WILD BLUE LUPINES AND THE KARNER BLUE BUTTERFLY
Photo: Image taken at wild Geranium maculatum, of a female Karner Blue Butterfly and illustrated by Steven Russell Smith.
What is the Karner Blue Butterfly?
The Karner blue butterfly is a blue butterfly discovered in Karner, New York over a century ago. This butterfly is smaller than most, reaching a wingspan of about one inch.1,2 Karner blue butterflies will hatch twice a year, once in the Spring and once in the Summer, living as butterflies for only one to two weeks. The Karner blue butterfly depends on the wild blue lupine plant for survival, providing the butterfly with habitat, nesting grounds, and food.3 Wild lupines, along with Karner blue butterflies can be found in depleting ecosystems such as oak savannas and pine barren.2 Due to the depletion of these ecosystems this species has been listed as endangered since December 12th, 1992!1 With the loss of wild blue lupine habitat the Karner blue butterfly dropped from 3 to 5 thousand in the early 1980s to 50!3
Karner Blue Butterflies Need for Wild Blue Lupine
To understand why the wild blue lupine plant is a valuable resource to the Karner blue butterfly species, and a primary source of the butterflies survival, it is important to understand the Karner Blue Butterflies life cycle.
Photo by: Environmental Education for Kids; http://eekwi.org/earth/kcycle.htm
Karner blue butterflies nest their eggs after mating on a lupine plant. This lupine plant will host their caterpillars once hatched and the leaves will provide the caterpillar with food for about three to four weeks. wild blue lupine plants is the only food source for a Karner blue caterpillar. Once the caterpillars are ready they will spend 8 to 11 days in a chrysalis, a silk cone wrapped around the caterpillar, and pupate. Pupate, or pupation, allows the caterpillar to grow wings, and form legs and antennae, this stage also transforms their mouth becoming extended and similar to a straw to enable the butterfly to obtain nectar from plants, this change in mouth is called proboscis. The new butterfly will then hatch from its chrysalis and dry its wings for around 45 minutes and will only have one to two weeks to find a mate and lay it’s own eggs on a blue wild lupine. The life cycle of the Karner blue butterfly is dependent on the wild blue lupine plant. This plant is the only plant that Karner blue butterflies eat and the only nesting grounds they have.3 To save the Karner blue butterflies we need to save their homes and food source, the wild blue lupine plant. After finding the vital nesting grounds of the Karner blue butterflies, wild blue lupine plants, it is important to know where to find blue lupine plants and why they are disappearing.
Why is Wild Blue Lupine Disappearing?
Photo by: Acadia national Park Maine, United States of America. Image of Wild Blue Lupine Plant
Wild blue lupine plants began disappearing because they depend heavily on pine barrens which are found in acidic, sandy, dry, soil. These trees were harvested, some of the species was used for medicine, torches, and fence posts by early colonist, while the white pine tree was used for building material. Eventually the pine barren habitat appeared more suitable for houses, roads, and buildings, leading developers to clear the area of pines.3 Development has created less space for the blue lupine to thrive, leaving the Karner Blue Butterfly with less food, habitat, and nesting ground.
Where Are The Wild Blue Lupine? Where are the Karner Blue Butterflies?
Image by: https://shop.seed-balls.com/products/lupinus-perennis
Historically Karner Blue Butterflies habitat range expanded from Minnesota to Maine. This has changed drastically, only being found in Ohio, New York, Wisconsin, New Hampshire, Ontario Canada, Michigan, and Minnesota. A habitat for the Karner Blue Butterfly must be rich in Wild Blue Lupine. Scientists, in New Hampshire, are currently making attempts to release captive-reared Karner blue butterflies in hopes that they will be able to thrive in the wild and have seen promising results.1,2,3 Ensuring the success of Karner blue butterflies will need cooperation among states to monitor development and various habitats that provide Karner blue butterflies with food and nesting grounds. The main cause of endangerment for Karner blue butterflies is habitat loss.
Development, interbreeding and fire suppression has led to habitat loss for blue lupines. Blue lupine is found as west as Minnesota and Louisiana, reaching North to Maine and even South to Florida.4 To save the blue lupine plant and karner blue butterfly a focus on managing oak savanna and pine barren ecosystems, which are also disappearing quickly, is needed.1
Are They Being Saved?
Image by RLR Reintroduction Management
Currently, Wisconsin hosts a state-wide Habitat Conservation Plan, directed for the Karner Blue Butterfly and partnered with 40 non-profits, land owners, and varies stakeholders. This plan aims to provide Karner blue butterflies with a restored habitat and proper management. Including details to improve forestry operations and include butterflies in management plans to ensure wild lupines can thrive.1 New Hampshire has taken steps to reintroduce captive-reared Karner blue butterflies into the wild and have seen promising results.3 Savanna restoration is being sought on federal and state lands by other states, and private land owners are also providing suitable habitats.1 States such as Michigan, Minnesota, New York, and New Hampshire are seeking habitat restoration. With these efforts the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has also developed a Karner Blue Butterfly Recovery Plan. This plan creates a map to helping the Karner blue butterfly reoccupy its historic range. Strategizing habitat restoration and Karner blue population stabilization.1 Ohio’s Recovery Team sought to develop a self-sustaining, captive-breed and release program in 1998. The Toledo Zoo has also reared Karner blue butterflies in hopes of restoration. Located in Ohio is the Kitty Todd Nature Preserve which provides restored Karner blue butterfly habitat. With these combined efforts Ohio was able to release 447 captive-reared butterflies to Oak Openings Preserve Metropark and 575 butterflies to the Milke Road Savanna Wildlife area, 13 years after Ohio lost this species.5
Future efforts hope to focus on bringing back these vital habitats and protecting them over time. Development and Management plans will incorporate conservation efforts to ensure the survival of crucial habitats. Contact nearby parks to ask about the conservation efforts they are taking to aid these habitats and what volunteer opportunities there might be to help. Whether it is monitoring and documenting, or helping restore their habitats, Karner blue butterflies could use help!
References
1. Service, U. F. (2017). Species Profile for Karner Blue butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis).
Retrieved June 10, 2018, from
https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp0/profile/speciesProfile?spcode=I00F
2. Service, U. F. (2018, March 12). Karner Blue Butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis). Retrieved
June 10, 2018, from
https://www.fws.gov/midwest/endangered/insects/kbb/karnerbl.html
3. Karner Blue Butterfly – Lycaeides melissa samuelis | Wildlife Journal Junior – Wildlife Journal
Junior. (2017). Retrieved June 18, 2018, from http://www.nhptv.org/wild/karner.asp
4. Wild Blue Lupine – Lupinus perennis | Wildlife Journal Junior – Wildlife Journal Junior. (2017).
Retrieved June 19, 2018, from http://www.nhptv.org/wild/karnerbluelupine.asp
5. Ohio DNR Division of Wildlife. (2012). Ohio.gov / search. Retrieved June 19, 1018, from
http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/species-and-habitats/species-guide-index/butterflies-
skippers/karner-blue