Butterfly Blitz

August Butterfly Blitz Bingo

Beginning July 1 through to September 13, you can take part in our Butterfly Blitz Bingo contest and enter to win one Individual Credit Valley Parks Pass!

Complete a Butterfly Blitz BINGO row, column, or diagonal line and fill out this form to be entered into a draw to win an Credit Valley Annual Parks Pass.

Read complete contest rules.

Download the July Butterfly Blitz Bingo Card.

Share Your Butterfly Sightings

Join CVC’s Butterfly Blitz program! We invite you to share information about your butterfly sightings to helps us create an inventory of butterflies in the Credit River Watershed.

As a citizen scientist in the Butterfly Blitz program, you’ll learn how to identify butterfly species in your backyard and neighbourhood. You can take part on your own time. The data you collect will help us learn important information about local butterfly populations.

This project has a five-year lifespan, which began in 2019. As we gather more data from sightings, we can:

Understand where different species of butterflies can be found in the watershed
Determine which butterflies are locally rare or common
Understand if species are becoming more or less common over time

Get Involved

Become a citizen scientist and join the 2023 Butterfly Blitz!

Not an expert? Not a problem! Anyone can contribute to Butterfly Blitz, and it’s a great way to learn. If you already know a bit about butterflies or want to commit more time to the project, we’ve got options for that, too. Everyone is welcome!

This year’s Butterfly Blitz runs May 6 to September 16.

Participation Opportunities

To participate in the Butterfly Blitz program, complete the following steps.

Register for iNaturalist online. Create a profile using your email address, Facebook account or Google account.
Click on Community.
Select Projects. Search “CVC Butterfly Blitz 2023”.
Click Join.

This year we’re offering both in-person and online training. If you can’t join us in-person, you can watch a recorded version online. Training will help you understand the project goals and the expectations we have for your participation.

Online Training

Watch our Butterfly Blitz Training videos:

When you register, you will receive an online resource kit to help your research. This resource kit includes:

Notes from the training videos, including: How to Find Butterflies, How to Identify Butterflies, How to use iNaturalist, Butterfly Photography, and How to Conduct Timed Surveys and use eButterfly
Species identification resources
Grid square map showing where more butterfly observations are needed
Species checklist of the butterflies of the Credit River Watershed
Timed survey form to use alongside timed surveys

This resource kit is also available by request.

There are a few different research activities in which you may take part.

iNaturalist Project

Submit photo observations of butterflies in the Credit River Watershed on your own time. Observations are welcome between May 6 and September 16.

Location: Anywhere in the Credit River Watershed
Date: May 6 to September 16, 2023
Time: Self-directed (any-time)

Timed Surveys on eButterfly

To participate in this option, you’ll commit to completing four 15-minute butterfly surveys, on your own time, throughout the summer. You’ll submit your observations to CVC through the online platform eButterfly.

Location: Anywhere in the Credit River Watershed
Date: May 6 to September 16, 2023
Time: Self-directed (any time)

We offer guided events and training to learn more about butterflies how to participate.

Butterfly Blitz: Butterfly Identification Walk

The Butterfly Blitz program is in full swing and our partner, The Riverwood Conservancy will be hosting an event at Riverwood. Join us for a guided hike through Riverwood looking at all things that flutter! Learn the basics of identifying butterflies by their colours, size, shape and flight. Register now.

Location: The Riverwood Conservancy, 4300 Riverwood Park Lane, Mississauga, ON L5C 2S7

Date: Saturday, August 19, 2023

Time: 10 a.m. to 11:30a.m. Participants must arrive on time to take part but are able to leave throughout the event.

Butterfly Blitz Wrap-up and Celebration

Join Credit Valley Conservation’s Butterfly Blitz team to celebrate the end of the fifth and final year of the Butterfly Blitz! The evening will include an overview of all five years of the project, prizes and a film screening of Flight of the Butterflies.

Participants will submit timed survey data sheets, hear an overview of the project results, and share some exciting field finds. Prizes will be awarded for the following six categories: most species, rarest find, most observations, best photo, most participation and the lucky day prize. The evening will conclude with some light refreshments and the film screening of Flight of the Butterflies.

Everyone is welcome to attend. The event will run until 8:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be provided. Register now.

Location: Terra Cotta Conservation Area (14452 Winston Churchill Boulevard Halton Hills, ON L7G 0N9)

Please meet us at the Outdoor Education Centre. Park gatehouse staff can direct you where to go upon arrival. Park admission is free for Butterfly Blitz participants.

Date: Saturday, September 16, 2023

Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Butterfly Blitz participants will receive free entry to the park.

Learn about the biology, identification and habits of butterflies in our area, all while spending time enjoying nature.
Contribute data to help guide the protection and restoration of habitat in the Credit River Watershed.
Receive links to a registration package full of great resources, including:
- Butterflies of Southern and Eastern Ontario fold out pocket guide
- Local butterfly species checklist
- Butterfly identification resources
- Map of areas in need of butterfly observations
- Weekly updates in the iNaturalist project with a chance to have your observation featured as the Observation of the Week.