Bobcat Ridge Management Plan - City of Fort Collins, CO

3. Moths and Butterflies
As part of the biological survey done by Colorado Natural Heritage Program in the summer of
2004, an inventory of moths, butterflies and their habitats was conducted — much of the following
section is adapted from this report (Drummond 2004). The Colorado Front Range is the fourth
richest butterfly region in the United States (Opler 1994; Opler and Krizek 1984). This is likely due
to the variety of environmental conditions at the convergence of the Rocky Mountains and Great
Plains, including moist and arid zones, mountain and plains habitats and forest and grassland
communities. Table 4.5 summarizes the major butterfly habitat types in Bobcat Ridge Natural Area.
Table 4.5 Major butterfly habitat types at Bobcat Ridge Natural Area
Habitat Types
1. Foothills canyons,
with water present
2. Native short-grass
and mixed grass
prairies
3. Grassy openings in
coniferous forests
4. Old fields, pastures,
roadsides, power-line
cuts
5. Rocky outcrops,
serpentine areas
6. Wet meadows, bogs,
fens, marshes and
stream sides
Notes
Sections of east-draining canyons with steep granite
walls, running water, plunge pools; with stonecrop
(Sedum lanceolatum) for Moss’s Elfin and wild hops
(Humulus lupulus) for Hops Azure. [Note: Sedum
was present, but Humulus was not seen.]
None seen
On upper ridges between east-draining canyons and
along the upper North road and upper Power Line
Road (leading to Mahoney Park.)
Areas west of the Hanson Feeder Canal in the
southern portion, with better examples further north
to the west of the historic cabin. These are very
disturbed with little native vegetation.
Extreme NE corner of property, to the ENE of
the historic cabin, has good sandstone outcrops
culminating in a tiny plateau rich in wildflowers,
especially Asteraceae, and with some native grasses.
Mahoney Park has extensive wet meadows with
representative wetland vegetation. Brooks Canyon
is very disturbed riparian.
38 Wildlife
Rating
(1 = low,
5 = high)
Bobcat Ridge Natural Area was surveyed for butterflies on April 16, 2004, and on May 21, 2004.
A total of 19 species of butterflies were recorded from 11 hours of observation (Table 4.6). This is a
very low number of species to be observed for a spring survey in the Colorado foothills. No single
species was very common, and fully a third of the recorded species were represented by a single
observation.
3
1
3
2
4
3