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Butterfly Checklist for the Co-op & Bend of Islands (pdf)

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The Co-op has a diverse range of butterflies.

 

34 species have been recorded since 2005. There are 4 additional species that have been recorded in other areas of the Bend of Islands, and there are also a few others that could be expected on the Co-op.

 

An excellent field guide was produced by Michael Braby in 2004 (now in its 2016 2nd Edition) and is available from the Eltham Bookshop. This and the availability of long zoom digital cameras have made the world of butterflying accessible to anyone who has an interest in nature.

By optimising the camera settings, and with some practice, reasonable photos can be achieved that can then be used to identify the species from the field guide. Just like learning to identify birds, this process becomes easier with experience.

Using this method the butterflies don’t need to be captured in a net, the traditional method that can often seriously damage the specimen. There is a catch however: some butterflies spend most of their time high in the tree-tops and are not readily photographed.

 

The list Butterfly Checklist for the Co-op & Bend of Islands can be used to record monthly sightings for each year.