lerodea eufala) before calling it a day.
Day 4 — Mingus Mountain (Jerome Area) & Orange Giant-Skipper
Today we would head north to Mingus Mountain near Jerome. A number of species not found in SE AZ were possible today with the rare Orange Giant-Skipper (Agathymus neumoegeni) at the top of the list. With an early start to beat the Phoenix traffic, we arrived to cold temperatures on the mountain.
We spent some time scouting the wash and working some stands of Wright’s Buckwheat (Eriogonum wrightii) for Euphilotes blues. Eventually we headed up to higher elevation. As we pulled up to the trailhead, we flushed an Orange Giant-Skipper (Agathymus neumoegeni). Though it never reappeared, this was a great sign.
Along the trail, we noted some gorgeous Red-bordered Satyrs (Gyrocheilus patrobas) and turned up a stunning Great Purple Hairstreak (Atlides halesus) at nectar. Mormon Metalmarks (Apodemia mormo) soon began to make their presence known in numbers.
At the top of a hill, we found Apache Skippers (Hesperia woodgatei) in small numbers vying for territory. While enjoying this rare species, an even rarer Orange Giant-Skipper (Agathymus neumoegeni) landed on a rock a few feet away from us.
It quickly became apparent that they were hilltopping as well, a behavior that has likely never been documented before. Our count here was 4-6 in total! A few individuals were especially cooperative and essentially ignored us while we photographed them.
With our fill of these rarities, we headed down the mountain to search for some more species, namely Canyonland Satyr (Cyllopsis pertepida) and Mead’s Wood Nymph (Cercyonis meadii). While we did not end up finding either species, we did find another 2-3 Orange Giant-Skipper (Agathymus neumoegeni), this time coming to mud. It was a surreal situation where we ignored this rare species in hopes of finding our other targets! We then headed back to Tucson for the night.
Day 5 — Sycamore Creek, Gisela, Mogollon Rim & Mount Ord
We would again head north today as part of an ambitious plan to visit a number of locations including the Mogollon Rim. Sycamore Creek near the Beeline Highway was our first stop. Here we targeted two Euphilotes Blues – “Dammer’s” Dotted Blue (Euphilotes enoptes dammersi) and Rita Blue (Euphilotes rita) among stands of Wight’s Buckwheat (Eriogonum wrightii) in beautiful chapparal country. After finding a few Mormon Metalmarks (Apodemia mormo), we did turn up three “Dammer’s” Dotted Blues (Euphilotes enoptes dammersi) although Rita Blue (Euphilotes rita) eluded us.
Gisela
Next, we continued north to the small town of Gisela. Bauer’s Giant-Skipper (Agathymus baueri) would be our target here. It was not long before we found our first one zipping around and coming intermittently to mud. After seeing a few more, one landed right on the trail, allowing for some close up photos. Tearing ourselves away from the skippers, we spent some time searching the area and turned up a couple of surprises: a few Tropical Least Skippers (Ancyloxypha arene) and two Gray Buckeyes (Junonia grisea). These would be our only sightings of both species for the trip.
Mogollon Rim
The Mogollon Rim was next up. Very different from the chapparal that we had visited so far this day, the Mogollon Rim is Ponderosa Pine dominated and holds a more northerly flavor of species. In particular, we were after the fall flying Nokomis Fritillary (Argynnis Nokomis).
We first checked some stream habitat and a field of thistle but came up empty. We did, however, find a Western Clouded Sulphur (Colias eriphyle), a Field Crescent (Phyciodes pulchella), and a Mylitta Crescent (Phyciodes mylitta). Overall, the area was quiet, and we moved on to Woods Canyon Lake to take lunch.
After lunch, we worked some nearby wet meadows and this time were rewarded with five Nokomis Fritillaries (Argynnis nokomis). We were especially happy to see two males since October is very late for them to be flying, unlike females. After enjoying the fritillaries for a while, we tore ourselves away to head back south.
