National Park Service LogoU.S. Department of the InteriorNational Park ServiceNational Park Service
National Park Service:  U.S. Department of the InteriorNational Park Service Arrowhead
Rocky Mountain National ParkA photo of a Civilian Conservation Corps camp in the park.
view map
text size:largestlargernormal
printer friendly
Rocky Mountain National Park
Butterflies

The summer of 2002 was the seventh season for the Rocky Mountain Butterfly project. Volunteer Rich Bray, and his field assistants, monitored butterfly populations on a weekly basis along transects in various park habitats. To date, they have identified 125 butterfly species in the park.

Biologists believe that trends in butterfly populations may provide early warning of the impacts of global warming on the park's flora and fauna.

 

a photo of gneiss (a metamorphic rock)  

Did You Know?
The oldest rocks in the park are metamorphic (biotite schist and gneiss) estimated at 1.7 billion years old, making them some of the oldest rocks within the National Park System.

Last Updated: August 29, 2006 at 16:14 EST