The Vermont Atlas of Life

Discovering and Sharing Biodiversity Knowledge

A data platform by GBIF for exploring biodiversity information in Vermont.

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Vermont Atlas of Life on iNaturalist

Get connected with a community of over a million scientists and naturalists who can help you learn more about nature! What’s more, by recording and sharing your observations, you’ll create research quality data for scientists working to better understand our natural heritage.

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Vermont eBird

Vermont eBird has revolutionized the way that the birding community reports and accesses information about birds. Join the more than 9,000 bird watchers in Vermont in discovering and reporting bird observations for education, science and conservation. Every sighting matters. Contribute yours.

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eButterfly

Join the thousands of butterfly watchers in recording your observations. From the rarest butterflies to the most common, your sightings contribute to conservation decisions, scientific knowledge, education, and more. Share your observation and make a difference.

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Featured Species

Nine-Spotted Lady Beetle

Wild Bees of Vermont

Common Loon

Latest Discoveries

Three New Bees Discovered for Vermont

Year four of the Vermont Wild Bee Survey is winding down, but not before adding at least three new species to the state checklist. Additional species certainly await discovery, but the number of new ones found each is steadily declining, suggesting we've located the vast majority of the species present.

After 25 years, Two-spotted Lady Beetle is Rediscovered in Vermont

The Two-spotted lady Beetle was feared to be extinct in Vermont, until the Vermont Atlas of Life rallied biologists and community scientists to help find them. Against all odds, several Two-spotted Lady Beetles were found and photographed after a 25 year hiatus.

Fairy Shrimp Survey Discovers New Species for Vermont

Results from our pilot Fairy Shrimp survey this spring doubled the number of species known in Vermont…from one to two. Previously, the Knob-lipped Fairy Shrimp (Eubranchipus bundyi) was the only species confirmed in Vermont. We suspected the state had additional species, and after a hectic season of surveying, we now know Vermont also hosts the Intricate Fairy Shrimp (Eubranchipus intricatus).

See all the latest discoveries »

Featured Project

Vermont Lady Beetle Atlas

Since 2019, the atlas has been exploring every nook and cranny of the Green Mountain State to find every species, common to rare. Many lady beetle species remain to be found and others haven't been seen in decades.

Join the search!

News Highlights

Vermont Atlas of Life on iNaturalist Suprasses Half a Million Research-Grade Records

Tom Scavo snapped a photo of a Trout Lily and shared it to the Vermont Atlas of Life on iNaturalist and Tom Norton soon agreed with the identification. It was something the both of them have done thousands of times, but this one was special. It was the 500,000th research-grade record for our project, making this the largest biodiversity database likely every collected for the state.

August 2022 Photo-observation of the Month

Congratulations to JoAnne Russo for winning the August 2022 Photo-observation of the Month for the Vermont Atlas of Life on iNaturalist! Her photo of a Bedstraw Hawkmoth visiting a daylily received the most faves of any iNaturalist observation in Vermont during the past month.

Field Guide to September 2022

It can happen almost anywhere. On a cool, foggy morning, for example, when fall warblers drop from their nocturnal migratory flights into your backyard. Or along a big river some evening when you notice a Common Nighthawk moving south — then another, and another. Or when the Monarchs gliding past you under a cool blue sky convince you that summer is indeed over. Here is your field guide to life slowing down and on the move in September.