The island

Denman butterfly population noted in recovery update

A recovery project report says surveys found Taylor’s checkerspot butterflies and larvae on Denman Island this spring.

The Denman Firestarter · reporting 2024-07-04 · compiled 2026-10-01

Back issue. The Denman Firestarter did not exist on 2024-07-04. This edition was compiled on 2026-10-01 from the public record as it stood on 2024-07-04, and contains nothing dated after that day — no outcomes, no hindsight. It is a reconstruction of what was on the record at the time, not a document from the time. This edition.

Report. Facts and citations only. Where we argue a position we do it in Analysis, labelled. Our standards.

A Taylor’s Checkerspot Butterfly Recovery Project report says new populations of the endangered butterfly were discovered on Denman Island in 2005 and near Campbell River in 2018.^[1]

The report says butterfly technician Pascale Archibald observed more than 130 individual butterflies during 14 survey days between May 9 and 29, and found 88 clusters of larvae between June 8 and 13.^[1]

The report says the larvae are vulnerable to trampling and asks visitors to stay on trails and avoid fragile meadows. It also says the project team includes the Denman Conservancy Association.^[1]

Spotted an error? corrections@denmanisland.co. We publish every correction.