Illinois Butterfly Monitoring Network
About Us / How to Join
Who are we?
All over Illinois, people are managing prairie and woodland sites. Most of the management activities have involved plants. In 1987, The Nature Conservancy decided to explore the effects of management on animals by creating the Butterfly Monitoring Network (BMN). The network began monitoring at 7 sites in the Chicagoland area. Since then, people have been monitoring the health of butterfly populations throughout northeastern and central Illinois. These citizen scientist volunteers come from all walks of life to help in this ongoing program. A few people come to the program already knowing many butterflies, but most people begin knowing just a few common species. More than 100 sites are now being monitored every year, and the program is being expanded throughout Illinois.
Other states and regions are adopting our protocols and forming their own Butterfly Monitoring Networks. The
Ohio Lepidopterists Society
has been monitoring for several years. Florida is now in the process of forming a BMN.
Northwestern Indiana
is monitoring 3 sites, with the hopes of expanding every year and eventually forming their own BMN. If you live within the Chicago city limits and wish to monitor, the sites there are administered by the
Chicago Park District Butterfly Monitoring Network.
Please go to their website or call 312-742-4072 to join.
How do we do it?
Trained volunteers collect and submit data each summer from an assigned site. They each commit to:
- conducting at least 6 site visits between June 1 and August 7, completing four of them before July 20,
- continuing for multiple seasons,
- spending 1 to 2 hours to walk the route during each visit,
- learning to identify 25 butterfly species the first year, and another 25 the second year,
- submitting data sheets at the end of the season, which are then added to the BMN database
We provide training for the volunteers through two events each year:
- Winter Indoor Workshop
- Summer Field Experience
We also provide ongoing support from the network leaders.
Why do we do it?
We've been around since 1987. Since that time, we've grown from seven sites monitored to more that 100 sites with over 3000 routes run. Over the years we have shown compatibility of some remnant-dependent species with a variety of land management techniques employed throughout the region. Through analysis of the extensive database, populations trends of species throughout the Chicagoland area are starting to emerge. These results will assist land managers in more effective conservation of the state's butterflies.
How can you help?
Many important sites do not yet have butterfly monitors. We continue to look for more volunteers. To join the Illinois Butterfly Monitoring Network, please fill out the short
application form.
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