Tallgrass Prairie

Tragedies

by Ann B. Swengel Bruce A. Bruce Morrison 64 American Butterflies,Fall/Winter 2013 65 This wasn’t what I expected. But second, and much less well-known, and suitable weather, some years just didn’t It’s late June 1988 — extreme heat and the European settlement that spread across produce much of a target species because of drought. Yet armed only with field guides the continent caused this destruction so low abundance fluctuations due to extreme and tallgrass prairie preserve guides, my rapidly that very little documentation exists variation in this continental climate. husband Scott and I picked a week to vacation of what the intact prairie ecosystem was like. We kept making those annual western trips in western Minnesota. Even though prairie- Remnants survived on lightly used agricultural (twice per summer through 1993) through specialized skippers (restricted, or nearly so, land, usually too steep to plow or too wet to 1997. Localized in abundance and distribution to native herbaceous flora) are very localized, cultivate, wisps of what’s been lost due to the even within areas of high-quality prairie we readily made our initial acquaintance with fertile soil and humid climate in the Midwest. flora, prairie-restricted butterflies use either Arogos, Dakota, and Poweshiek, among other Westward from the far eastern Dakotas, the widespread caterpillar plants (dominant prairie butterflies characteristic of prairie (Regal semi-arid climate supports sparser “mixed- grasses) or unobtrusive ones (such as violets, Fritillary, Gorgone Checkerspot, Common grass prairie.” Although much of that is not particularly evident in mid-summer). It Ringlet, Melissa Blue). plowed, the economics are more amenable to was challenging to identify and code the Back in our home state of Wisconsin, with non-tilled ranching uses. relevant vegetative and site variables. the same approach we added Ottoe Skipper. Third, it’s not enough just to preserve Although in those initial years we received Slightly later timing in 1989 produced similar (buy) those tallgrass remnants. Without small agency grants to defray expenses, and delightful results in northern Iowa. Despite some sort of ongoing intervention, most were grateful for the support and interest, we the stereotype that mid-continent North prairie patches degrade due to encroachment were pressed as volunteers to find enough America is boring, these wide open spaces by shrubs and trees, incursion of non-native days off not only to conduct the surveys (and were perfect for sun-loving butterflies amidst plants, or erosion of native plant diversity, re-surveys when possible, to address timing glorious wildflowers. We enthusiastically or all three. Problematically, this active and weather problems), but also to digitize enumerated how much we saw of what, like conservation management must proceed and analyze and write up the results. Yet we 4th of July Butterfly Counts, but tracked by despite the fragmentary evidence of what the gladly prepared more detailed reports than individual site or part of a site. goal should look like and how to get it. The required, enthusiastic as we were to show Three overwhelming tragedies have primary method used to manage preserves has appreciation that agencies wanted to learn befallen tallgrass prairie. First, and well- been “prescribed fire,” so called to indicate more about species we loved. known, is the destruction of 99% of this the deliberateness and expected benefit of that After 1991, more pronounced patterns magnificent ecosystem, primarily for intensive activity. Occasionally grazing is also used, but began to emerge from the data. For example, agriculture. since bison (globally emblematic of prairie) Regal Fritillaries strongly preferred larger and elk are more challenging to manage, a sites that have what I call “up-low” (both domesticated substitute (cattle, goats) often upland and lowland grasslands in the same stands in their stead. site). When controlling for such relevant It’s June and July 1990, and effective variables species by species, areas burned Almost all prairie skippers are research of prairie butterflies is harder than I since the last growing season typically had in trouble, but the condition thought. Agencies had announced their need sharply lower specialist numbers. Butterfly of Poweshiek Skipperlings is for more prairie insect study but lacked the lovers aren’t too surprised by that, since most perhaps the most dire. resources to do it all themselves. They called on amateurs to volunteer their observations, July 2, 2011, Park Lyndon North, especially regarding how prairie management Washtenaw Co, MI. affected prairie-restricted insects. Overleaf: Most people would agree that Wisconsin’s prairie preserves were mostly Regal Fritillaries are the most magnificent smaller than those we’d seen farther west. prairie butterflies. The extent of their Previous page: Sunrise over So in 1990 Scott and I decided to establish Cayler Prairie State Preserve, systematic surveys not only in our home range is now about one-half what it was in state (and we’ve done so every year since) 1970. Fortunately, however, there are still July 23, 2006. Dickinson Co., IA. but also farther west. But the sites were few many locations where they can be seen. and far between in that vast mid-continent. Even if we happened to get the right timing Aug. 3, 2009 July 2, Tallgrass Grassland National

