News Release

2020 Bryce Canyon Butterfly Count Provides Safe, Outdoor Fun

Tony Jones shares a Melissa Blue with Kim Barton and her niece, Ella

NPS/Peter Densmore

News Release Date: July 16, 2020

Contact: Peter Densmore

On Saturday, July 11th sixteen park visitors, local volunteers, and rangers gathered to conduct a butterfly count in the Bryce Canyon area. After a brief pep talk on the importance of citizen science, butterflies, and social distancing they shared a sunny morning and partly cloudy afternoon along hilltops, meadows, forests, and reservoir shores. By the end of the count they’d found 115 butterflies across 20 different species.

In years past, Ranger Steve Mueller had been this park’s Lepidoptera expert—conducting seasonal research projects, leading thirteen July butterfly counts from 2001-2016, and even discovering a new species of Virgin Tiger moth in the park (Grammia brillians). Unfortunately, health reasons have precluded Ranger Steve from travelling from his home in Michigan to conduct further counts, and they were briefly discontinued. That is until last year when, partly in Ranger Steve’s honor, and almost entirely out of his love for butterflies and public education, ranger Robb Hannawacker travelled 6 hours from Canyonlands to continue the tradition. He repeated the trip again this year and led one group of volunteers to areas including Swamp Canyon and Paria View, while Utah Lepidopterists’ Society President Tony Jones led the other group to Tropic Reservoir and areas along Johns Valley Road.

A dry spring in the high plateaus has had a noticeable impact on the wildflower bloom this year, providing a challenge to butterflies that depend on them as host plants and nectar sources. Still, there were many beautiful surprises in flight. Small wood-nymphs, with their brown wings and yellow-ringed spots, were by far the most common species this year at thirty-three. Surprisingly close behind were the less-common Hedgerow Hairstreaks—so named for the slim hair-like tails on the corner of their hindwings—at thirty sightings. Sandhill Skippers followed with thirteen. Many of these were seen nectaring near East Creek meadow at Rocky Mountain irises, which was an unfamiliar butterfly/plant relationship to the group. Among other sightings were four boldly-colored Weidemeyer’s Admirals, the sunny orange wings of seven Mormon and Zerene Fritillaries, and two Spaulding’s Blues awaiting females atop redroot buckwheat. There was also a single Gray Buckeye which, like Monarchs and Painted Ladies, migrates into Utah every spring from the south. Other species included five Behr’s Hairstreaks, three Clouded Sulphurs, three Orange Sulphurs, two Zephyr Commas, two Pale Crescents, two Field Crescents, two Melissa Blues, one Sylvan Hairstreak, one Sonoran Skipper, one Blue Copper, one Echo Azure, and one Persius Duskywing. Butterfly larvae are also counted as part of the census, and though many host plants were checked, none were seen.

Butterflies are especially sensitive to environmental changes, and scientists can refer to trends in their populations for indications of the general health of an area. The results of this count will be shared with the park’s Resources division and posted to both iNaturalist and eButterfly. Previous years’ count data was also entered through the North American Butterfly Association. Photos from this year’s event can be found at https://go.nps.gov/2020brycebutterflyphotos

There are plans to continue the count next year, though an exact date has not yet been chosen. Those interested in other citizen science opportunities at the park should consider joining the 2020 Christmas Bird Count, another free event tentatively scheduled for December 19. To learn more about Bryce Canyon National Park, park conditions, and upcoming events, visit the park website at www.nps.gov/brca or call the park’s information line at [phone].