Martha's Vineyard Atlas of Life

A community-powered catalog of the island's biodiversity.

Explore Species Lists

Catalogs of Martha's Vineyard species in selected taxonomic groups.

Explore Observations

The Martha's Vineyard Atlas of Life Project in iNaturalist compiles observations from across the Island and surrounding waters, contributed by people like you.

Recent Observations

With an aquatic larval stage, stoneflies (the order Plectoptera) associate with fast-moving streams with good water quality. While they are likely overlooked, Plectoptera are infrequently reported on Martha’s Vineyard.

A “Shore Bug,” Pentacora sphacelata

A bug photographed on the Felix Neck salt marsh in 2019 has been identified as Pentacora sphacelata (Saldidae) – a first Vineyard record for this “shore bug.”

Bats in December?

Two attentive Vineyard naturalists document unusual December sightings of two migratory bat species.

See more discoveries »

News

MVAL in iNaturalist: 2022 Year in Review

2022 was a great year for the Martha’s Vineyard Atlas of Life! A big part of our success has been the growing use of iNaturalist by naturalists on the Vineyard. Here’s a summary of our 2022 iNat activity.

Vulnerable Season for Sea Turtles

In late autumn, plunging water temperatures pose a risk to sea turtles in our region. Learn how you can help these endangered reptiles face this seasonal risk.

Monarch Butterflies – How Endangered Are They?

This iconic orange-and-black butterfly is widely assumed to be at risk of extinction. But Monarch biology is complex, with different populations exhibiting different ecology, and some research suggests that the situation is less dire than widely believe.

All News »

Focus on Bees!

Nearly 200 species of bees are known from the Vineyard, exhibiting a wide range of life histories and ecological associations. Fall is a great time to learn about these fascinating insects, which are critical to our environment and easy to find and observe: many late-season species associate with the goldenrod flowers that are so abundant at this time of year.

Keep Reading

Share Your Observations: Links to Community Science Platforms

iNaturalist

Searchable database of photographs and sound recordings, with more than 100 million observations contributed by more than 5 million users worldwide. Observations from Martha’s Vineyard automatically add to the Martha’s Vineyard Atlas of Life project.

Visit iNaturalist

eBird

Keep your bird lists and make your sightings available to researchers with this platform developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. eBird compiles more than 100 million bird sightings annually.

Visit eBird

eButterfly

Help advance butterfly science and conservation by contributing your sightings to this international project. Keep your personal records and explore sightings from other observers.

Visit eButterfly

Co-founded by BiodiversityWorks and the Betsy and Jesse Fink Family Foundation, the Martha's Vineyard Atlas of Life seeks to create a living catalog of biodiversity on Martha's Vineyard and an active community working to conserve it.