Jackie Riley Preserve, Chase Co., KS. 66 American Butterflies,Fall/Winter 2013 67 68 Judd Patterson

American Butterflies, Fall/Winter 2013 69 the cut vegetation subsequently removed) visits graciously allowed by the landowner, the in mid-summer, a timing that butterfly fans most diverse array of butterflies we’ve found uniformly objected to! That’s because the on any prairie in the state flew at least once plant resources were being disrupted when over that ridge. These included specialists butterflies (whether adults or immatures) (Gorgone Checkerspot, Mottled Duskywing, were actively using them. Furthermore, Leonard’s Skipper) and generalists, from conservation literature frequently described Giant and Zebra Swallowtail and the full all agricultural uses, including this haying, as complement of possible hairstreaks (including ecologically degrading. Gray), to Gulf and Variegated Fritillaries Due to rocky soil, which is less suitable and Milbert’s Tortoiseshell, at one of the few for plowing, the surrounding agricultural sites where we’ve seen “hilltopping” in the landscape had relatively more high-quality Midwest. prairie flora than I’d seen elsewhere. In In one of the tragic ironies of tallgrass annual surveys through 1999, we found that prairie, even though intensive agriculture the fauna seemed more resilient due to that (plowing, heavy grazing, multiple haycuts more favorable landscape. Burned sites also per year) was the primary cause of prairie had these specialist butterfly species, but in destruction, unintensive agricultural land uses statistically lower numbers. We found more (haying no more frequent than once per year, species of butterflies in the hayed areas than light grazing) appeared remarkably compatible in burned areas, with much shorter recovery with the persistence of prairie-specialized periods following a cut than a burn. Some butterflies, even preferable to ecological sites had both haying and burning. For management with fire (possibly combined Prairie Regions of the United States. From east to west, tallgrass prairie shown in dark prairie specialists as well as butterflies with grazing). green; mid-grass prairie shown in medium green and short-grass prairie shown in lighter widely inhabiting both degraded and native Tim McCabe had already noticed this. green. grasslands, such sites usually fell intermediate In a 1981 article, he identified two harmful between hay-only or burn-only sites. This features in the process of prairie conservation. gave more support to reducing fire by First, the traditional light agricultural substituting haying for some fires rather than management that had been occurring for species are resident year-round in the vicinity results were going, we were also unhappy to vice versa. But in the later years of our study, decades usually stopped. Since the site is where the adults are found, and most or all have responded to agency questions with lots burning was increased in our sample of sites. worthy of conservation, it is logical to think of the immature life cycle usually transpires of volunteer work using standard scientific It’s early August 1992. I’m amazed to that some aspects of its land use history above ground. In wide open grassland, there methods, only to be told that our answers behold not only the densest Regals known in (pre-conservation) contributed to it being an is nothing above ground that escapes the fuel couldn’t be right. We decided to ramp up our Wisconsin (still going strong today) but also outlier among sites in the current landscape. for a fire. But it was developing that numbers survey effort to see if we could decipher better an Ottoe Skipper in a private dairy pasture, Second, a new management (fire) often rebuilt slowly and erratically, even when fires what was happening with the butterflies. later preserved as Hogback State Natural started. He noted the positive association were rotated around the site over 4-5 or more It’s June 1992 in southwestern Missouri. Area (shown overleaf). I’d shown photos of of prairie skippers with hayed sites, and the years. How could we be finding unimaginable Regals to prairie aficionados since I wanted feasibility of working with farm neighbors to Scott and I were rapidly pigeonholed numbers of Regal Fritillaries and Arogos to know if they found this butterfly anywhere continue this management after conservation. and marginalized as critics and opponents of Skippers in sites with “unnatural” or in Wisconsin where populations were so few prairie conservation rather than being added to “unecological” management? Scott and I and vulnerable. I jumped at the opportunity the diversity of team members contributing to had vacationed there in April 1991, again for an escorted tour of this newly discovered the common goal of enlarging the knowledge just following prairie guides. We’d found population. Overleaf: Hogback Prairie State Natural base and stretching available resources to oodles of grassland violets (caterpillar food Bafflingly, this steep rocky ridge of only Area supports one of the strongest colonies obtain better conservation outcomes. Just as for Regal Fritillary) and way more Henslow’s about 40 acres of open prairie (at that time) of Regal Fritillaries in Wisconsin and is we were starting to get meaningful results, Sparrows than we’d encountered before. was semi-degraded, with weeds and brush one of the few “hilltopping” sites in the the agencies didn’t want to fund us any more. Astonishingly, some preserves were managed scattered throughout, yet it also supported an Midwest. incredible diversity of prairie flora. As Scott Of course, other studies may have been more not with rotational fire but instead with and I would learn more fully in subsequent compelling. But chagrined by the direction our rotational haying (part of the site mowed, with June 11, 2007, Crawford Co., WI. 70 American Butterflies,Fall/Winter 2013 71 72 Jerry Quebe

