Butterfly count hosted Tuesday in Waterton park

It’s a “catch and release” program with a difference.

Volunteers won’t be scooping brown trout or cutties — they’ll be looking for butterflies.

Tuesday, southern Albertans are invited to volunteer for the annual “Butterfly BioBlitz” in Waterton Lakes National Park. They’ll meet at 11 a.m. at the Maskinonge Day Use Area to learn some basics, then start the hunt.

“A willingness to learn about and catch butterflies is all that’s needed,” officials say.

They’ll be joined by butterfly experts — including a butterfly guidebook author and park staff — to learn how to catch, identify and then release the colourful fliers. In the process, they’ll learn about the varieties of butterflies in Waterton.

While it’s the 17th year for the count in Waterton, the very first “blitz” will be held in adjacent Glacier International Peace Park.

Snacks and refreshments will be provided for lunch, organizers say. Then volunteers will head out with one of five experts to various locations in the park to explore butterfly habitat, catch the butterflies with the nets supplied and after identification by the expert, release them back into the wilderness.

As many as 52 different species of butterflies and more than 1,380 individuals have been caught, identified and released during a single butterfly count in Waterton Lakes National Park.

Space is limited, so those interested are asked to register online at www.parkscanada.ca/waterton-butterflybioblitz or to phone 403-859-2224.