WHEN TO RECORD

The season starts April 1st and finishes September 30th. You may begin recording earlier and carry on later if you wish, provided there are butterflies to record. At some sites, there may be some difficulty starting at the beginning of April due to cool temperatures, but recording should commence on the first suitable day after April 1st. Turn in a recording form from each day that you go out. It is also important to document when you do not see butterflies.

Recording weeks start April 1st. Week one runs from April 1st to 7th, week 2, April 8th to 14th, and so on regardless of the day of the week on which April 1st falls. This ensures that week one in 1999 can be compared directly with the same week in any other year. At least one transect walk should be completed in each recording week. If for some reason you have to miss a week, this should be noted, with the reason (e.g., no suitable weather).

TABLE SHOWING RECORDING WEEKS
*Note that weeks 5, 9, 18, and 22 begin in one month and end in the next month.

You can record on any day of the recording week. It may be day seven of week one and day one of week two. Do not try to set aside special days for recording, but rather walk the transect at the first opportunity which presents itself each recording week whenever possible. If your schedule is flexible, base it on suitable weather conditions.

Time of recording is restricted to a period around the middle of the day. Start after 11:00 and end before 17:00 (Eastern Daylight Time; add one hour to the recorded time if Eastern Standard Time is in effect).

Weather conditions have a considerable effect on the numbers of butterflies seen. To ensure that the counts are standardized as much as possible:

1. Do NOT walk a transect when the temperature is less than 60°F.

2. Between 60-65° F, a transect may be walked providing it is sunny for at least 75% of the sections.

3. Between 65-70° F, a transect may be walked provided it is sunny for at least 50% of the sections.

4. Above 70° F, a transect may be walked in any conditions, providing it is not actually raining.

Wind speed should be estimated using the Beaufort scale, at the beginning and end of the walk. Wind direction is the direction from which the wind is blowing. For example, SW wind direction means the wind is blowing from the southwest toward the northeast. It is inadvisable to record butterfly numbers when windspeed is in excess of 19-24 mph:

Here is the Beaufort estimated wind speed observation:

The shade temperature should be recorded in the space at the top of the format at the beginning and end of the walk. The temperature recorded should be in units of degrees Fahrenheit.

The percent cloudiness should be estimated by examining the sky from horizon to horizon. Ten percent clouds mean that 10% of the sky is covered in clouds, and 90% of the sky is devoid of clouds.

Sunshine should be recorded section by section in the Weather Codes section at the bottom of the form. As the transect progresses, fill in the boxes. If a shadow is cast, then record the condition as S for sunny. If no shadows are cast, then record the condition as O for overcast. If rain commences, record the condition as R for rain.

As the transect progresses and butterflies are observed, record the species name using the scientific or common name for each species observed. Names should be those used in Opler and Malikul (1998). Fill in the I.D. line for each species by placing a letter in the box signifying how the butterfly was identified: O for identified by observation, N for net & release, and C for collected. Place a P in the box if a photograph is taken so it can be matched up later with your pictures.

Record via codes the sections where larvae are observed. Also note some of the common energy sources the butterflies are currently using. This may include both nectar sources and other sources such as sap, feces, etc. You do not need to specify codes for each section. As an example, suppose milkweed is blooming in sections 3 and 5. Write milkweed as energy source number one, and place a 1 in the larva/energy sources code box for sections 3 and 5. Try to list several energy sources each time you do a survey. If there are none, make a note to that effect in the field notes.

Under "Flowers Currently in Bloom", identify one or more common flowers which are currently blooming. They need not be nectar sources used by butterflies, and can include trees. This data is used to gauge the progression of the growing season, which varies across the state. List plants or trees which are likely to be found across the state (e.g ., New England Aster, dogwood, blackberries.).

At the end of the transect, check that the records for temperature, sunshine, time of start, etc., are complete. Make sure all entries are legible. If necessay, rewrite the form to insure that a clear record is provided.