The Vermont Center for Ecostudies is part of a collaborative launching a digital platform that identifies and catalogues butterflies from around the world.
The Center is working with the University of Ottawa and Espace pour la vie in Montréal to launch eButterfly, a database that includes nearly 20,000 butterfly species – all currently known species on the planet. The platform allows anyone to submit sightings of butterflies and uses image recognition technology to identify species.
Vermont Center for Ecostudies conservation biologist Kent McFarland says they are creating a community that is collaborating with scientists to help survey and conserve butterfly populations.