Lake Sunapee Butterfly Count

The Lake Sunapee Butterfly Count is an annual event that occurs each July, as part of the NH Butterfly Monitoring Network.   This local count includes properties under permanent conservation through the Ausbon-Sargent Land Preservation Trust, with each small group assigned to cover 3-4 properties, whereby they work together to identify and count all butterfly species on those properties to report to NABA and NH Fish and Game Wildlife Biologists.  

All are welcome, regardless of butterfly knowledge or experience. Those new to butterflies will be paired with more experienced observers.    This is a fair-weather event.  By noon time on Friday, an e-mail will be sent out to those participants who have provided it, if the date will be changed to Sunday due to weather conditions or to confirm the event is proceeding as planned for Saturday.     

$3 cash fee is required by the North American Butterfly Association, which will be sent to them with the count data after the count.   Prepare to be "in the field" from arrival time through 3:00-4:00 p.m..   You will be traveling by car between assigned properties and carpooling can be fun (you will meet your group in the parking lot in the morning).  Please additionally bring what you personally need to care for yourself that day (food and drink, sunscreen, tick protection, bug spray, hat with visor, lightweight long pants, epi-pen if you have bee allergies, etc.) as well as what you may need to assist with identifications such as field guide, butterfly net (if you have one), camera, petri dish (if you have one), cell phone camera or e-butterfly app.  

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!

E-mail Amy Highstrom at ahighstrom@gmail.com. Please send an e-mail with participant name(s), age(s), level of experience, and any special accommodations or requests that may impact the group to which you are assigned. Amy will write back to you to confirm it was received and to ask/answer any further questions you might have. She will have spotty internet access between June 16th-July 7th, so if you do not get a reply right away please do not be concerned unless you have not heard from her before Saturday.