Audubon is about birds at its core, as am I. But we also care about all the critters connected to birds. Butterflies, for example, are important prey. But there’s more to it than that. Butterfly watching has become a popular pastime among birders, myself included. Like birds, butterflies are pretty things with wings. You need binoculars and a field guide to ID them. You must learn each species’ field marks, range, seasonality, and habitat needs. You apply the same skills as birding. You get to satisfy that urge you have to chase and list, well that I have at least.
If you want to try butterflying, I recommend these resources.
Start with a good field guide or two
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Consult the state checklist
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Connect to Arkansas’s butterflying community
- Subscribe to the ARBFLY-L listserv
- Arkansas Butterflies Facebook group
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Contribute to community science
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Learn more
