Bog Copper Study Update
MSc candidate Madison Robinson visited Georgian Bay this summer to conduct a study on Bog Copper butterflies, assisted by the Georgian Bay Land Trust
This past summer, I had the opportunity to work alongside Georgian Bay Land Trust interns Abi and Wesley to study bog copper butterflies in the peatlands of Georgian Bay. Our team spent many days traversing the Bay to collect bog copper data, gathering samples from three island sites and four mainland sites.
The purpose of this study was to collect DNA samples that would help determine the genetic relationship between bog coppers on Georgian Bay’s outer islands and the mainland populations. This will help us learn more about how this tiny butterfly travels along Georgian Bay, and why it is found in locations that are so different and distant from its usual mainland habitats. (For more details on the project, see this blog post.)
Conservation Interns Abi and Wesley assisted Madison with the study.
At the start of the field season, we conducted site surveys to identify locations with populations of the bog copper butterfly. Once these sites were identified, we returned over several days to conduct sampling. Using hand nets, we captured butterflies, marking each individual with a small dot on the ventral hindwing in order to prevent resampling. We then collected a single leg from each butterfly, which was preserved in ethanol for later genetic analysis. We sampled as many individuals as we were able to in order to get an accurate depiction of the population. Over the course of the summer, we collected more than 400 samples, which I am now analyzing at the lab at Western University as part of my Master’s thesis.
One of the best parts of the summer wasn’t just the fieldwork—it was the people. We met so many Georgian Bay community members who helped shape the experience. Some welcomed us onto their land to study, others asked thoughtful questions about the project, and all offered encouragement and support. The success of the 2025 season was due in no small part to the community, and for that, I am incredibly grateful.
We’ll keep you posted on the results from Madison’s study!
