Butterfly Survey at Newtown Creek - now published
April 2026 - Now published in Urban Naturalist: Butterfly Survey at Newtown Creek, an Industrial Estuary in New York City
This paper was a collaboration between Erik Kiviat (Executive Director, Hudsonia), and Lisa Bloodgood (Newtown Creek Alliance).
Abstract: Butterfly habitats, nectar plants, and larval hosts are infrequently studied in North American cities. We report a survey of butterflies in an urban-industrial area of New York City. Key habitats were an abandoned elevated railroad, green roof complex, community garden, and small patches of spontaneous vegetation elsewhere. We collected data from 2012 to 2024, including seven intensive one-day surveys April– October 2018–2019. We documented 23 butterfly species including the regionally uncommon taxa Battus philenor (Pipevine Swallowtail), Phoebis sennae (Cloudless Sulphur), Euptoieta claudia (Variegated Fritillary), Libytheana carinenta (American Snout), and Atalopedes huron (Huron Sachem). Nectar plants comprised common, spontaneous, native and non- native forbs as well as horticultural species planted on the green roofs. The abandoned railroad and green roof complex yielded the greatest diversity of butterflies including most of the rare species observations. We recommend that the railroad east of the Dutch Kills be protected in its unmanaged state as butterfly habitat, and that the railroad west of the Dutch Kills, proposed to be developed for recreation and other uses, be enhanced with appropriate plantings of butterfly host and nectar plants in concert with trail development. Disused railroads and green roofs elsewhere should be considered potential butterfly habitats.
Acknowledgements: Rose Chin, Michelle Haviland, Peri Mason, and David Snyder provided information or helped with field work, and we thank the observers who posted data on iNaturalist. Elise Heffernan (then Hudsonia staff) led the flora study and recorded butterflies as well. Sharon and Wade Wander, and Conrad Vispo, identified several butterflies from photographs. Teri Brennan kindly allowed use of her cover photograph. We especially thank Willis Elkins and the Newtown Creek Alliance for logistical support. This project was supported by the Newtown Creek Fund of the Hudson River Foundation; manuscript preparation was supported by the DHR Foundation. This paper is a Hudsonia – Bard College Field Station Contribution.