Counting Butterflies

               A large group of birders, naturalists, conservationists, photographers and other good people gathered for the Environmental Studies on the Piedmont’s 20^th Annual Butterfly Count at the Clifton Farm Field Station in Warrenton, Virginia.  Several groups surveyed about ten different sites for the count, which contributes data to a nationwide study compiled by the North American Butterfly Association. 

                Local butterfly counts are a key component of a larger research effort to monitor  butterfly populations for changes that may be affected by weather, habitat change or other issues that impact the health of a butterfly species.  Sure, butterflies are pretty, help pollinate plants and are part of the food chain, but why are the numbers so important?  Twenty-two species in the U.S. are listed as threatened or endangered. The Xerces blue disappeared from California several years ago.  Last year two butterfly species in Florida were declared extinct by the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service.  The monarch population has decreased nearly 90% over a twenty year period.  Who knows, if we can save the butterflies, maybe we can save ourselves.

 

A dry, hot day in July was ideal for hunting butterflies.

 

Among the many butterflies and skippers we saw, there were plenty of tiger swallowtails.

 

We spotted a few red admirals.

 

Spicebusg swallowtails showed up for the count.

 

It was exciting to see some monarchs. 

 

Some participants tallied numbers and compared notes at the end of the day.