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Karner Blue Butterfly Recovery at the Eastern Edge of Its Range
R. Niver, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceK. O’Brien, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
N. Gifford, Albany Pine Bush Preserve CommissionC. Zimmerman, The Nature ConservancyM. Amaral, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
first hatch in April
Second brood eggs hatch in 5-10 days
1st flight late May into June
Adults live average of 3-5 days
Larvae feed on lupine Pupate in May/June
2nd flight in July/August
Eggs overwinter on base of lupine or nearby grasses
Lay eggs
Bivoltine
Lay eggs
Similar Looking Species
Eastern tailed blue Spring azure Karner blue butterflyventral surface ventral surface ventral surface(www.google/images) (www.google/images) (K. Breisch)
Biological Planning
StatusFederally listed as endangered in 1992
Conservation Objective• Restore viable metapopulations of Karner blues across the species extant
range so that it can be reclassified from endangered to threatened and then ultimately delisted (2003 Recovery Plan)
• Improve species status (2009 Spotlight Species Plan)
ThreatsLoss and/or fragmentation of habitat due to:• succession (due to lack of management )• commercial, industrial, and residential developmentMammal/insect damage to lupineStochastic events such as droughts and cool springs Changes in snowpack Pesticide use
Biological Planning/Conservation Design
• Federal recovery plan completed 2003• Region 3 Spotlight Species- Action Plan completed
September 2009• NYSDEC developing recovery plan• Various management plans
Recovery Criteria
• Reclassification criteria will be met when a minimum of 27 metapopulations [19 viable metapopulations (supporting 3,000 butterflies each), and 8 large viable metapopulations (supporting 6,000 butterflies each)] are established within at least 13 recovery units across the butterfly’s range and are being managed consistent with the recovery objectives outlined in this plan.
• Delisting will be considered when a minimum of 29 metapopulations (13 viable and 16 large viable metapopulations) have been established within at least 13 recovery units and are being managed consistent with the plan.
Metapop. Recovery Criteria
Key Ecological Attribute Indicator Poor Fair Good Very Good
Population size Total number of individuals ≤3,820 3,820-7,640 7,641-12,960 ≥12,960
Number of viable subpopulations ≤1 2-4 5-9 >9
Habitat suitability Total acres of suitable habitat <160 160-319 320-638 ≥640
Habitat suitability Total lupine stems <576,593 576,593 -769,790
769,790 -1,153,185 >1,153,185
Connectivity Number of subpopulations with at least 2 connections to other subpopulations 0 1 2-3 ≥4
Conservation Delivery- Habitat Protection
Albany Pine Bush• ~1,000 acres
protected since 1992• 3,100 acres in
Preserve• Goal of ~ 5,000 acres
in Preserve
RLA $$ 24 acres
Conservation Delivery- Habitat Protection
Saratoga Sandplains • ~2,192 acres protected
RLA $$2 sites- 6 acres
• Queensbury– 5 acres
• Saratoga West– 313 acres
• 293 acres Saratoga County Airport• 15 acres Spa State Park• 5 acres under management associated with 2 projects
Conservation Delivery- Habitat Protection
Before Restoration
Removal of over-story to improve habitat conditions for wild lupine and native grasses.
After
Restoration Crew
Conservation Delivery - Habitat Restoration
Habitat Restoration and Management
• Habitat Conservation Plan (utility ROWs) in prep
• Programmatic Safe Harbor with The Nature Conservancy completed 2010
• 3 successful law enforcement cases settled
Monitoring
Habitat• Lupine stem density• Nectar species richness• Nectar density• Grass cover• Canopy cover
Karner blues• P/A surveys• Transects• Distance Sampling (population
estimates)
Monitoring - KBB Habitat in Saratoga Sandplains
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 20100
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
130
Unmonitored Habitat Acres
Unsuitable Habitat Acres
Suitable Habitat Acres
Year - Consecutive Total
Num
ber o
f Acr
es
Goal•320 acres suitable habitat
2003•10 acres
Currently•127 acres KBB habitat restored/protected•106 monitored•76 suitable
Monitoring - KBB Habitat in Albany Pine Bush
Spring 2005 Spring 2007
Goal- 640 acres suitable habitat
1992-~13.5 acres KBB habitat
Currently- 333 acres KBB habitat, 225 acres monitored, 62 acres suitable
Private Stewardship Grant Program• 2005-2009• 4 grants• 126.5 acres restored
• 14 sites• 8 colonized by KBB to date
Conservation Delivery- Captive Propagation
• New Hampshire– 1980s 1000s of KBBs– Numbers declined– TNC initiated captive propagation
program in 1991 with NH KBB– 1999 24 KBB in wild– KBB extirpated from NH in 2000– NH Fish and Game initiated
intensive program using NY KBB– NH Army National Guard provided
building for captive rearing facility– Continues to date
Eclosed butterfly drying its wings.
