Monitoring butterflies in Big Spring Hollow, Utah, using transect walks: species richness, indices of abundance, species diversity, and flight periods

Authors

Alan R. Myrup, Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602Follow

Abstract

Transect walks were used to collect data to determine species richness, indices of abundance, species diversity, and flight periods of butterfly species in Big Spring Hollow in the South Fork of Provo Canyon, Utah Co., Utah. Advantages and cautions are discussed for the use of this sampling method. A total of 26,493 butterflies were recorded from 232 transect walks during the 10 years of this study (2001–2005 and 2019–2023), with a mean annual total number of 2649.3 butterflies. A total of 86 butterfly species were identified along the Big Spring Hollow transect belonging to 5 families: 18 Hesperiidae, 19 Lycaenidae, 31 Nymphalidae, 7 Papilionidae, and 11 Pieridae. Annual indices of abundance were determined for each species for each of the 10 years, and changes in relative abundance were monitored and evaluated. Species diversity was calculated for each year using several indices. The overall Shannon diversity index was 2.58 and the overall exponential Shannon diversity index was 13.19. The flight period of each species was identified and illustrated graphically. A species account is given for each of the 86 species identified in Big Spring Hollow.


Se hicieron caminatas transversales con el objetivo de recolectar datos para determinar la riqueza de especies, índices de abundancia, diversidad de especies y períodos de vuelo de las especies de mariposas en Big Spring Hollow, en la bifurcación sur de Provo Canyon, en Utah. Además, se discuten las ventajas y precauciones del uso de este método de muestreo. Se identificaron y registraron un total de 26,493 mariposas en 232 caminatas transversales, durante los 10 años de este estudio (de 2001 a 2005, de 2019 a 2023), con un índice anual promedio de abundancia de 2649.3 mariposas. Se identificaron un total de 86 especies de mariposas a lo largo del transecto de Big Spring Hollow, las cuales pertenecen a cinco familias: 18 Hesperiidae, 19 Lycaenidae, 31 Nymphalidae, 7 Papilionidae y 11 Pieridae. Se determinaron los índices anuales de abundancia de cada especie durante cada uno de los 10 años y se monitorearon y evaluaron los cambios en la abundancia relativa. Se calculó la diversidad de especies para cada uno de los 10 años utilizando varios índices de diversidad, con un índice de diversidad de Shannon general de 2.58 y un índice de diversidad de Shannon exponencial de 13.19. Se identificaron y representaron gráficamente los períodos de vuelo de cada especie y se crearon cuentas individuales de especies para cada una de las 86 especies identificadas en Big Spring Hollow.

Recommended Citation

Myrup, Alan R. (2026) "Monitoring butterflies in Big Spring Hollow, Utah, using transect walks: species richness, indices of abundance, species diversity, and flight periods," Monographs of the Western North American Naturalist: Vol. 17, Article 1.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/mwnan/vol17/iss1/1