Martha's Vineyard Atlas of Life

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

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First Inter-Island Bioblitz: July 24, 2026 - August 7, 2026

THANKS TO ALL WHO PARTICPIATED! Click below to see a summary of the results so far.

Summary and Results

Explore Species Lists

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

Species Lists

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

Recent Discoveries

Carrion Beetles: the Subfamily Silphinae

The eight carrion beetle species known from Martha’s Vineyard may have an image problem, but these insects are as interesting as they are important.

Springtails: Wonders in Winter

Springtails – the subclass Collembola – are a common but often overlooked group of arthropods on Martha’s Vineyard. Building on previous work by multiple observers, a recent wave of Collembola observations have helped clarify our knowledge of this group.

New Vineyard Orthoptera Records

Recent observations bring the Vineyard’s Orthoptera checklist to 71 species.

See more discoveries »

News

Meet Our 2026 Tick Study Technicians

As BiodiversityWorks continues a study, funded by the New Tudor Foundation, of the effectiveness and non-target impacts of “organic” or “essential oil” tick sprays, we are relying on the talents of two impressive young biologists.

2026 Correllus Bioblitz Breaks Records

Held on July 17-18, 2026, BiodiversityWork’s fourth annual bioblitz of Correllus State Forest logged a record number of observations and species. The event was a fitting celebration of the biodiversity of this incredible Department of Consevation and Recreation property.

2026 Long Point Bioblitz and “Moth Ball”

For the fifth consecutive year, BiodiversityWorks and The Trustees of Reservations conducted a bioblitz of Long Point Wildlife Refuge, a spectacular conservation property on the Vineyard’s south shore. In addition to the bioblitz, this year’s event feature our first-ever “moth ball,” a family-friendly public event celebrating and education about the Vineyard’s moths.

All News »

Syrphid Flies

The family Syrphidae, also known as "hoverflies" or "flower flies," may be the easiest group of flies for beginners to learn about. Syrphids are often brightly colored and easy to spot, and their habit of visiting flowers to feed on pollen or nectar makes them easy to find. They are also ecologically important, with adults functioning as pollinators and the larvae of many species feeding on aphids. This family is well represented on Martha's Vineyard, and a number of rare of otherwise interesting species have been documented here. Keep reading to learn more about this fascinating and important group of insects!

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.