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News of the Lepidopterists’ Society Volume 49, Number 4 Conservation Matters: Contributions from the Conservation Committee The Xerces Society: 36 Years of Butterfly Conservation Scott Hoffman Black, Executive Director and Sarina Jepsen, Senior Conservation Associate The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, 4828 SE Hawthorne Blvd., Portland OR 97215 [email protected] In 1971 Robert Michael Pyle, a noted Xerces president Paul Opler, who was information available on these insects. lepidopterist and author, conceived the then working for the US Fish and Fifty seven butterflies and two moths idea for the Xerces Society while on the Wildlife Service. In addition, according are included on the list. For each, the British Rail’s main line between King’s to the International Union for Xerces Society has prepared a species Cross and Huntingdon. He named the Conservation and Nature’s Red Book of profile that distills the current state of Society after the Xerces blue butterfly Swallowtails, 10% of swallowtail knowledge of life history, distribution, (Glaucopsyche xerces), which was butterfly species are considered threats, and conservation and research driven extinct by the expansion of San threatened. Swallowtails are the only needs. Each profile includes discussions Francisco in the early 1940’s. The “X” group of insects that have been assessed of taxonomy and identification, as well of Xerces, he imagined, would make a worldwide. as lists of contacts, publications, and perfect symbol for extinction. Butterflies become endangered because relevant websites. Recovery plans for The mission of the Xerces Society is to of the same destructive forces facing U.S. federally listed Lepidoptera and “protect wildlife through the con- many other animals. According to the related documents are also included in servation of invertebrates and their IUCN, the leading causes of animal each profile. habitat”. Since its inception, the Xerces endangerment are habitat destruction, The Red List is available as a CD-ROM, Society has strived to use the best displacement by introduced species, and and can also be accessed on-line at the available scientific information to alteration of habitat by chemical Xerces Society’s website (http:// further the conservation of butterflies, pollutants such as pesticides. Many at- www.xerces.org/Pollinator_Red_List). moths, and many other insects and risk insects are threatened by more The Society is currently updating the invertebrates. Over the past 36 years, than one of these causes. The book Red List, and we invite experts to review the Society has protected many Precious Heritage; The Status of current profiles. endangered invertebrates, worked with Biodiversity in the United States notes scientists and land mangers to that 33 butterflies are imperiled in the The Xerces Red List shows that the understand and manage habitat for US, 97% of which are threatened by most imperiled species are those that these animals, and promoted the idea habitat loss, 36% by alien species, 24% are highly specialized or restricted to of conservation at the bottom of the by pollution, and 30% by over a few small patches of habitat. Prairie food chain to a public otherwise focused collecting. obligate butterflies are a prime on bald eagles and whales. example; Karner blue (Lycaeides To better understand issues relative to melissa samuelis), Laguna Mountain A concentration of the Xerces Society’s North America’s most at-risk skipper (Pyrgus ruralis lagunae), and work has been on endangered and butterflies, the Xerces Society has many other butterfly species require threatened Lepidoptera. Many species produced a Red List of Pollinator Insects host plants that thrive in intact prairie of Lepidoptera are imperiled or at-risk of North America. (Note: partial and meadow systems. in the United States and across the funding for this effort came from the world. There are 22 butterflies and 2 Butterfly Conservation Initiative). The Some species are very specialized. For moths listed as endangered or Red List is the most complete instance, the plates that cover the threatened under the US Endangered assessment of the status of the shells of tortoises are made of keratin, Species Act. Many of these species were continent’s at-risk pollinators, as well a protein few scavengers can digest. listed under the direction of former as the most comprehensive source of Continued on pp. 114 112 Winter 2007 Winter 2007 News of the Lepidopterists’ Society 1 2 3 1) Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas editha taylori) was previously documented at more than seventy sites in British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon. It now occurs at only fourteen sites, most of which contain fewer than fifty individuals. Photo by Dana Ross. 2) (Ceratophaga vicinella), whose caterpillar specializes on a diet of dead gopher tortoise shells may be threatened by the loss of gopher tortoise habitat. Photo by Tom Eisner. 