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NORTH AMERICAN BUTTERFLY ASSOCIATION 4 Delaware Road, Morristown, NJ 07960 tel. 973-285-0907 fax 973-285-0936 Visit our web site at www.naba.org SUCCESSFUL BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT compiled and edited by Ann B. Swengel, 2004 © 2004 North American Butterfly Association, Inc. All rights reserved. Urban, suburban, and rural; north, south, east, and west: these examples of successful butterfly conservation management comprise a wide range of species, circumstances, and locations. But they all have in common that local butterfly experts studied the butterflies in their area and learned how to cater to their needs. These projects made use of long-term datasets of butterfly observation to identify species in need and to determine the course of conservation management efforts. Through articles, scientific papers, checklists, and/or NABA Butterfly Counts, these experts have shared the results of their efforts to enhance the local butterfly community, with special emphasis on species that are localized or rare in that area. NEW JERSEY AUDUBON'S CAPE MAY flower/grass meadow extends around the BIRD OBSERVATORY CENTER FOR property just beyond the "formal" gardens, RESEARCH AND EDUCATION which aren't formal in the typical sense. The meadow offers a complement of additional The "Model Backyard Habitat" at the Cape caterpillar food plants for an array of skippers May Bird Observatory Center for Research and other butterflies. The meadow is mowed and Education has extensive gardens for but- once each spring, to allow that plant matter to terflies, hummingbirds, hummingbird moths, remain as long as possible but not to interfere bees, birds and other wildlife. In addition to with the next season's growth. The site has the "Caterpillar Food Plant Garden," many many native trees, shrubs, and vines around caterpillar food plants are incorporated into the edge of the meadow, as well as others the other gardens. The gardens are not tidied integrated into the gardens, further comple- up in the fall, and this is explained to visitors: menting the gardens' planted host plants. Part that in "cleaning up," next year's butterflies of the property is a tidal saltmarsh, explaining (mostly in immature life stages) would be dis- the wealth of Aaron's Skippers, Saltmarsh carded amongst all the plant stems. Through Skippers, Broad-winged Skippers, and even the winter, visitors observe wintering birds Rare Skippers in the garden, all species that feeding on many of the seed heads left in the return to the saltmarsh to lay their eggs. garden and learn that the untidy garden is Watering is minimal, if at all, to set a good intentional as a winter bird feeder. The wild- example (only four times during the summer President: Jeffrey Glassberg; Vice-President: James Springer; Secretary/Treasurer: Jane V. Scott Directors: Brian Cassie, Fred Heath, Steven Prchal, Robert Robbins, Patricia Sutton, Guy Tudor drought of 2001). The dragonfly pond is alive surrounded by a split rail fence; a new with dragonflies and damselflies, frogs, and building sits beyond a large parking lot. nectaring butterflies on the blooming pickerel- Directions from the New York City weed. This site attracts nesting Eastern Blue- area: Take the Garden State Parkway south to birds and Purple Martins. As Pat Sutton, Exit 13 (Swainton). Turn right (west) at the Program Director, observed early in 2003, "It's bottom of the exit ramp and continue to Route been an exciting project, that despite the 9. Turn left (south) onto Route 9 and drive a drought, looked fabulous during those two short ways to Route 646 (Goshen-Swainton years [2001 and 2002]. We use no herbicides Road). Turn right onto Route 646 through and pesticides, because this would kill the but- two stop signs. Soon after the 2nd stop sign terflies we want to increase. We offer weekly you will intersect with Route 47 in Goshen. butterfly and garden walks, and an opportunity Turn right (north) onto Route 47 and go 1.7 for volunteers to work in the garden (one miles to the CMBO Center for Research and morning a week, spring to fall) with Karen Education which will be on your right (just Williams, owner of Flora for Fauna Nursery around a bend in the road). It is surrounded and the person who has planted and maintains by a split rail fence; a new building sits our gardens for us. Our 'Model Backyard beyond a large parking lot. Habitat' is still evolving and not a finished product yet. We're planting as money and BUENA VISTA volunteers are available. Our gardens are not GRASSLAND, the typical picture-perfect garden, but true WISCONSIN wildlife gardens–alive with butterflies and their caterpillars, hummingbirds, bees, a Buena Vista variety of ornate wasps, hummingbird moths, Grassland is praying mantids, ladybugs, and more!" managed for the For more information: Cape May Bird Greater Prairie- Observatory, Center for Research and Chicken, a bird Education, 600 Route 47 North, Cape May listed as Court House, NJ 08210; phone 609-861-0700; endangered in www.njaudubon.org. Wisconsin and of To visit: Open DAILY, 9:00 AM to 4:30 conservation PM. Free / no admittance fee. concern Directions from the Philadelphia area: throughout its Take Route 95 South to the Commodore Barry range. This land was formerly drained and Bridge into New Jersey, follow Route 322 to farmed, but now has reverted back to Route 55. Take Route 55 south to Route 47 grassland vegetation composed mostly of south to Route 347 south (which rejoins Route weedy species, both native and non-native. 