The Science & Research of UBI
The Butterfly Hotspots created by UBI provide opportunities for scientific studies on butterfly populations as well as the role nature plays in the health and well-being of people and their communities. These studies include both community science that relies on the participation of many community members and more traditional research projects run by EIU professors and their students.
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Community Science
Whenever possible, we involve community members in the collection of scientific data, an activity that helps connect people with nature while contributing valuable information to the understanding of natural butterfly populations and educating the public about the scientific process. We use iNaturalist to collect and store the data for our community science projects, and organize community events like the annual Butterfly Blitz to encourage engagement and data collection.
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Using iNaturalist, we organize a week-long annual Butterfly Blitz every July. To learn more about what the Butterfly Blitz entails and to see reports from years past, visit our Butterfly Blitz page.
Butterfly Blitz 2023 Map of Observations
UBI conducts scientific studies with Eastern Illinois University student collaborators as part of their university education.
