Long Point Bird Observatory Monarch Butterfly Census

Long Point Bird Observatory
http://www.bsc-eoc.org/volunteer/cmmn/index.jsp?targetpg=lpbo&lang=EN

Project name: Canadian Migration Monitoring Network

Goals : To generate counts for use in long-term population monitoring of Monarch Butterflies.

Dataset summary : Data from the one hour Monarch Butterfly Census conducted daily at two locations at Long Point Bird Observatory during fall migration.

Status : Active

Year started : 1990

Years (comments) : The Monarch Butteryfly Census was added to the LPBO protocol in 1990

Season(s) and frequency : Fall Migration

Frequency : Daily

Geographic area covered : Long Point Bird Observatory in Southern Ontario.

Type(s) of habitat : Long Point is ~16,000 ha (39,500 acres) and is composed of sandy beaches, dunes, expansive wetlands, meadows, savannahs, and forests

Primary species covered : Monarch Butterfly

Field methods : Fall migration of monarch butterflies is monitored at two sites on Long Point: the Tip, at the eastern end of Long Point, and Breakwater, about 15km west of the Tip and closer to the base of the peninsula

Data format : SQL database

Data collection methods : Standardized counts consisted of a 1-h afternoon walking census conducted between 1300-1700 hours along a delineated path, during which a single surveyor counted the number of monarchs seen foraging or passing through the count area.

Publications : Crewe, T. L., and J. D. Mccracken. "Long-Term Trends in the Number of Monarch Butterflies (Lepidoptera:Nymphalidae) Counted on Fall Migration at Long Point, Ontario, Canada (1995-2014)." Annals of the Entomological Society of America, August 5, 2015, sav041. doi:10.1093/aesa/sav041. <a href=http://aesa.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2015/08/03/aesa.sav041>Full Article</a>