Released butterfly with marking on lupine.
New Hampshire1st Brood Release
2nd Brood Release
1st Brood Wild Mark
2nd Brood Wild Mark
1st Brood Recapture
2nd Brood Recapture
2001 19 8 n/a n/a n/a n/a
2002 69 n/a n/a n/a n/a 3
2003 50 48 n/a n/a n/a 30
2004 186 743 n/a 31 n/a 167
2005 316 1021 27 154 160 347
2006 797 129 21 49 149 45
2007 200 703 20 54 49 301
2008 245 1778 58 64 65 404
2009 896 3154 87 260 316 1006
2010 163 2497 320 278 245 394
Average 294 1120 89 127 164 300
Monitoring - KBB Response in Saratoga Sandplains
2005 2007 2009 20100
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
Year
Popu
latio
n Si
ze
Second Brood Counts - Distance Sampling
Monitoring - KBB Response in Albany Pine Bush
2007 2008 2009 20100
50
100
150
200
250
Apollo DriveSoutheastNorthwestBarron House
Second Brood Counts - Distance Sampling
2010 Second Brood Estimates 770-1,100 KBB
Conservation Delivery- Captive Propagation
• New York– Initiated releases in 2008– NH site is primary facility– Pilot rearing program at
Farnsworth Middle School in 2008
– Continues to date
**684 kept for mating or released in NH
Collected Adult females- FMW – 4/5 put back in wild (1 died in captivity)NH – All eventually died in captivity
3 NY Release Sites
New York2008 # female
collected in APB
# eggs produced
# pupae produced
# pupae released
in NYNH (1st flight)
15 2521 1684 1000**
NH (2nd flight)
20 467 n/a wintered in
NH
n/a wintered in
NH FMS (1st flight)
5 50 46 46
Total 40 3038 1733 1046
Collected Adult females- FMW – 4/5 put back in wild (1 died in captivity)NH – All eventually died in captivity
2 Release Sites (617 and 45 KBB)
New York
2009# female collected
in APB # eggs
produced # pupae produced # pupae released in
NY
NH (2nd flight 2008) 20 (July 2008) 467 118** 58
NH (1st flight 2009) 10 (May 2009) 994 604 559
NH (2nd flight 2009) 15 (July 2009) 400 n/a wintered in NH n/a wintered in NH
FMS (1st flight 2009) 5 50 49 45
Total 50 1911 771 662
** 60 adults retained in NH
Monitoring GLA Recovery Status
Key Attribute Indicator APB SSSP SW QSP
Population size
Number of individuals in
the 2nd brood (2010)
~500 wild (Poor) ~1500
release 21,000 (VG) 1750 (Poor) <100 (Poor)
Number of viable
subpopulations 0 (Poor) 2 (Fair) 0(Poor) 0(Poor)
Habitat suitability
Total acres of suitable lupine
density ~62/225 102/129 26/306 1.5/13
Total lupine stems 1,280,000 (VG) 4,304,854 (VG) 105,458 (Poor) 14,223 (Poor)
Connectivity
Number of subpopulations
with 2 connections 7/12 (VG) 0 (Poor) 3/7 (poor) 2/4 (Poor)
What’s next?• Additional land protection• Habitat restoration and management• Captive propagation and release• Monitoring
Challenges• Providing funding/support to NYSDEC• Increased monitoring costs with more and
more habitat
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