Since our innaugural workshop in May 2012, we have initiated several projects to support the goals of this network. Since most of these initiatives are new, we list them below with brief descriptions of objectives and progress. As we make progress, we will update this site, but feel free to contact Leslie Ries (lries "at" umd.edu) if you have questions or would like to get involved.

Monitor Tracker: We are keeping track of all the monitoring programs focused on butterflies and hope to include all those in North America in our network. This effort includes keeping track of all the protocols used by the various monitoring programs. We will use this information to encourage programs to standardize as much as possible, identify best practices, and develop resources so new programs can implement best practice protocols from the start.

Data and Taxonomic Standards: In order to implement best data practices throughout this project, we will develop a data standard that we can apply to any butterfly monitoring program. We plan to adopt the Bird Monitoring Data Exchange (BMDE), developed at Cornell Lab of Ornithology for use in butterfly programs. We will also develop a flexible list of multiple taxonomic standards that could be adopted or adapted by each group. The key to navigating the different standards will be a "mapping" tool that will resolve differences in taxonomies. Adopting or adapting to these standards will be a key requirement for network membership because they will be key factors in ensuring long-term data viability and comparability, but we are developing these systems for maximum flexibility.

Data entry and management support: We are currently focused on developing a single, web-enabled database portal for all transect programs in our network. We will also add historical data from all programs to the system so that new data feeds into a continually growing database that includes all records. Currently, each program has its own ad-hoc data system and all entry is by hand. Many monitoring programs are at or past capacity for handling their data, and none have developed metadata or use any data standards. By developing a single system, we can leverage our resources, reduce future maintenance costs, invite new networks to take advantage of the resource, and spend time on recruiting and training volunteers. Our partner in this endeavor is Butterfliesandmoths.org with guidance from NatureServe and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Our goal is to have a beta system developed and launched for tests with two or our current network partners, Illinois and Florida, in time for 2013 data collection. Then after evaluating how the system performed, we will improve the system and plan for a full launch in 2014. Another priority for transect programsis to develop mobile apps for data collection and we will begin exploring this as well.

Data sharing and visualization tools: The North American Butterfly Association (NABA) collects count data throughout the US and also in parts of Canada and Mexico. As the largest butterfly monitoring program in existence (relative to geographic extent), it is an ideal focus for our first effort towards developing systems for data sharing and visualization. Fortunately, NABA already has web-enabled data entry and so is ready to focus on data sharing and visualization. Our partner in this endeavor is Red Shift Technologies. Our goal is to have a beta system to launch in Fall 2013.

Detectability Data Gathering: Using detectability modeling (estimating the probability of observing a species assuming it is present) has greatly improved models of monitoring data, but butterfly detectability is highly influenced by weather, and we have very little information about the factors that impact detectability. Monitoring transects can tweak their protocols to gather invaluable data that can be used to model detectability. Currently, the Cascades Monitoring Network and the Illinois Monitoring Network are working to collect detectability data for use in our models (see below).

Resources for scientific exploration: In addition to our goals relative to supporting monitoring programs by developing data systems and promoting data sharing and visualization, we have two main programs that are intended to further scientific research.

The first is building a "knowledgebase" that will include trait data (such as morphological, ecological, and behavioral traits) and also parameter estimates from the published literature (such as lifespan, population size and trajectory, or other ecologically-relevant parameters). Both types of knowledge data can be used in scientific explorations that include multiple species. This project will be led by Leslie Ries and Dana Campbell and will begin in Fall 2012.

The second project is developing the best statistical models to extract information from different types of butterfly monitoring data sets. There have been great advancements in the use of volunteer monitoring data, but most models have been built for vertebrate systems. Therefore, they do not account for high individual turnover within seasons, extreme inter-annual variability, or substantial differences in detectability due to weather. This project will be led by Leslie Ries and post-doc Elise Larsen (starting winter 2013). Advisors on this project include John Sauer and Bill Fagan.

This project is supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF award 1147049) to the University of Maryland and the Socio-environmental Synthesis Center.