Editorial standards

Fact Checkers

The people who read every butterfly profile and guide before it is published, and how they check it.

Who checks the facts

Wildlife veterinarian, lead reviewerDr. James Watuwa

Editorial and fact-checking teamButterfly Team

How a profile is fact-checked

Every species profile on Butterfly Identification starts with the entomologist who writes it, usually Poppy Glendening or Dr. James Watuwa. Before the page goes live, a second person reads it against the sources: the scientific name and family are confirmed against current taxonomy, the wingspan and range are compared with museum and university records, and the caterpillar, chrysalis and host plant details are checked against published life-history studies. Photographs are matched to the species they claim to show, which matters most for look-alikes such as the Monarch and the Viceroy.

The reviewer's name and the date of the last review appear on every profile. When a reader reports an error through the contact page, the page is corrected and the review date updated. The most visited guides, such as the life cycle of a butterfly and caterpillars, are re-read every season.

Guides under regular review

Family guides

Our standards

The full editorial policy, funding disclosure and the biographies of everyone involved are on the About us page. Corrections are welcome at any time; we would rather fix a page than defend it.

Last updated September 25, 2026