The Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department is about halfway through a decade of data gathering on butterflies to help fill a scientific research void.
Butterfly monitoring and counting is scheduled for Saturday at five parks, preserves and conservation areas.
With populations in decline, researchers want to know if efforts to restore m numbers and species biodiversity are effective.
The information gathered goes online, said Juanita Armstrong-Ullberg, natural resource specialist with Maricopa County.
“And so local universities can use this data if anyone is doing any type of research about insects, pollinators or butterflies,” she said.
Armstrong-Ullberg also said the fall butterfly count is usually higher than in spring. She’s hopeful for decent results as pollinator shrubs and perennials have been blooming due to recent rain.
Training is Tuesday for people wanting to learn how to count and identify butterfly species. Those interested can sign up at maricopacountyparks.net/about-us/butterfly-monitoring/.
“You’ll go out for about four hours and you’ll do a specific route and you’ll count the butterflies that you see on that route,” Armstrong-Ullberg said.
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