This weekend, I went to the UBC Botanical Garden to cover another Butterfly ID workshop for Wild Research. This was very similar to last year’s event, basically a crash course in family and species-level ID of BC butterflies and a pitch to take part in the BC Butterfly Atlas project. This project is a citizen science initiative aimed at documenting diversity and trends among butterfly species across the province. The classroom learning in the morning was followed by a walk around the grounds to catch and ID butterflies found amid the large botanical collection, which represents several BC habitat types.
Getting the ID sheet squared away with the field guides.
This kid was the focus of much of my attention! Super cute and periodically voicing her opinion on the proceedings.
ID quiz!
Seriously, the kid was pretty adorable.
We learned about diversity and ecology of butterflies, as well as planting a garden with butterflies in mind.
Butterflies can get to be about this big! (Taisha Mitchell was actually talking about planting for butterflies, and did a great job!)
I think I can see the speaker and the screen in her glasses. Enhance!
Well I guess that only works in the movies…
A Western Tiger Swallowtail in the garden.
Captive-reared Painted Ladies were on hand in case no wild ones showed up!
I am not sure what she is planning to do with this Painted Lady, but my guess is eat it!
A beautiful Halictid on the way to the Alpine section.
Getting familiar with the sweep net is an important component of the indoctrination training.
The pond in the Alpine section is actually a good place to find Pacific Treefrogs!