American Butterflies, Fall/Winter 2013 73 favorable for butterflies, which fare better with Species pessimism history of the site (including pre-conservation) traditional unintensive agricultural practices. The pessimistic approach focuses on how little and selecting a few key species to focus on But a variety of such regimes is needed, is known about pristine prairie. It’s necessary retaining in the site. If that is successful, they since no one regime caters to all the needy to proceed cautiously and “hedge bets” serve as the “umbrella” providing conservation butterflies effectively. (maintain distinct tests of several strategies) coverage to other species requiring similar due to risk from uncertain outcomes. Woody habitat. Ecosystem optimism encroachment is a symptom of ecosystem Institutional prairie conservation has mostly disruption and degradation, not succession. Compromises used an ecosystem approach that focuses on Different species have carved out different An optimistic compromise urges the use of restoring ecological functions, especially fires niches, some in earlier or later stages of that all available management tools, both the but occasionally the combination of grazing prairie climax, and as a result have different ones considered natural (fire, grazing) and and fire, to check the successional process of requirements and tolerances. those that aren’t: mowing (leaving the cut prairie transforming to forest. In this view, While the dynamism of nature is vegetation in place), haying, brush-hogging, prairie is degraded by the unnaturalness of undeniable, an inordinate number of localized targeted herbiciding of problem plants. Use surrounding agricultural uses, from chemical specialists exist, indicating that ecosystems all of them to counteract the negatives and drift and the proximity of non-native plants. also offered long-term consistency in obtain the positives of each. This prevents By restoring and maintaining the prairie sufficient quantity to allow that specialization the overuse of any one management type, vegetation in a natural manner, the species to evolve. Dramatic natural processes such which would systematically disfavor species living there are returned to the environment as fires, floods, and droughts have extirpated vulnerable to a particular management type. they existed in over evolutionary time. As a populations for eons and natural barriers to A pessimistic compromise notes result, it must be the safest approach, given the dispersal have been precluding subsequent that the most sensitive species have incompleteness of our knowledge of pristine recolonization of some suitable locations. narrow management tolerances but these prairie. This approach notes the dynamism The presence of non-native plants is vary considerably among those species. of nature (fires, floods, droughts) and how rarely a direct cause of degradation but Furthermore, the core habitat for these characteristic species have colonized newly instead is symptomatic of underlying species is often in small parts of a prairie generated habitat patches. landscape conditions caused by human site. Even what looks like the sparing use of Let’s call this the optimistic approach. activities that favor these non-natives. By fire or grazing or haying may affect too much George L. Pierson George It’s very attractive because it looks more their prevalence, these non-natives sure are of the core habitat for that population in a Arogos Skipper populations have become efficient than a single-species approach that thriving. Beleaguered prairie species need as single instance of that management. Mixing very localized in northern prairies, but is impossible to do except for a few lucky little disruption as possible in the consistent up managements in each spot means that a still remain more generally distributed in species. Since the natural world presents delivery of their habitat requirements and different set of sensitive species gets eroded southern prairies. consistent patterns of co-occurring species conditions (whatever all those specifics are) if away as each type of management is done. that live in the same conditions, they can be they are to continue persisting. Yet sets of these sensitive species June 15, 2013, Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, Osage “captured” simultaneously in one conservation As a result, we need to cater to different consistently co-occur in the same conditions, Co., OK. plan. tolerances of different species, but only at as in the abundant Regals and Arogos and In our preserve surveys, idling (doing no Focusing on only a few charismatic the sites where those species actually occur. Henslow’s Sparrows in those hayed Missouri management) was often not much better for species would likely discriminate against the Inevitably, we will experience failure, but prairies. Consistently providing those same butterfly numbers than burning. However, habitat