Student Research Reports

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The project "Butterflies of the Garden: Sighting and Conservation," carried out by sixth and seventh-grade students of Primary School 1345 in Pujato (Argentina), is part of the International Collaborative Project "Butterflies and Environmental Variables," in which schools from Uruguay, Peru, and Argentina participate. The objective is to relate the presence of butterflies at the study site "Butterflies in Sight" to atmospheric variables -air temperature, humidity, precipitation, and wind speed and direction- using the GLOBE program protocols for recording atmospheric variables. The central research question guiding the study is posed: How is the sighting of butterflies in the school garden of School 1345 in Pujato (Argentina) related to the plants present at the site and the atmospheric variables recorded there during the 2025 school year? Through exploratory and descriptive research, with a mixed approach (qualitative and quantitative), activities are proposed to answer the question. Observations are carried out between March and November 2025, with a special focus on autumn and spring. Data is systematically recorded on a spreadsheet linked to butterfly sightings, their characteristics, and the atmospheric conditions at the time of observation. Activities include searching for information on butterflies, their metamorphosis, host and nectar plants, the most common lepidopteran species in the region where Pujato is located, the definition of the study site, the organization of field trips for sighting, the preparation of measurement tools and instruments, the elaboration of spreadsheets, and the recording and transfer of data, among other tasks. The results show that sightings are concentrated in two periods: Autumn (March-May) and Spring (September-November). Sightings have been reduced. No butterflies were observed during the winter, likely due to low temperatures and windy days. The temperature range during sightings, for both autumn and spring, is similar, approximately between 20ºC and 30ºC similarly, the wind speed was low during all sightings. The diurnal butterfly species sighted are Dione vanilae maculosa (Espejitos) (much more frequent), Papilio thoas (Limonera grande), Phoebis sennae (Amarilla), Vanessa braziliensis (Dama pintada), Vanessa carye (Dama manchada), and Ortilia ithra (Bataraza). It is assumed that the greater observation of Dione vanilae maculosa (Espejitos) is due to the presence of the host and nectar plant: Passionflower (Passiflora caerulea). The project allows students to acquire a research methodology, characterize diurnal butterfly species, relate their presence to atmospheric variables, and, fundamentally, value the importance of protecting these insects as bioindicators of the health of local ecosystems and promote their conservation.