Lycaeides melissa samuelis
(Left: Female, Right: Male)
The Karner blue butterfly (KBB) is one of the few federally endangered insects in the United States. It's range used to stretch from New York to Wisconsin, and just reached into the Toledo area. The population of this species has now been scattered into small pockets, mainly due to the loss of their natural habitat (Oak Savannah).
The reason I decided to showcase this species this week is because it is the reason I decided to get into the field of entomology. I was lucky enough to have an internship with the Detroit Zoo which involved re-establishing populations of the KBB in Southern Michigan.
Programs such as this would greatly benefit disappearing native lady beetle species, such as the convergent, but there are currently no lady beetles on the endangered species list.
What a beautiful butterfly! We are learning a lot from you this summer, it is so interesting.
ReplyDeleteI have fond memories of the Detroit Zoo, as I grew up in that area. Trips to the zoo were always a special treat!
~Michele