Mount Ord
Mount Ord was our final destination of the day, with Canyonland Satyr (Cyllopsis pertepida) and Mead’s Wood Nymph (Cercyonis meadii) as our targets. On the drive up, we noted approximately ten Bauer’s Giant-Skippers (Agathymus baueri) zipping by, but with no water around they would be impossible to find stationary. Eventually we reached the pines and pulled over to walk a dirt track. The area was very dry with no nectar present; clearly the monsoon rains had missed this area. We did however turn up one Canyonland Satyr (Cyllopsis pertepida) flitting among sunlit patches of the forest floor. With the shadows growing long, we made our way back down the mountain and south to Tucson for the night.
Day 6 — Santa Catalina Mountains (Molino Basin + Incinerator Ridge + Tucson)
Today would be spent in the Santa Catalina Mountains close to Tucson. We began the day at Molino Basin in search of our primary target, Poling’s Giant Skipper (Agathymus polingi). A few territorial males were present, and luckily one kept landing on the trail for easy viewing and photography. After our fill of our target, we checked a couple of sections within the wash. A Common Streaky-Skipper (Celotes nessus) was a very good find and also a new late date record for Arizona. Other unique species in the wash included Theona Checkerspot (Chlosyne theona) and Lupine Blue (Icaricia lupini), both coming to mud.
Next we continued up the mountain in search of Black Checkerspot (Chlosyne cyneas) and other high elevation species. We walked the Arizona Trail along Incinerator Ridge, enjoying the spectacular views. Unfortunately we did not find the checkerspot, the poor monsoon in this mountain range likely having a negative impact. With time still to spare, we decided to try for Small Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus scriptura) in Tucson. Conditions were again dry here and though we found a few White-checkered Skippers (Burnsius albezens) hiding on their mallow hosts, our target did not appear. Finally it was time to end our hunt and with it our tour.
Upcoming Butterfly Tours
If you enjoyed this trip report and want to join us in the field, here are a few upcoming tours you may want to check out:
Northeast Spring Specialties
May 25–29, 2026
Discover the Northeast’s Secret Butterflies
Late May in New England and eastern New York brings a fleeting chance to see some of North America’s rarest spring butterflies. This unique five-day tour is timed to overlap the flights of two especially elusive species: the Bog Elfin and the Early Hairstreak.
From black spruce bogs and sandy pine barrens to the cool ridges of the Berkshires, we’ll explore a wide range of habitats in search of these specialties—along with a supporting cast of Azures, skippers, and spring whites. Each day offers the chance to add another rarity, all within easy reach of our comfortable Springfield, Massachusetts base.
Jewels of the Andes and Amazon
October 2 –15, 2026
Join us on a fantastic butterfly tour of Colombia! This tour will take you to two very different and distinct areas of the country, allowing you to see a wide variety of different butterflies.
We’ll start in Bogotá and venture into the Putumayo region to explore the Andean-Amazonian mountains. This area is home to many different species of butterflies, so you’re sure to see some incredible species.
The second half of our trip will take us to the mountains at medium altitude (1200m) near Santa Maria, Boyacá. Santa María (800 masl) is one of the best places to see and photograph nature in the entire Eastern Cordillera (eastern slope). Researchers estimate that the Boyacá region is home to about 600 species of butterfly. During the following days, we will visit different locations well known as butterfly hotspots, where we can find species such as Morpho menelaus lecromi, Morpho teseus, Morpho peleides. In addition to unique species such as Prepona praeneste, Heliconius heurippa (ENDEMIC), three species of Epiphile, Doxocopa, Perisama, Leodonta, Catasticta, among many others.
Sri Lanka Butterfly and Wildlife Expedition
August 2-15, 2026
Join Fauna Venture’s Wings & Wilds Expedition, an extraordinary 14-day journey through Sri Lanka’s richest ecosystems, from lowland rainforests to highland plateaus. Designed for butterfly enthusiasts, birdwatchers, and wildlife lovers, this Sri Lanka Butterfly and Wildlife Expedition tour offers unforgettable encounters with Sri Lanka’s diverse fauna, including endemic butterflies, vibrant birdlife, and iconic mammals such as elephants, leopards, and sloth bears.
Spots are often limited, so we recommend reserving early once dates are announced.