Join The Butterfly Count

At Audubon we are very excited about our upcoming annual Butterfly Counts!

These annual butterfly counts are organized all over North America by the North American Butterfly Association (NABA). Audubon Society of Rhode Island coordinates the counts in Rhode Island and submits the data to NABA. Volunteers go into specified survey areas to identify and record all the butterflies they can in one day. The event is open to the public, and amateurs are welcome. Participants may choose to survey for the whole day or a shorter time if they choose. Survey areas, according to NABA protocol, are 15 mile diameter circles. Once plotted, these same areas are re-surveyed every year. Click here to see maps of the survey areas.

If you are interested in joining, contact July Lewis at 401-949-5454 x3044 or jlewis@asri.org. There is a fee of $5 per participant for adults and children over the age of 12 and there is no charge for younger children. Participants are asked to attend one of the following orientations before the count:

Butterfly Count Orientations/ID Workshops:
Tuesday, June 23—6-7:30 pm at Portsmouth Free Public Library, 2658 East Main Rd., Portsmouth
Wednesday, July 1—6:30-8 pm at Audubon Headquarters, Powder Mill Ledges Refuge, 12 Sanderson Rd., Smithfield
Tuesday, July 7th—7-8:30 pm at US Fish & Wildlife’s Kettle Pond Visitor Center, 50 Bend Rd., Charleston
Thursday, July 9—7-8:30 pm at Audubon’s Fisherville Brook Refuge, Pardon Joslin Rd., Exeter

Butterfly Counts: East Bay: Saturday, June 27, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (Survey areas here also overlap into the West Bay) West Bay: Saturday, July 11, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

To get ready for the count, take a look at our Butterfly ID powerpoint, recently updated with local photos and new ID tips. If you want a challenge, check out our new, intermediate Butterfly ID Powerpoint 2: Skippers, Hairstreaks & Rarities.

Happy Butterflying!

Eugenia Marks & July Lewis Audubon Society of RI
401-949-5454