Welcome​!
The Island Marble Butterfly Hub provides opportunities for the conservation of the island marble butterfly to prevent its extinction. Learn more about this remarkable insect and how to contribute to its recovery.  

Mission
To provide a venue for community engagement to promote the recovery of the island marble butterfly

Gardening to Refresh Island Marble Butterfly Habitat, October 25, 2023

Sign up to garden for butterflies with San Juan Preservation Trust on October 25. Two sessions are available, beginning at 10 a.m. and also at 1:30 p.m. 

To sign up, please visit San Juan Preservation Trust's events page. 

More fall island marble butterfly volunteer events and activities to come! Please sign up below or email Volunteer Coordinator Walt Andrews at vc@onsacredgroundlandtrus.org.

Volunteer for the island marble butterfly!

If you are interested in joining species recovery efforts, please sign up to get involved.

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​Sign up with if you are an individual, family, group, or business looking to get involved with IMB habitat conservation. All experience levels, ages, or skill levels are welcome. 

We value diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of the conservation and recovery of the island marble butterfly. All volunteers are an important part of species recovery efforts.

The Island Marble Butterfly Hub is a place for volunteers and island marble butterfly partners alike to share information for events, trainings, best management practices, and current island marble butterfly status.

The Island Marble Butterfly Volunteer Program is dedicated to the creation, restoration, maintenance and enhancement of island marble butterfly habitat. It is estimated that 200–500 individuals remain today. In 2020, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service listed the island marble butterfly as an endangered species. Volunteers are needed to conserve habitat for this endemic butterfly to prevent its extinction and conserve biodiversity. 

Thank you to everyone who made the 2023 San Juan County Fair Giving Campaign, sponsored by the San Juan Island Community Foundation, a success! 

A big thanks to local business who are selling Jill Bliss stickers!

Proceeds from sticker sales have been funding tools, equipment, and supplies for the volunteer program.

Thank you to these local businesses! 

• Lopez Island - Blossom on Lopez, Isabel's Espresso, Lopez Bookshop, Paper Scissors on the Rock
• San Juan Island - Dockside Treasures, FERN, Island Studios, Julie's Nursery, Salish Sea Sciences, Salty at Heart Apothecary, San Juan Island Food Co-op, San Juan Safaris

Stickers are also available for purchase on our donate page.

ISLAND MARBLE BUTTERFLY HABITAT​

The IMB has a narrow, endemic range.  Nearly the entire subspecies is limited to only American Camp at San Juan Island National Historical Park and Cattle Point on San Juan Island. A flush of island marble host plants can be seen here, field mustard or Brassica rapa​, awaiting adult female butterflies to lay their eggs. This habitat can provide butterflies with most of their needs to survive, reproduce, and pass on their genes to the next generation.  

​Photo credit: Jenny Shrum

CHRYSALIS

Individuals spend most of their lives as pupae for inside chrysalises emerging only for a short week or so as an adult butterfly. ​

ADULT ISLAND MARBLE 

An adult perched on a host plant. April through June is the only time of year when adults are flying.

HABITAT EXPANSION

Following population decline in the late 2000s, there is urgent need to expand habitat to prevent extinction. 

Photo credits, left to right: Jennyy Shrum, Shrum, Walt Andrews

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OUR GOAL

Expanding habitat to prevent extinction and further the recovery of the island marble butterfly.​

Photo credit: Shrum

DISCOVER

Learn about the dynamic ecology of this endemic butterfly and the biological diversity of the San Juan Islands.  ​

CONSERVE

Help protect and maintain habitat. Get involved! Volunteer your skills, expertise, or time. Add habitat or donate. ​

CHANGE

Expand and connect habitat to increase the number of butterflies and the number of populations. Join us in recovery efforts!

Photo and map credits, left to right: Jenny Shrum, SJPT, and Walt Andrews, Google Maps 2023 TerraMetrics 

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We must act now to prevent the island marble butterfly's extinction.

To become involved:
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VOLUNTEER     ADD HABITAT     DONATE

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Art credit: Jill Bliss

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This program does not discriminate based on ethnicity, race, class, gender, sex, religion, background, belief, or disability. Please report any and all discrimination to the coordinator.

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