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

Recent Discoveries

Great Blue Skimmer

Known only from a handful of previous records, a great blue skimmer (Libellula vibrans) was documented in Chilmark by a new iNaturalist user.

Carrot Wasp

A Chilmark observation in iNaturalist for the odd-looking, infrequently reported wasp genus Gasteruption.

Colletes productus

Colletes productus is an infrequently reported, highly specialized bee that associates very closely with maleberry (Lyonia ligustrina). This bee was recently added to the MVAL's iNaturalist project.

See more discoveries »

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.

Shed Some Light on Moths

Diverse, ecologically important, and often stunningly beautiful, moths have emerged as a popular subject of study among amateur naturalists.

Hoft Farm Bioblitz

Held July 15-16 at The Nature Conservancy’s Hoft Farm Preserve, this event enlisted about 20 observers who tallied more than 300 species.

All News »

Focus on Butterflies

One of the easiest and most popular groups of wildlife to explore, butterflies are also ecologically important. Many kinds of butterflies have very specific ecological requirements, making them good indicator species. And all butterflies play important biological roles, whether as prey for other insects and birds or as pollinators of wildflowers and fruit-bearing shrubs. Here are some resources to help you learn about the 82 species of butterflies that have been recorded on Martha’s Vineyard.

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.