Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy’s 29th annual butterfly count was held on August 2. It was a day as fine and perfect as any summer day with temperatures in the low 80’s, reasonable humidity and light, refreshing breezes. Butterflies like this weather.
American Snout butterfly.
Photo by Bryon Veal
Great thanks to the 88 volunteers from all over Loudoun and neighboring counties who counted 2949 butterflies in 46 species. Highlights include a Southern Cloudywing, which hasn’t been reported in our count in over a decade, several American Coppers, not seen every year, a Pipevine Swallowtail, another rarity, and an astonishing 19 American Snouts. Count Data 2025 lists the butterflies we counted by area.
The total number of butterflies is almost 30 percent better than last year’s count, but still below our 10 year average (see Butterfly Count Data 2016-2025). At the bottom of the tables you’ll note a line that reads “Butterfly sp.”, which is shorthand for “butterfly species unknown”. Occasionally, even an expert may not be able to identify a fast flying butterfly down to the species level, but every butterfly seen counts.
Our 30th annual butterfly count is scheduled for August 1, 2026.
Counting butterflies. Photo by Lily Bowers