Butterfly inventory

Observations for 1990 to 2003 are from Peter Hall. They were extracted from the Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility databases. Data for 2004-2008 are from Christine Hanrahan - mainly her own observations, but including confirmed sightings and photos by others. A few sightings in 2001 and 2003 are based on photographs taken by volunteers and our summer employees.

When more than one observer has numbers for the same date, we take only the highest count for each species. This allows us to avoid same-day duplication; however, duplication still occurs because we can't be sure we're seeing different butterflies each day.

+ = few (3-5), ++ = common (>5), +++ = abundant (>20), C = at least one caterpillar was seen, E = eggs were seen
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
No. of observation days 6 1 2 3 2 2 6 3 7 1 3 1 1 1 37 41 46 63 75
No. species seen 9 4 5 9 7 3 12 12 20 5 9 10 7 3 20 18 25 31 32
Skippers — Hesperiidae
Silver-spotted Skipper-------1------22-18
Arctic Skipper --------2----------
Least Skipper -----+1+-----1--112
European Skipper 5++++++++-++-++-10Yes++-10165251240
Peck's Skipper --------2-1------1-
Tawny-edged Skipper ------------1-----2
Long Dash Skipper 1--1--+-3-1Yes2---128
Delaware Skipper -----------------4-
Hobomok Skipper ------21---Yes--135127
Dun Skipper ----------------363
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 20072008
Swallowtails — Papilionidae
Black Swallowtail 1---2-4-E102--Yes-C-1-C4524-C16-C4
Canadian Tiger Swallowtail -------16-----22263
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 20072008
Whites and sulphurs — Pieridae
Cabbage White 310+++++-++++++2Yes2-134492202183
Clouded Sulphur --++++++-6141-1Yes--521678215
Orange Sulphur ---11---------1--11
Pieri sp. ------------------2
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 20072008
Gossamer-wing Butterflies — Lycaenidae
Bronze Copper -------------1-----
Banded Hairstreak ---------------2-14
Striped Hairstreak ------1-1-------112
Eastern Tailed Blue ----------1-----121513
Spring Azure 3-------1-----541255
Summer Azure ---4----11-----12618
Silvery Blue---+--++4++--Yes5++2226281488
Blue sp.-----------------1-
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 20072008
Brush-footed Butterflies — Nymphalidae
American Snout Mark------------------2
Question Mark-1------1--Yes-----1-
Eastern Comma-----------1--3--75
Comma sp.---------------112-
Compton Tortoiseshell-----1------------1
Mourning Cloak7----------1--331414
Milbert's Tortoiseshell--------1-----1-1-1
American Lady1--1------1-CC--C314-C2
Painted Lady--2---------------1
Red Admiral32------1--21-----11-
Great Spangled Fritillary-----1--11----1-6-2
Atlantis Fritillary------1------------
Fritillary sp.-----------------12
Northern Crescent1-----+11-----2-4--
White Admiral------------1-23147
Viceroy----1-E----1----4-31-
Northern Pearly-eye------------------1
Little Wood-Satyr---------------3235
Common Ringlet-1++++--++++++-3-+++11304762129
Common Wood-Nymph----------------1-3
Anglewing sp.------------------1
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 20072008
Monarchs — Danaidae
Monarch----5--3-3-Yes-C-111688-C179-5C 36

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This page was updated on 13 April 2009
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