How IRC and iNaturalist Are Coming Together for Butterflies

Butterfly populations are facing serious challenges, inspiring organizations and communities across the country to join forces to protect and restore these remarkable pollinators. To support butterfly populations in Orange County, Irvine Ranch Conservancy (IRC) has been working over the past two years to restore nectar and larval host plants in 11 designated butterfly habitat “islands” within OC Parks’ Limestone Canyon. This pilot project focuses on cultivating diverse patches of native plants that can support 10 locally declining butterfly species. Early results are encouraging, showing a significant increase in butterfly diversity, with overall butterfly abundance beginning to trend upward.

Collecting reliable data to show the success of this project, however, presents challenges. Formal data collection requires extensive manpower to go into the field to survey, and butterflies are not easily captured on wildlife cameras to observe outside of the field. To expand monitoring efforts and get more information, IRC launched a project on iNaturalist, Butterfly Enhancement Plot, that invites the community to participate during guided activities. The app is not only used as a tool to help the public learn more about nature, but is also used as a tool for experts that contributes valuable data to scientific research and conservation efforts. Organizations worldwide, including IRC, can utilize the data on iNaturalist to monitor and survey their local wildlands.

Here’s how it works: when community members upload photos of plants or animals to iNaturalist, any observations that meet a project’s location and species criteria are automatically added to the project.  In the case of the IRC Butterfly Enhancement Plot Project, any observations recorded directly in or around the enhancement plots are included. iNaturalist’s artificial intelligence suggests identifications, which are then reviewed and verified by fellow nature enthusiasts and experts. This collaborative process has already led to the identification of several rare or difficult-to-identify butterfly species, including the Great Purple Hairstreak, Gold Hunter Hairstreak and Hedgerow Hairstreak. 

Although iNaturalist data does not replace formal data collection and scientific research, it provides crucial supplemental information. By drawing on expert knowledge, the app ensures accurate species identification and gives IRC access to vital field data, even when they can’t be out there themselves. When the team sees a species reported on the app, they know that the species was present in the project area, even if it wasn’t directly recorded in official surveys. iNaturalist offers a broader picture of what species are present, helping to gauge overall health and understanding of what is happening in the local wildlands. 

Despite these efforts, scientific studies, including papers using data collected by IRC staff and volunteers, continue to confirm a nationwide decline in butterfly populations. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently proposed listing Monarch butterflies as threatened, and other species such as the Bernardino Blue, Sara Orangetip and Common Ringlet are also experiencing declines in local populations. Arthropods remain an underrepresented group in research, making IRC’s field work and written publications all the more important to understanding and supporting these species across the country.

Together, collective efforts offer hope for reversing the decline and ensuring butterflies continue to thrive for generations to come! If you would like to be a part of the movement, sign up for an activity in OC Parks’ Limestone Canyon on letsgooutside.org and upload your data to the iNaturalist IRC Butterfly Enhancement Plot Project.