North Dakota Monarch Butterfly and Native Pollinator Strategy First version December 2016 Second version April 2018 A collaborative effort by: North Dakota Game and Fish Department North Dakota Department of Agriculture North Dakota Department of Transportation North Dakota State University Extension Service NDSU North Dakota Forest Service North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center USDA Forest Service – Dakota Prairie Grasslands USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Pheasants Forever The Nature Conservancy North Dakota Grain Growers Association Other Agricultural Organizations United Prairie Foundation Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................. 2 BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................................................... 3 LIFE HISTORY ................................................................................................................................................. 4 HABITAT CONSERVATION ............................................................................................................................. 7 EDUCATION AND OUTREACH ........................................................................................................................ 9 RESEARCH AND MONITORING .................................................................................................................... 11 PARTNERS ................................................................................................................................................... 12 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................................ 12 ATTACHMENTS ............................................................................................................................................ 13 ATTACHMENT A. North Dakota Game and Fish Department ................................................................. 14 ATTACHMENT B. North Dakota Department of Agriculture ................................................................... 17 ATTACHMENT C. North Dakota Department of Transportation ............................................................. 19 ATTACHMENT D. North Dakota State University Extension Service ....................................................... 20 ATTACHMENT E. NDSU North Dakota Forest Service ............................................................................. 22 ATTACHMENT F. North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department ....................................................... 23 ATTACHMENT G. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service...................................................................................... 25 ATTACHMENT H. USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center ....................................................... 26 ATTACHMENT I. USDA Forest Service – Dakota Prairie Grasslands ........................................................ 28 ATTACHMENT J. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service ........................................................... 29 ATTACHMENT K. Pheasants Forever ....................................................................................................... 30 ATTACHMENT L. The Nature Conservancy ............................................................................................. 32 ATTACHMENT M. North Dakota Grain Growers Association.................................................................. 34 ATTACHMENT N. Other Agricultural Organizations ................................................................................ 35 ATTACHMENT O. United Prairie Foundation .......................................................................................... 36 APPENDICES ................................................................................................................................................ 38 Appendix A. Bumble Bees of North Dakota. ....................................................................................... 39 Appendix B. Other Native Bees of North Dakota. ............................................................................... 40 Appendix C. Butterflies of North Dakota. ........................................................................................... 41 Appendix D. Moths of North Dakota. ................................................................................................. 49 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Monarch Butterfly has received considerable attention in recent years due to a drastic decline in population. Other pollinating insect species, such as honey bees, native bees and butterflies, are also believed to be declining. In 2014, two butterfly species in North Dakota were listed under the Endangered Species Act as threatened or endangered and one bumble bee was listed in March 2017. As of 2016, there are four additional insects in North Dakota, including the Monarch, which have been petitioned to be listed under the Endangered Species Act as well. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is in the process of conducting status reviews in response to the petitions, which may take several years. This North Dakota Monarch and Native Pollinator Strategy outlines voluntary actions to increase the Monarch population in its summer range and further pollinator conservation in North Dakota. The Strategy will increase our knowledge of the recently listed insects as well as those under review by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other species that may be petitioned in the future. This strategy will describe the efforts - habitat conservation, education and outreach, and research and monitoring - that have recently been implemented or are proposed to be implemented for Monarchs and other native pollinators in North Dakota. The North Dakota Game and Fish Department and the partners on this strategy will attempt to carry out conservation efforts to sustain these key species on the North Dakota landscape. The partners will agree to provide annual updates through the year 2020 on research or monitoring and report progress on implementation and effectiveness of the conservation actions to demonstrate success of Monarch and native pollinator conservation in North Dakota. The intent of this Strategy is to preclude the need to list the Monarch and other pollinators as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. This Strategy will reveal conservation actions, activities or programs in development or currently in effect that will reduce threats or otherwise improve the status of the Monarch and other pollinators in North Dakota. Monarch Butterfly 2 BACKGROUND The Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) population has declined significantly in recent years, from a high of almost 1 billion Monarchs in 1996 to a low of 35 million in 2013. The eastern North American Monarchs migrate to overwintering areas in central Mexico, about 60 miles northwest of Mexico City. Here they form dense clusters on oyamel trees and the number of occupied hectares are measured every winter. One hectare is estimated to contain 50 million butterflies. In the winter of 2015-2016, the Monarch population had rebounded to 4.01 hectares and about 200 million butterflies, but fell to 2.91 hectares in 2016-2017 and 2.48 hectares in 2017-2018. To sustain the population of Monarchs for perpetuity, 6 hectares of occupied winter habitat is needed. As a result of their decline, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has received petitions to list the Monarch and several other pollinator species that may occur in North Dakota under the Endangered Species Act (ESA): Regal Fritillary (Speyeria idalia), Western Bumble Bee (Bombus occidentalis), and Yellow Banded Bumble Bee (Bombus terricola). The Dakota Skipper (Hesperia dacotae) was listed as threatened and the Poweshiek Skipperling (Oarisma Poweshiek) as endangered in November 2014. The Rusty Patched Bumble Bee (Bombus affinis) was listed as endangered inMarch 2017, although the species is believed to no longer occur in North Dakota. Additional petitions are expected if actions are not taken to reverse the decline or implement conservation to offset losses to pollinators. Listing a species as threatened or endangered under the ESA may restrict certain actions on private and public lands. Keeping species off the ESA list is the intent of the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s State Wildlife Action Plan (ND SWAP). The cost of protection or restoration of a listed species is often far greater than preventing or stemming the decline in the first place. Furthermore, pollinators are essential for food security and some species hold high public sentiment, such as Monarchs. The loss of these species would be a loss of biodiversity in North Dakota. The June 20, 2014 Presidential Memorandum – Creating a Federal Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators (Memorandum), addressed the severe decline of Monarchs. The Memorandum also highlights the significant loss of other pollinators, including honey bees, native bees, birds, bats and butterflies. Pollinators are essential to food production and contribute to the economy of the United States. Loss of pollinators could have drastic effects on the agricultural industry and the environment. The Memorandum directed a Pollinator Health Task