NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Sahtu Settlement Area, Dehcho Region, North Slave Region, South Slave Region

Tags: biology, ecological indicators, taxonomy, butterfly, insects, species distribution

Project Description: Butterflies are easily studied and can provide valuable information of changes occuring in northern ecosystems - including climate changes, and habitat changes. Many areas of the NWT have few studies on insects; therefore, this inventory work can inprove the baseline information of these species. The main investigator will travel with other NWT biologists to remote study sites and near communities in regions that have been less-studied for butterflies. Collection of voucher specimens will be done using standard techniques. Specimens are caught in nets, examined and identified to species and collected as required. Only one specimen (per sex) will be collected at each site, after observing that the population is large enough to sustain the removal of one/two individuals. Local people may have the opportunity to participate in butterfly collection work. The inventory will be done usually within about one week per location. The main investigator will make a public presentation in Yellowknife, in the Sahtu, and in Fort Simpson, as time permits. ENR will facilitate these presentations. A report will be available at the end of the inventory. Tentative scheduled trips include: Yellowknife, North Slave, and South Slave along roads - June; Nahanni National Park June 30 - July 10; Sahtu (Norman Wells and Tulita) July 11 - 16; Gordon Lake (150 km N of Yellowknife July 17 - 23; Yellowknife and Daring Lake (300 km NE of YK) end of July - early August. Interested parties should contact regional offices of ENR for information on timing of field trips. The study will be conducted in Yellowknife, Nahanni N.P.R., Norman Wells, Tulita, Gordon Lake, and Daring Lake, as well as along roads in the North Slave and South Slave regions from mid-June - early August, 2005.