requirements of many other worthy we will change what we’ve been doing in conditions can result in a thriving community no single alternative management (such species not getting individual treatment. As light of that new information. Even in an of “fellow travelers.” It’s particularly as haying) was optimal for all specialist a result, it is wasteful and even ecologically emergency room, doctors perform many tests beneficial to set aside part of the prairie not to butterflies. It was not simply a case of unsound to focus on individual species or and monitor the patients vital signs. They be burned at all, because of how vulnerable substituting one particular regime for another divert funds away from vital management to don’t just do. They also triage and first do no prairie-specialist butterflies are to this to arrive at a best management approach. monitoring, although surveys can be useful to harm. Individualized site “treatment plans” particular management. Sometimes this has Europeans have noted a similar demonstrate the success of the approach. If are more costly upfront but can save money been deliberate, sometimes serendipitous; as dichotomy. In the agricultural landscape, the ecosystem approach fails, then that is taken in the long run by producing better outcomes when some of the habitat patch used by the global economic pressures lead to either to mean that the restoration didn’t start soon and reducing mistakes that may, or may not, butterfly is outside the preserve and is in light excessive intensification of agricultural enough on a large enough scale. be fixable. Shortcuts include identifying how agricultural use. This compromise advocates use or abandonment altogether. Neither is to continue positive aspects of the land use “consistent diversity”: maintaining the same 74 American Butterflies,Fall/Winter 2013 75 Skipperlings used to generate remarkably Ecologically managed preserves are the focus dense numbers in small parts of some sites, of increasing officially sponsored agency even in the 1990s. The remarkably cool surveys, because these places are the best summer of 2004 marked the point in time known examples of prairie flora and fauna. when it became inescapably apparent that Such sites have also been losing what I call Poweshieks had become nearly undetectable “grassland” grass-skippers, less sensitive in their former stronghold of Iowa and species not restricted to native prairie but Minnesota. As of now, most detections are widely inhabiting degraded old fields as well. clustered in Manitoba’s Tallgrass Prairie Some sites with prairie flora that are idled Preserve and fens in Michigan. or in light agricultural uses have also lost While Dakota Skipper has been a concern specialist skippers known once to live there. for decades, periodic surveys indicated that it Meanwhile, there are instances of specialist was still widely present both in preserves and populations showing higher numbers in fire- on private ranch and hay lands in Minnesota managed areas than in areas burned longer and the Dakotas. But in the last decade, ago or not at all. As a result, some infer larger its decline has become obvious. It is now region-wide issues, such as some unverified primarily found on hay lands far northward disease or agricultural drift that skippers are (Manitoba) and far westward (Dakotas) in its particularly susceptible to, or genetics. range. Scott and I have noticed both high Meanwhile, Ottoe Skipper has been fading variability and underlying patterns in the away preserve by preserve over the last several populations we’ve been surveying for years decades within its spotty but large range, and in others’ data. After the tight bottleneck which included some spectacular populations. in the first growing season after a fire, George L. Pierson George The largest populations now reported in specialist and grassland butterflies usually Gray Coppers are widespread, but localized, prairie butterflies. tallgrass prairie occur in the “working increase for the next several years. Then landscape” (private citizen landowners, public their numbers usually drop again, sometimes June 15, 2013, Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, Osage Co., OK. land used for non-ecological purposes). steeply, but, even so, their numbers are usually The prairie subspecies of Arogos Skipper noticeably higher than at the extreme low now appears to occur in higher numbers in point right after fire. The average or median southern tallgrass prairie than in northern highest year in the fire rotation is often management within a given unit (preferably posted at www.aprairiehaven.com. tallgrass prairie, where the species has become lower than the average or median abundance consistent with the long-term site history) but There is, however, a tried and true way to very localized and ever harder to find. overall in comparable vegetation managed using different management regimes among identify what has worked better: the scientific Meanwhile, Regal Fritillaries are holding unintensively with rotational light haying or units and sites of the same vegetation type, method. But this requires controls and up relatively better. In small sites (less than grazing. so as to capture the widest range of the most outgroups and before-and-after monitoring, 100 acres) they have often dwindled, but in Occasionally, a specialist population may sensitive species collectively. not to mention