30 Jul Butterflies in the Mountains…
After 2 months in Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP), I have learned so much about so many different things. I’ve learned about wildfires in Colorado, the nationwide Dragonfly Mercury Project, boreal toads, and most recently about butterflies. Stephanie, who is a long-term researcher, has been studying butterflies during the summer for about 30 years.
Stephanie, butterfly researcher, preparing for her butterfly transect.
She does butterfly transects at multiple locations in the park, in which she observes and collects data on the abundance and diversity of butterflies in a measured area. She can identify more than 100 butterflies in the park (141 have been documented in RMNP). It’s very admirable to see people like Stephanie working on research they are passionate about.
Researcher holding butterfly to identify name based on back and front wing patterns.
The work being done at the park is crucial to the survival of many species, especially as climate change continues to impact wildlife and people in ways we don’t fully understand yet.
Learning new things about wildlife and conservation efforts in the NPS has been one of my favorite things about my time in Rocky. Being able to join park staff in the field and taking photos and videos of the important work their doing is very special. It combines two of my passions, photography and nature. This has helped me feel more confident about my photography skills and learn where I can improve. I am hopeful that this internship will help me pursue my career goals about creating and sharing engaging science content with diverse audiences.
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