How a unique network of volunteers monitors Colorado’s butterfly population – and why their findings are troubling

The red admiral. The black swallowtail. And the beautiful, bright orange monarch.  

Each year a network of volunteers fans out across Colorado to see how many of these, and other butterfly species, they can find. Those observations help scientists understand the health of the state’s butterfly population.  

Our guest today says that work is vital because butterflies are sensitive to changes in climate and habitat. And butterflies across the U.S. appear to be declining. That’s according to a recent study in the journal Science that incorporated some alarming data from the Colorado volunteers. 

Shiran Hershcovich oversees the network of butterfly observers. It’s part of her job managing conservation projects for the Butterfly Pavilion in Westminster. The program has trained more than 300 citizen butterfly observers since its launch in 2013. 

Shiran joined Erin O’Toole to talk about the network, and what its findings can tell us. 

Learn more about the butterfly monitoring network and its trainings for people interested in becoming volunteer butterfly observers.

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Host and Producer: Erin O'Toole
Producer: Ariel Lavery
Executive Producer: Brad Turner
Theme music by Robbie Reverb
Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions
In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.