patience to obtain enough larger habitat patches, usually combining even dazzle with a memorable super-recovery data and discern patterns. We humans are native prairie embedded in a matrix of more (an outlier high count of individuals) in an The ultimate test imperfect at this. It’s easy to pick and choose degraded grassland, this species has fared area burned in the last several years. These The optimistic and pessimistic approaches are which sites and which data do and don’t better than the skippers and is still readily events are much more likely to occur early in about as opposite as two approaches can be. appear relevant to the question, and as result, found. the history of fire at a site, when some habitat They see the same data and situations but in find what you started out looking for. The Gray Copper and Gorgone Checkerspot (whether in the preserve or on neighboring response, go in about as opposite directions ultimate test is evaluating which findings and reputedly tolerate degradation relatively well land) has not yet had any fire. Studies of imaginable. As a result, there is tremendous ideas presaged future outcomes better. but are more localized than that would predict. insects responses to fire often occur during conflict, all focused on these few sites and few Nonetheless, they are still being found both in this phase, when interest is great in how the populations. I am indebted to Dennis Schlicht Skipper crisis tallgrass prairies as well as some old fields (the new experimental management is affecting the (see American Butterflies, Spring 1999) for If there’s a consensus on anything, it’s that former species) or pine barrens (the latter). preserve’s inhabitants. Better than average identifying how these prairie paradigms guide prairie skippers are faring particularly poorly But there is a lack of consensus regarding fire recoveries are also skewed to years of the interpretation of what we see in his essay in their tallgrass prairie range. Poweshiek why these skipper declines are occurring. favorable abundance fluctuations generally. 76 American Butterflies,Fall/Winter 2013 77 Jeffrey Glassberg Mike Reese As you can see from the photographs on this and the next page, Ottoe Skippers are still A male Ottoe Skipper. July 6, 2008. Galbraith Park, Jefferson Co., CO. found from western Wisconsin to Colorado, but their distribution within that range is very spotty. Above: A mated pair. July 23, 2011. Rush Creek State Natural Area, Crawford Co., WI.

Conversely, many examples also exist of very fire programs than do many historical sites that and moths are above-ground as vulnerable particular thrives in rocky and sandy areas slow increases of numbers, not necessarily have lost their specialists. immatures in the herbaceous flora where the which also offer firebreaks. But many “recovery” since that implies full rebuilding to Scott and I also visit not only prairie fuel (dead plant litter) is. fires occur in the heavier fuel loaded areas previous abundance. In the most unfortunate preserves but also old fields, barrens, rights-of- Although these immatures are also or later in spring, when these species are episodes, the species did not recover at all, way, and parks, and these have a wide variety present when mowing, haying, and grazing active and more vulnerable. Under these although a few individuals might be found in of managements. We continue to find all are happening, studies have repeatedly shown condition, he measured large lethal impacts. spotty incidence for a few years afterward. the expected grassland grass-skipper species that a single instance of mowing, haying, or He also anticipated the compounding effect Although this is more likely to occur when readily. Those prairies that still have reliable light grazing is less lethal (not non-lethal) of fire cycle after fire cycle on increasing the fire burned all or nearly all of the occupied specialist skipper populations also have these for insects. Thus, the primary identified the vigorous growth habitat of their prairie habitat, we have seen this when some core grassland grass-skippers. Fire-managed vegetative goals of prairie management grass food plants. This shift from the short area of habitat was burned while substantial preserves that have long since lost specialist (removing plant litter, non-native plants, and/ turf heights preferred by these populations areas of less densely occupied habitat were skippers also became poor for grassland grass- or woody plants) can be accomplished by make sites less suitable for grass-skippers, not burned. Non-recovery is also more skippers in general. these other less deleterious means. presumably due to the unpalatability of the likely during a series of adverse abundance As Dennis Schlicht and Tim Orwig, Dr. Robert Dana’s research has revealed coarse grasses to tiny caterpillars. fluctuations. The preserves that still harbor familiar to readers of this magazine, have been that Ottoe and Dakota Skippers have some Martin Warren published a study in more of the most specialized skippers tend saying, both in print and from the podium, protection from fire mortality when their the early 1990s documenting how British to have much fire programs that have only there is no time of year that’s safe for burning. caterpillars are sheltering in the bases of butterflies declined as strongly on preserves recently been initiated, or much less intensive At all times of year, some specialist butterflies grasses or shallow subsurface. Ottoe in as on unconserved land, but for different

