Brazos Bend State Park Butterfly Count
Sunday, October 9, 2011.
Meet at the 40-acre Lake parking lot at 9:00 am.
Everyone is invited and no experience is required. Beginners will be paired with experienced counters. The extra eyes are very helpful and it is a fun way to learn to identify our local butterflies.
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This citizen science project is one of several annual butterfly counts in the Houston area (and many more nationwide). Participants divide into small groups and patrol areas within BBSP and vicinity counting all species and individual butterflies they see. We gather at the Elm Lake picnic ground at 12:30 to tally our preliminary results and eat our sack lunches. Those who wish to count in the afternoon, patrol other areas outside the park within the official 15-mile count circle and email their results to us.
Bring lunch, drinking water, mosquito repellant, sun protection, and (if you have them) butterfly field guides and close-focusing binoculars. Cameras are also helpful to assist in identification. There is a $3.00 per person North American Butterfly Association fee to participate. The Park entry fee will be waived for participants who stop at headquarters and identify themselves as participants in the count.
Our first count in 1995 tallied 392 butterflies of 30 species. The record count of 2001 found 5340 butterflies of 57 species. Last year we saw 796 individuals of 44 species, including record numbers of Monarchs, Northern Cloudywings and Little Wood-Satyrs.
For additional information contact count compilers Rich and Sandy Jespersen at richj@consolidated.net, or phone 979-553-3575, cell phone during count 832-454-2127.
Rich Jespersen
TMN-COT Butterfly Count Coordinator
This event has been approved for Volunteer Time by the TMN-COT Chapter.
You may claim:
- VT hours for the actual number of volunteer hours.
- Actual travel time, not to exceed the number of VT hours claimed.
Please code your timesheet "BBSP" in the "Partners or Events" column.