Monarch butterfly numbers drop in Nova Scotia, Nature Conservancy hopes for sightings in weekend bioblitz event

Mark Frank is looking for Monarch butterflies this weekend in Halifax during the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s Big Backyard Bioblitz, but he’s not seeing very many.

The event, which started Thursday and runs to Monday, has people recording plants and wildlife in their yards to give an idea of the spread location of different species, particularly those that are new to an area or are invasive.

The NCC calls it a “community-science effort to document as many species as possible” over the August long weekend. It involves people taking photos or recording the species they see.

Frank, who works for the conservancy on the bioblitz, said he was talking to friends who also haven’t seen as many of the endangered butterflies.

He said he hasn’t seen any in the milkweed in his yard, “and I know the friends who I talk (with) have seen the numbers extremely low compared to last year.”

He said he’s been told that there was a very poor survival rate in the winter habitat of Mexico where the butterflies go, with the numbers being 20 to 30 per cent less than expected, before the difficulties of the long trip back to Nova Scotia.

Frank said there were 1,400 recordings of Monarchs across the country last year during the weekend.

The bioblitz, which started during the first year of the pandemic when travel was restricted and lockdowns were common, is based on the idea that some people have no idea of the varied life forms in the local neighbourhood and underfoot in our backyards.

Nova Scotians had several sightings of species interesting to the conservancy, including barn swallows and black ash.

People who don’t know what a particular species of plants, animals, birds and insects can upload photos using an inaturalist app to help identify it.

There were 550 people who took part in Nova Scotia in 2022, making 4,000 observations of different species. Frank hopes for higher numbers this year.

 Even if it rains, people can take part just by looking out the window.

 The conservancy says people can get involved while sitting on their deck, strolling through their neighbourhood, or spending time on the water or out on a local trail.

More details on how to participate can be found at the nature conservancy’s website.