Baker Ponds Butterfly Count

The Baker Ponds Butterfly Count is New Hampshire's oldest butterfly count, now in its 21st year. The area we survey for butterflies sits at the southwestern edge of the White Mountain National Forest in the shadows of Mount Moosilauke. The places we visit include two 2000+ acre tree farms, mountain ponds, large meadows filled with milkweed and joe-pye weed, and properties offering panoramic mountain vistas. We typically observe 35 distinct butterfly species during our count. All participants are invited to be part of our count ending "Tally Rally" at Moosescoops Ice Cream in Warren where we share exciting finds from the day and enjoy some sweet treats. Join us to make new friends and explore the fascinating world of butterflies.   

All are welcome, regardless of butterfly knowledge or experience. Those new to butterflies will be paired with more experienced observers. The determination of what day we hold the butterfly count will not be made until noontime on Friday the 12th. The decided-upon date will be emailed to all registered participants sometime between noon and 12:30 on Friday the 12th.

$3 fee, which will be sent to the North American Butterfly Association to offset management costs for the count, food and drink, sunscreen, bug spray, hat with visor, lightweight long pants, field guide (if you have one), butterfly net (if you have one)

During the month of July, join the NH Butterfly Monitoring Network to complete a collaborative butterfly survey count across New Hampshire! Volunteers will meet in various parts of the state on a given day to complete an organized survey in a 15-mile diameter count area. A coordinator will help to organize participants providing locations to visit, maps, and datasheets. Participants will work in small teams, providing a great opportunity for learning and connecting with other butterfly enthusiasts while spending the day counting butterflies for a national dataset. Throughout the course of the day, each team will visit 2-4 sites, exploring fields, woodlands and wetlands to observe which species and how many individuals are present. Over time, these results can be used to monitor changes in butterfly populations and study the effects of weather and habitat change on North American butterflies. All butterfly enthusiasts are welcome, with or without prior experience!