Flutter by and Be Counted!
At the Fourth of July Butterfly Count, devotees census swallowtails, wood-nymphs and all their colorful kin
Each year on or near the Fourth of July, 'butterfliers' fan out across the country to count Lepidoptera and have a good time while they're at it. The butterfly count is similar to the better-known Christmas Bird Count conducted annually by members of the National Audubon Society. In this case, volunteers gather in designated areas to count every butterfly, caterpillar and egg they can find. A report on the species and numbers tallied is issued each year by the North American Butterfly Association, based in Morristown, N.J. The well-known author and naturalist Hubbell tells what it's like to participate in the count.