78 American Butterflies,Fall/Winter 2013 79 reasons in each sector. Shocking as that may survive to some degree. But in a series of for scientists, like Scott, who follow the logic between more or less recently burned areas, first sound, this has also been occurring in years with adverse weather events that hold of data regardless of stereotypes, and even or between areas with more or fewer rounds the Midwest. However, a few lucky prairie fluctuations low, populations may be slow to more for the relentless reliability of the “logic of fire cycles. Wonderful in their own right, species are doing relatively better in the rebuild, if they do at all. of the species,” a phrase I’ve enthusiastically butterflies are also the tip of an invertebrate unconserved landscape. For example, despite This is the tragedy of my generation: so adopted from a Japanese lepidopterist, biodiversity iceberg. Nature’s profligate large-scale surveying on preserves where much caring, so much effort, so much anger Toshitaka Hidaka. complexity has generated a remarkable large populations formerly occurred, the and anguish, so little to show for it in terms It was long after 1997 before I felt diversity of sedentary specialists. only currently reported strong populations of of prairie specialist butterfly outcomes. confident in any turnaround. Too often I’d Absurd as the managers’ question is, it’s Dakota Skipper are on private hay prairies. Some amateurs are happily contributing to felt we were arriving just in time to watch the actually a good sign. It concedes that fire In yet another ironic twist, the activities conservation agencies. Others have long since specialist butterflies decline and disappear. kills butterflies. So let’s re-phrase this. Why of pre-Columbian Native Americans are given up in frustration. They even express a We couldn’t seem to find a way to arrest this don’t butterflies cope with current concepts often invoked as the source of frequent pre- sense of betrayal because the same ecosystem process even on conserved lands. But today, of ecosystem function and management? I European prairie fires. However, it’s rare that management approach kept getting focused on Regal Fritillaries are still found at Buena have a two-part answer. First, processes and those past practices are attributed to individual their newly discovered and reported sites, with Vista. The site remains consistently managed functions (such as fire) don’t work in the tribes inhabiting particular places and times. the same unfortunate outcomes as previously as before, with the prairie-chicken serving as a modern landscape the same way they did in In contrast, today, an important repository of documented at the “old” sites. Meanwhile, successful “umbrella” providing conservation the past. Second, as a number of Wisconsin Dakota Skippers and associated skippers is agency staff call these amateurs unsupportive, coverage for other species such as the most managers have said to me, the use of fire has tribal land in the Dakotas that are hay prairies. uncooperative, unrealistic, and even impressive Gray Copper population I’ve ever been over-emphasized and grazing under- On 4th of July Butterfly Counts, prairie obstructive by withholding vital information. seen. emphasized. I would add that mowing and specialists have always been few and far I’ve heard an earful from all sides! “Why aren’t your butterflies adapted to haying serve as analogs to that grazing, and between, but reports have become fewer in their prairie ecosystem?” Various managers can be applied in very targeted and controlled more recent years. However, counters visit Gradual turnaround have asked me this question, implying that doses. I would caution that managers using all sorts of sites, not just prairie preserves, It’s July 2, 1997 and I’m flabbergasted to find butterflies are anomalous in an ecosystem experimental grazing should learn a lesson and grassland grass-skippers are still widely a Regal Fritillary! I didn’t know it at the time, construed to be fire-dependent. Yet Jeff from fire management outcomes and use found in the known range of Poweshiek and but this marked an ever so gradual positive Nekola (familiar to readers of American grazing cautiously — leaving a permanent Dakota Skippers. As a result, I do not think turn in our butterfly conservation experience. Butterflies for his article on bog-trotting for non-grazing refugium, in which even light there is a single region-wide agent responsible Scott had noticed that Regals correlated butterflies, in the Fall 1998 issue) found that grazing was eschewed, and applying more for prairie butterfly declines, including the with large sites in unintensive management grassland land snails were dramatically more intensive grazing to very small units that are precipitous decline of the prairie skippers. supporting excellent grassland bird faunas, common in Midwestern areas that had no rotated over the course of many years. Instead, I see a confluence of many and that Regal Fritillaries weren’t nearly so evidence of fire history compared to those that A denizen of pine barrens (a mix of factors compounding over decades. It is no sensitive to vegetative degradation as are did. He views the widespread improper use prairie-like flora among oaks and pines), surprise that the unconserved landscape