2009 Butterfly Count Results Are IN!

What an interesting year this was for Rhode Island's North American Butterfly Association count! Despite effort increasing in each category (number of observers, hours, and miles surveyed) the number of butterflies sighted was almost 30% lower than last year! Number of species decreased only slightly. Since both count days were sunny, our data is a good reflection of the adult butterfly population at the time. We can make a reasonable guess that the cold rainy weather led to the decrease in numbers. As we continue to do this survey, we will be able learn more and more about our fluctuating butterfly populations and identify trends over time. We deeply appreciate your participation and your vital help in understanding butterflies in RI!

Here’s a summary of last year and this year:

2008:
51 species
3521 butterflies
62 observers
104.5 hours
65.9 miles

2009:
48 species
2484 butterflies (down almost 30%!)
72 observers
105.65 hours
71.3 miles

Full results here.



The Cumberland Monastery team of Elise Barry, Walter Bosse, Wendy Miller, Pat Molloy, and Dolores Price found the highest number of species—23!

The team that recorded the highest number of butterflies in 2009 (843) was Eugenia Marks, Debra & Kurt Stiffel, and Hugh Willoughby. They surveyed the Environmental Education Center in Bristol, and a privately-owned field that has yielded large numbers of Baltimore Checkerspots in the past. This year it was even more abundant, with 700 seen! Last year this site earned the Bristol Co. survey area the distinction of being tied with one other site in Canada for most number of Baltimore Checkerspots seen. We may get that honor again this year…

A very exciting find was Audubon Conservation Director Scott Ruhren’s discovery of a population of Bog Coppers in a remote cranberry bog on one of Audubon’s refuges. These are rare butterflies that are on the State Heritage List and are only found in cranberry bogs. They can be abundant within those rare sites that they are found, and Scott recorded 35! (We unfortunately can’t release the location both because of the fragility of the habitat and the difficult and dangerous access.)

More interesting sightings can be found in the results themselves—enjoy, and thanks to everyone who participated!


Eugenia Marks & July Lewis
Audubon Society of RI
401-949-5454 x3044