Video: Butterflies in Edmonton

Butterflies might be the last thing on most people's minds during the chill of mid-winter, but for University of Alberta entomologist John Acorn and his colleagues, it's time to take stock of last year's butterfly count.

The summer of 2012 produced record numbers of butterflies in Edmonton, leaving some people wondering whether it was a once-in-a-blue-moon event, or a sign of changes to come.

To document the burgeoning butterfly count, Acorn put together this short video with help from his son Jesse and U of A graduate student Christianne McDonald.

As spring draws nearer, Edmonton-area lepidopterists are planning a new citizen science project to document further changes in butterfly biodiversity.

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