Annual Yosemite National Park Butterfly Count

Lustrous Copper (Lycaena cupreus)

Sean Schoville

Yosemite National Park initiated its first annual "4th of July" butterfly count in the Tuolumne Meadows area in summer 2012. Yosemite coordinates this event in association with the North American Butterfly Association (NABA), an organization that conducts long-term monitoring of butterfly populations all over North America. The purpose of the NABA counts is to determine how many species and individual butterflies can be observed within a 15-mile diameter circle, during a 24 hour period, within the same date-span year after year. Participants spend the day gathering data toward long-term monitoring; raising public awareness toward butterfly conservation; and socializing and having fun with other butterfly devotees. The Yosemite National Park Butterfly Count circle is centered on Tioga Pass and includes hotspots such as Gaylor and Granite Lakes, Lundy Lake, Mono Lake, Lee Vining Canyon, Dana Meadows area, Saddlebag Lake, and up to the crest above Gardisky Lake.

 

Sierra Sulphur (Colias behrii) butterflies mating.

Sean Schoville

A group of enthusiastic and dedicated butterfly counters convened in Tuolumne on July 30, 2012 for the first annual Yosemite National Park Butterfly Count. Under a perfectly clear blue sky, four teams scoured the high country for butterflies, covering Tuolumne Meadows to the west and the edge of Mono Lake to the east. After about 8 hours of serious butterfly searching, the teams converged in Tuolumne to tally all the butterflies observed. The group reported their data, engaged in some detail-oriented discussions, passed pictures around the table, and concluded the day with a final count of 1,383 butterflies of 46 different species. Several highlights marked the day - including 8 different species of "little blues", a beautiful Nokomis Fritillary in Lee Vining Canyon, and 3 Chryxus arctics above Tioga Pass. Fritillaries won the award for "most abundant" with 514 individuals of 6 different species; and Shasta blue won the award for "most abundant species" with 256 individuals. As 2012 was just the first year of this annual count and an undoubtedly dry year, it will be exciting to see how future years will compare.
Related Information

• Check out an entry (includes photos) from our High Country Notebook Blog related to this 2012 event.
  
  
• Interested in other annual events to help you connect with your inner naturalist? Each year, tens of thousands of volunteers across the Americas join together annually during the Christmas Bird Count. The event provides a full day to celebrate birds. We take part here in Yosemite - learn more!