A loosely structured group, SS
Butterflyers embraces a wide range of individuals who are intrigued by
the beauty of butterflies and want to learn more. SS Butterflyers’ primary
goals are to monitor butterfly species and populations on Salt Spring and to
encourage all islanders to protect and create the kinds of environments these
remarkable insects need to survive.
When members have honed their identification skills, they report butterfly
sightings using this site’s
Contact Us page. The Counting
Tips page gives
helpful advice about making observations and recording information. Anyone who
wants to discuss sightings can also reach a naturalist through the
Contact Us
page. For the past two years SS Butterflyers
has submitted count data to the
Ministry of Environment’s Conservation Data Centre. This organization works
with others like the Land Conservancy and the Habitat Acquisition Trust to
identify and secure key natural habitats for butterflies on Vancouver Island
and the Gulf Islands.
It is the disappearance of critical food plants that threatens our region’s
butterfly diversity. Habitat loss is a direct, if unintentional, result of
human activities. Because, in general, the most critical factor for butterfly
abundance is the availability of specific food for the larvae,
SS Butterflyers
is committed to protecting and propagating important larval food plants—stinging nettles, dock, native violets and grasses, mallows, sedums, native
willows and cherries among others.
Most of the butterfly species we see on Salt Spring also occur on the other
Gulf Islands, on Vancouver Island and in the larger area known as the Georgia
Basin. Even so, the island’s particular geography and ecology determine its
distinct pattern of butterfly occurrence which includes rare and “at risk”
species like the Zerene Fritillary, the Dun Skipper, Moss’ Elfin and Propertius
Duskywing.
Two excellent books, Butterflies of British
Columbia and The Butterflies of Cascadia
, both describe larval food plants and preferred nectaring sources
for all the species we see. Two copies of each are in the Mary Hawkins Library.
For other books, some of which are in the library, that give a wealth of detail
about butterfly distribution, preferred habitats, adult and larval behaviour,
metamorphosis, butterfly gardening, and much more, go to our Books page.
To sample several butterfly-related resources available on the internet,
explore the Links page, our
doorway to an immense world of information.
stinging nettles, dock, native violets and grasses, mallows, sedums, native
willows and cherries among others.