47 just north of Dennisville). Continue south But the animal community is quite impressive. on Route 47 through Dennisville, past the turn Besides the Greater Prairie-Chicken, an out- off for Route 83, continue on Route 47 standing array of grassland birds lives here, through the traffic light at Route 657 and from such as Upland Sandpiper, Henslow's and here the CMBO Center for Research and Grasshopper Sparrows, and Short-eared Owl. Education will be on your left in exactly 1 As for butterflies, this site hosts the largest mile (just around a bend in the road). It is known population in the state of the Regal 2 Fritillary, also listed as endangered in the state this mosaic of and of range-wide conservation concern. different vegeta- The Regal Fritillary Comprising over 14,000 acres in several tive structures and thrives at Buena Vista tracts near each other, Buena Vista is managed management his- Grassland, despite the in a rotation of units with a variety of tories provides weedy and non-native management types. Cattle-grazing occurs in different micro- vegetation and because about 5% of the site per year, in areas penned habitats that cater of the favorable hab- with temporary fencing. Brushy areas are to the different itat management here. often mowed first, since the cows don't eat the preferences of the mature brush nearly so much as they enjoy various bird species. munching on the tender resprouts, which Even though the results in effective brush control. This grazing Regal Fritillary is usually occurs over only one growing season the quintessential in any given area. Then the unit is rested from native prairie grazing for at least several years. Likewise, butterfly, it thrives haying and burning occur on up to 5% of the at Buena Vista, site per year, in different units each year. which contains rel- Brush-cutting and localized herbicide atively little native treatments of brush occur on small areas per prairie vegetation. year as well. All of these managements occur Despite the check- in units of about 20-120 acres scattered around ered history of the vegetation here, Buena the site. Thus, in any given area, treatment Vista provides the essential floristic elements occurs on a relatively small scale. Plus, these needed by the Regal Fritillary (violets living treatments are not evenly mixed and matched in a consistent grassland-type vegetation across the site. While some units have re- structure), although not in the typical context ceived a mixture of management types, many of intact native prairie. Most of the grassland other units have only been hayed, or only experiences no management in a given year, burned, or only grazed, or none of the above– so that direct mortality to the butterflies some areas have been left idle (unmanaged) themselves is kept low. Plus the combination for many years, or received only localized of management techniques used here is highly brush management within them by cutting or effective at maintaining grassland, by keeping herbiciding. brush at bay. While it remains utterly This combination of managements remarkable that Regal Fritillaries can thrive in maintains open grassland (not overrun by trees degraded vegetation, these other landscape and brush) in a variety of conditions (taller or and management factors at Buena Vista shorter grass, thinner or thicker dead grass on clearly are effective at mitigating this the ground, varying amounts of brush from vegetative factor, which is usually very none to scattered bushes to thicker brush). unfavorable for Regal Fritillaries. The This is beneficial to the Greater Prairie-Chick- grassland management here happens to be en because this bird requires different types of very favorable for this butterfly, even though grassland vegetation for different functions, the management was designed for a bird, not such as the "booming" grounds where they butterflies. perform courtship displays, nesting habitat, Other butterfly species of note at this site and woody roosting habitat for winter. Other include coppers: Gray, as well as Bronze and grassland bird species also benefit because American (localized species here). The 3 "weediness" of the site is beneficial to these Alana saw a segment about butterfly species because their caterpillar food plants gardening on ABC's former television are native and non-native docks, which are program, "Home Show".