MODIFIED POLLARD TRANSECTS DO NOT PREDICT ESTIMATED DAILY POPULATION SIZE FOR THE SECRETIVE BUTTERFLY, NEONYMPHA MITCHELLII MITCHELLII FRENCH

摘要

Over two years, we concurrently assessed two populations of Mitchell's satyr butterfly using mark-release-recapture (MRR) and modified Pollard transects (MPT) in order to calibrate the low intensity MPT method to high intensity quantitative MRR population estimates. We found no correlation between daily MRR population estimates and MPT counts. We attribute this to the sedentary behavior of Mitchell's satyr. We strongly suggest that researchers and managers understand the nature of this relationship before interpreting MPT data and other low intensity monitoring methods if these data are used for population management and recovery programs.