Mission Blue Butterfly

Mission Blue Butterfly

Lifecycle

Early February, the larvae that hatched last year wake from a deep sleep called diapause and begin to feed on lupines. Often, specific ant species walk back and forth on top of them, gathering sugary protein-rich secretions and in turn, protecting the larvae from predators. Larvae shed their skins as they grow, and soon form a chrysalis. In a couple of weeks, they emerge as adults with wings. Adults fly from Mid March until the end of July, feeding on floral nectars, mating, and laying eggs on lupines. By mid-summer, adult butterflies have died, lupine leaves have died back, and young larvae go down to the ground to begin their period of inactivity until next year.

Habitat
The Mission Blue butterfly ranges from the San Mateo Peninsula near Crystal Springs Reservoir to the southern part of Marin County. As an endangered species, it is most readily observed at San Bruno Mountain, Milagra and Sweeney Ridges, Twin Peaks, the Marin Headlands, and Oakwood Valley. It inhabits small specks of grassland and rocky outcrops along these coastal hills and ridges. Its immediate year-to-year survival is dependent upon specific lupines on which it lays its eggs. In addition, its long-term prosperity may hinge upon native ants which protect its larvae, conservation minded humans, and a diverse and intact ecological system.

Predators
In the 1983 study "Six Ecological Studies of Endangered Butterflies", R. A. Arnold found that about 35% of eggs collected in the field were being parasitized by an unknown encyrtid wasp. Other parasitic Hymenoptera have been taken from the eggs of various Icarioides species. As far as predator-prey relationships, rodents are probably the primary predator of both the larvae and pupae.
Why the Mission Blue Butterfly is on the endangered species list
There are several reasons the population is endangered. The habitat of the butterfly has been destroyed over time by construction, agricultural development and the project to retrofit the Golden Gate Bridge to make it safer for earthquakes. However, a main reason the butterfly being endangered is that the habitat of the Mission Blue Butterfly's host plant, the lupine, is threatened. The Mission Blue Butterfly needs the lupine to survive. The lupine is where the larvae of the butterfly live and the butterflies eat the lupine leaves. The amount of lupine available is less than before because the habitat has many non-native species which are hurting the growth of the lupine. These include broom, pampas and fennel, and the Monterey Pine. These plants grow quickly and because of them the lupine does not have adequate sunshine, water, and space. This threatens the butterflies because if the lupines die, then they will also. Fire also has destroyed the butterfly's habitat.

Steps humans are taking to restore the native population of the Mission Blue Butterflies in our SF Bay Area

In the San Bruno Mountains, one of the main habitats of the Mission Blue Butterfly, the restoration project is under the Habitat Conservation Plan(HCP). This was the first HCP in the country. HCP's can be a useful process when considering new land development, and other construction that might affect the habitat of endangered species.

The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District(GGBHTD) are working on a similar project in the national park area. They are protecting the habitat from further damage and restoring the habitat, as well.  Because work was to be conducted on the Golden Gate Bridge that would affect the Mission Blue Butterfly's habitat there, they relocated the habitat to the park area. To protect this habitat, they recently have cut 175 trees in order to help restore the lupine. The trees were making it difficult for the lupine to grow.  After the trees and other non-native plants have been successfully removed, the rangers will replant native plant species, especially the silver-leaved lupine.

Sources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_blue_butterfly

http://www.holocene.net/sustainability/Dominican/Creek%20Restoration/student_projects/The_Mission_Blue_Butterfly.htm

http://www.missionblueproject.com