Butterfly Blitz

Join us for third annual Butterfly Blitz. This summer-long citizen science program is creating a watershed-wide inventory of butterflies in the Credit River Watershed. Participating in the program is a great way to connect with nature and spend time outdoors. You’ll have new experiences and contribute to a fun and interactive project.

You’ll learn how to identify butterfly species in your backyard and neighbourhood, and contribute important data to the program. You can take part on your own time and join our training webinars.

Data collected helps us learn about local butterfly populations and identify trends. Over time, the Butterfly Blitz database will provide valuable insight to help protect and restore wildlife habitat in the Credit River Watershed.

Please note: Due to COVID-19, Butterfly Blitz participants should only make observations from their own property and where it is safe and reasonable to do so during physical distancing.

GET INVOLVED

Become a citizen scientist and join the 2021 Butterfly Blitz. The Butterfly Blitz program runs May 8 to September 18, 2021.

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!

Participation Opportunities

Join our iNaturalist project:

• Stept 1: Register for iNaturalist. Create a profile using your email address, Facebook account or Google account.
• Step 2: Click on Community.
• Step 3: Select Projects. Search “CVC Butterfly Blitz 2021”.
• Step 4: Click Join.

BENEFITS OF JOINING THE BUTTERFLY BLITZ PROGRAM

• Receive a copy of A Pocket Guide to Butterflies of Southern and Eastern Ontario
• Receive links to our registration package full of great stuff, including:
  • • • Local butterfly species checklist
      • Butterfly identification resources
      • CVC landowner resources for supporting native butterflies and other pollinators
      • Receive weekly updates in the iNaturalist project and the chance of having your observation featured as the Observation of the Week
      • Learn about butterflies in our area – their biology, identification and habits – while spending time enjoying nature
      • Contribute data to help guide the protection and restoration of habitat in the Credit River Watershed.
  • Compete for prizes in the following categories on iNaturalist:
    • • Most observations submitted
      • Most species seen
      • Rarest species seen
      • Best photo
      • Greatest involvement across all participation opportunities
      • Lucky day prize given to a participant who submitted an observation on a randomly drawn day.

  Butterfly Blitz Contests All About Butterflies: Kids Drawing Challenge (ages 3-10) Challenge runs June 4 to July 4, 2021. See details HERE.   Butterfly Blitz Photo Contest (all ages) Contest runs July 5 to August 15, 2021. See details HERE.

  Sign-up for an upcoming training webinar:

  Butterfly Blitz – Online Training Session #1 Location: Online Date: Saturday, May 8, 2021 Time: 9:30 to 11 a.m. Register now!	About the program: Due to COVID-19, we’re delivering this training online. Join us for our third annual Butterfly Blitz. Our online training session will provide information on how to find and identify butterflies, as well as other helpful tips for your adventures ahead. Registration packages containing useful resources, such as species checklists and maps, will be available online. Note: we will follow up by email with webinar instructions for you to join the training session.
  Butterfly Blitz – Online Training Session #2 Location: Online Date: Sunday, May 9, 2021 Time: 9:30 to 11 a.m. Register now!	About the program: Due to COVID-19, we’re now delivering this training as a webinar. Our online training session will provide information on how to use iNaturalist and take insect photography with a smartphone, as well as other useful tips for your adventures ahead. Registration packages containing useful resources, such as checklists and maps, will be available online. Note: we will follow up by email with webinar instructions for you to join the training session.
  Butterfly Blitz – Online Training Session #3 Location: Online Date: Thursday, May 13, 2021 Time: 7 -8 p.m. Register now!	About the program: Due to COVID-19, we’re now delivering this training as a webinar. Want to make a difference in butterfly conservation? This webinar will teach how to effectively survey and catalogue butterflies. Learn where you can upload your results in order to provide meaningful data for studies in the region and contribute to both local and global butterfly conservation initiatives!  Note: we will follow up by email with webinar instructions for you to join the training session.
  Butterfly Count Location: Meet at Belfountain Public School and travel to different nearby natural areas Date: Saturday, June 26, 2021 CANCELLED Time: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.	We’ll complete a one-day butterfly count following the guidelines of the North American Butterfly Association (NABA). Participants are divided into teams. Each team will visit a different site in the upper Credit River Watershed and record the butterflies seen there. All sites are within a 15-mile (24 km) radius of Belfountain.
  Hungry Hollow SNAP Butterfly Survey Location: Meet at 271 Mountainview Rd. S, Georgetown and walk to ravine trails Date: Saturday, July 24, 2021 TO BE CONFIRMED Time: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.	Join the Butterfly Blitz and Hungry Hollow SNAP teams for this event. We’ll explore pollinator-focused restoration projects and discuss ongoing opportunities, all while looking for and learning about butterflies together. This is a great opportunity to add observations to the iNaturalist project!
  Fletchers Creek SNAP Butterfly Survey Location: Chris Gibson Park, Brampton Date: Saturday, August 21, 2021 TO BE CONFIRMED Time: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.	Join the Butterfly Blitz and Fletchers Creek SNAP teams for this event. We’ll explore pollinator-focused restoration projects and discuss ongoing opportunities, all while looking for and learning about butterflies together. This is a great opportunity to add observations to the iNaturalist project!
  Wrap-up Event and Celebration Location: To be confirmed Date: Saturday, September 18, 2021 TO BE CONFIRMED Time: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.	Join us as we celebrate the third annual Butterfly Blitz. We’ll award prizes and share our findings. More details to come as the date nears.

   

  

  
  iNaturalist app:

  • • • https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/inaturalist/id421397028?mt=8

  Identification and biology:

  • • • https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/969e-Biodiversity_ButterfliesBook-Division-Planning-And-Development.pdf
      • http://www.ontariobutterflies.ca/
      • https://bugguide.net/node/view/81

  
  Local insect and naturalist groups:

  • • • http://www.ontarioinsects.org/
      • https://hnpnc.com/site/
      • https://www.uppercreditfieldnaturalists.org/
      • https://southpeel.wordpress.com/

  
  Insect conservation:

  • • https://xerces.org/
    • https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/27/magazine/insect-apocalypse.html
    • https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2019/02/insect-apocalypse-really-upon-us/583018/
    • https://www.ontario.ca/page/species-risk-ontario#section-3