is the prairie skippers. He’d finally prevailed of fire management as one of the single most the federally endangered ‘Karner’ Melissa hostile to specialist species. Abandonment of upon me to look for Regals at Buena Vista harmful immediate threats to biodiversity. Blue in Wisconsin has been the subject of unintensive agriculture is rarely favorable, and Grassland in central Wisconsin, managed by This is not because fire is the overriding exemplary conservation efforts. The U.S. Fish in years of extreme climate, light agricultural the Wisconsin Department of Resources for problem in the landscape as a whole, but and Wildlife Service rightly required a lot of uses may still be too intensive to provide the Greater Prairie-Chicken with bits of fire because it is often targeted exactly where the surveying and monitoring, and rightly required adequate buffers, especially in heat or drought. and grazing and haying and localized brush- most localized populations are. Besides the evidence (Karner evidence, not ecosystem Meanwhile, in the preserved landscape, cutting and herbiciding in small and widely many effects burning has on subsequent plant theories) for the suitability of proposed fire and now fire+grazing vary greatly in effect scattered units. growth, fire is also a broad-spectrum broadcast managements or land uses: because the extent and management of burns Most areas weren’t managed at all each insecticidal agent. This came as a surprise not just to some varies tremendously from site to site and over year yet persisted as very wide open fields. Meanwhile, Adam Wallner and his people with a “working landscape” (especially time at the same site. In many years, the core I thought the site was too beat up by its research team had similar results for prairie forestry) background, but also to people in the habitat for a specialist may be subject to little, checkered agricultural past to have retained leafhoppers in Illinois. This corroborated ecological sector. If there wasn’t much Karner or no, fire, almost counting as “idled”. But Regal Fritillaries. Poetically, I found the our experience that the effects of fire become evidence, or the evidence was conflicting, then a year may come along when most or all of first one! It’s still true that Regals are here more apparent when burned prairie areas are caution was required from the point of view its core habitat happens to land in the same despite the vegetation, as we’ve sure had compared to otherwise comparable prairie of “take” (harm to the butterflies themselves, intensive management treatment. In many trouble finding Regals in other non-prairie sites that have not been burned for decades; regardless of life stage). instances, the specialist population may still grasslands. But I have a much greater respect rather than when comparing differences The learning curve has been long, and

80 American Butterflies,Fall/Winter 2013 81 results uneven among sites. That variability listing of both Poweshiek Skipperling and a consistent array of diverse vegetative their fate? If ignored, will whatever randomly is beneficial though, since a variety of Dakota Skipper. conditions to buffer all weather contingencies. happens be OK for them? What if they are landowners and land uses provides the This is the tragic paradox: Only when Grass-skippers generally had low numbers in noticed? What happens then? Do we humans range of variation needed to obtain more the skippers became extremely rare did the many Midwestern areas in 2013. get what we’re looking for (study subjects, definitive answers. They’ve been willing to do collective motivation and money come forth to But this is little comfort for those samples, source stock for captive projects)? “consistent diversity,” including fire but also try to keep them from disappearing. But these desperate to find prairie-specialist skippers Do the skippers get enough of what they’re non-fire refugia with brush-cutting, timber resources would have been tremendously more last summer. It’s hard to ride out these low looking for? Right now, there are prairie- harvest, mowing, and spot-herbiciding. effective one or two decades earlier. Now the fluctuations, especially since an adverse specialist skippers on preserves. I ask the Karner Blues have been functioning well most extreme single-species work possible weather event can be the proximate cause same questions. Do we humans become way as an umbrella for species such as Frosted is underway, certainly not an option for most of population inviability. Given how much more effective than we’ve been at deliberately Elfin, Persius and Mottled Duskywings and invertebrates which must hope, at most, we butterfly enthusiasts take region-wide ensuring that these skippers consistently find Cobweb and Dusted Skippers. Just look at the for coverage under some other “umbrella” fluctuations for granted, Scott and I have enough of what they need? Wazee and Crex Meadows butterfly counts species. been particularly interested in learning how What will future generations of butterfliers as well as the SWBA Chapter resource page Even if skipper re-introduction is pursued, individual populations buck those patterns. think of the decisions we’ve made for on NABA’s website for more details on these and even if that enjoys some degree of Sometimes a population doesn’t benefit prairie conservation? Will they view it with sites. success (against the odds, per the literature