3) In the state of Washington, over 95% of the native grassland that Mardon skippers (Polites mardon) depend upon has been lost. Photo by Norm Barrett. Volume 49, Number 4 113 News of the Lepidopterists’ Society Volume 49, Number 4 Xerces Society: 36 Years of insects. Although the damage to non- Xerces is working to manage and Butterfly Conservation target native insects from these protect two of the largest remaining biological controls is rarely docu- populations of the Taylor’s checkerspot Continued from pp. 112 mented, some evidence is surfacing that butterfly (Euphydryas editha taylori). However, in Florida there is a rare their impact may be significant. For Taylor’s checkerspot was previously moth, Ceratophaga vicinella, whose example, the parasitoid fly Compsilura documented at more than seventy sites caterpillar specializes on a diet of dead concinnata, which was released in British Columbia, Washington, and gopher tortoise shells. Loss of the repeatedly in North America from 1906 Oregon. In the past 50 years, it has gopher tortoise’s habitat may threaten to 1986 as a biological control agent experienced a dramatic decline; it now this moth species. against several pests, including the occurs at only fourteen sites, most of Habitat loss is the primary cause of introduced gypsy moth, has been which contain fewer than fifty Lepidoptera endangerment. Perhaps the implicated in the declines of four species individuals. best known case of habitat loss leading of giant silk moths (Lepidoptera: To protect this butterfly, Xerces staff are to extinction is that of San Francisco, Saturniidae) in New England. Another working with the Benton County California, a city that now almost study in Hawaii found that 83% of Natural Areas and Parks Department, entirely covers what was once one of the parasitoids reared from native moths a private landowner, and the Bonneville major coastal dune ecosystems in were formerly introduced biological Power Authority to control invasive western North America. Three dune control agents. weeds while still retaining the native butterflies, which were endemic to this Pesticides and other pollutants are prairie that support this butterfly. The region, are now extinct: Cercyonis implicated in the decline of some Society is working with a coalition of sthenele sthenele; the Xerces blue Lepidoptera. Lights along streets and state, federal, and private scientists and (Glaucopsyche xerces); and Plebeius highways are implicated in losses of managers to help determine the best icarioides pheres. This dramatic decline nocturnal insects, particularly large methods for managing sites across the in butterflies was documented in the moths. Finally, scientists are beginning range. article “San Francisco’s Vanishing to understand the negative impact of Another important factor in the Butterflies” in the 1956 issue of climate destabilization (climate recovery of these at-risk Lepidoptera is Lepidopterist’s News. Three other change). Climate destabilization will research. In order to manage habitat for butterflies, Callippe Silverspot not lead to uniform change across the these species, one must understand (Speyeria callippe callippe), San Bruno landscape. Some places will be hotter their biology, habitat requirements, and Elfin (Callophrys mossi bayensis), and and dryer while some may be wetter, ecology. The Society is working with Mission Blue (Icaricia icarioides and in other places the weather may graduate student Loni Beyer and missionensis), are now limited to the simply be more variable. It may effect Washington State University professor San Bruno Mountains just south of San plant communities and cause seasonal Cheryl Shultz to understand the life Francisco, the last remnant of the San shifts that put species out of sync with history of the Mardon skipper (Polites Francisco hills ecosystem. their food sources. Data shows that mardon), a small, tawny-orange Conversion of natural habitats for some butterflies are shifting their range butterfly dependent upon native agriculture, particularly for planted in response to the changing climate. It grasslands and mountain meadows. In food and fiber crops (e.g. cotton), is one is also leading to the endangerment of the state of Washington, over 95% of the of the most extensive land uses and, Lepidoptera with specific, narrow native grassland that Mardon skippers according to Robert Pyle, has resulted habitat requirements. A changing depend upon has been lost to in the greatest loss of native insect climate is especially detrimental to agricultural and residential sprawl, and populations. species