from a regional uptick. This often correlates appreciation that we did the best we could In another tragic irony for prairie, the pine and unpublished experience on butterfly with dramatic management or extreme with the knowledge and resources available? barrens experience suggests that the optimistic re-introductions, despite a few gratifying susceptibility to whatever extreme weather Or will they view it as a tragedy of lost and ecosystem approach correlates with relatively successes), these species are unlikely to occur is happening (e.g. excessive exposure in foreseeable opportunities to listen to what more pessimistic outcomes for specialist at anywhere near the number of sites reliably drought; severe inundation in flood). But just populations of prairie-specialist butterflies butterflies than does the pessimistic approach. supporting these species even in the 1990s. as notable, some populations weather low preferred, while they still existed to be listened Meanwhile, a pessimistic approach that The many co-occurring moths and leafhoppers fluctuations better. We’ve been particularly to? I don’t know. focuses on monitoring single target species and snails that would have fallen under the interested in how consistent diversity of But I do see how current butterfliers vote with a feedback loop to cautious management umbrella of these skippers (if the original vegetative contexts for caterpillar plants with their feet. They flock to sites that have brings along many other species for the ride. populations had been successfully retained) do may relate to this. Such sites are ragged or the best numbers of localized butterflies, not have that coverage. “scruffy”, or as I’ve come to appreciate it: a such as the Wazee and Crex Meadows count Current efforts Now, in the most recent tragic setback kaleidoscope of complexity, seemingly infinite circles and Buena Vista, where an umbrella In the last five years, institutional interest for prairie skippers, just as conservation combinations of the caterpillar plants in low species has been covering the needs of a suite in conserving individual species of prairie authorities decided to increase their programs and high litter, sun and shade, moisture and of butterflies. I hope for more butterfliers to skippers has coalesced into an international for prairie skippers in the last two years, 2012 dryness. This harkens back to Tim McCabe’s step up. Don’t wait until agencies become consortium of scientists, agency staff, and 2013 have not only had extreme weather observation that locations of skipper egg motivated to intervene. Do the monitoring academics, and volunteers focused on but also extreme reversals in weather. By concentrations varied among years. In both yourself and work directly with local Poweshiek Skipperling and now Dakota late summer 2012, extreme heat and drought light agriculture and ecological management, landowners. We butterfliers also need to Skipper. affected habitat throughout most of Poweshiek it can be hard to find consistent complexity. figure out better ways to reward and thus Surveys to assess their status in historic Skipperlings’ range. The agriculture may be consistent year to encourage deliberate successful conservation sites and search for new ones have increased. Butterflies in general plummeted in year, but sites such as hay prairies can be quite we enjoy so much. Our culture lionizes the Glad as I am for the interest, it’s painful to numbers. For example, the southward uniform. Ecological sites often have a boom- heroic effort, dramatic and attention-grabbing see an effort so vast producing so few skipper Monarch migration was a bust. Yet the bust cycle with a dramatic management one no matter how long the shot. But unobtrusive finds. There is dire need, yet little ability, following spring was very snowy and cool. year and then several rest years. That’s very ongoing efforts to prevent problems slip to learn what makes these populations tick, As a result, 2013 breeding success was most inconsistent among years but homogeneous under the radar. When was the last time you not to mention the lost wonder of seemingly likely for those eggs laid in places that could within year. saw the headline (or were avidly interested uncountable clouds of prairie skippers. work for both hot drought and cool wetness. in) “17th year of monitoring produces results Genetic research is underway, as well as Small sites may not have the full range of Future prospects within range of variation already observed” or data compilation and mapping, and analysis buffers to accommodate that wide a range Right now, prairie-specialist skippers exist on “subtle management hard to notice continues of recent survey results relative to vegetative of circumstances all in one generation. This private unconserved land and neglected public long-term successful vegetative and animal characteristics and management (fire and cattle may also explain why populations have been land: especially Dakota Skipper, but also results”? But those efforts are most likely to grazing). The United States Fish and Wildlife eroding for decades: few managers in the Ottoe Skipper, and, I hope, Arogos Skipper bring the most biodiversity possible to the next Service is considering proposing federal working or ecological landscapes maintain and Poweshiek Skipperling. What will be generation of NABA members.

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