Butterfly Conservation

A special issue of Insects (ISSN 2075-4450).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2017) | Viewed by 63766

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Entomology and Nematology and Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, 3215 Hull Road, P.O. Box 112710, Gainesville, FL 32611-2710, USA
Interests: insect conservation; biodiversity, behavior and ecology of Lepidoptera; pollination ecology; road ecology; population biology; non-target pesticide impacts; seasonal ecology and polyphenism; captive propagation and organism reintroduction
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Butterflies are iconic, charismatic organisms that are experiencing significant declines worldwide. Habitat loss, habitat degradation, invasive species, and global climate change are primary drivers responsible for accelerating levels of imperilment, reducing extant populations to perilously low numbers and greatly restricted geographic areas of occupancy. Effective conservation of these increasingly small populations necessitates more aggressive, innovative and collaborative approaches to promote organism recovery and effective long-term management. Top priorities include techniques and best practices that can directly promote improved strategic decision-making and increase overall program success. This special issue fill focus on advances in both ex situ and in situ butterfly conservation that can have meaningful implications for practitioners.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jaret C. Daniels
Guest Editor

Keywords

  • Metapopulation dynamics
  • Conservation planning and implementation
  • Ex situ conservation
  • Organism reintroduction or translocation
  • Habitat and species management
  • Habitat restoration
  • Threats and drivers
  • Conservation genetics

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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1403 KiB  
Article
Density and Habitat Relationships of the Endemic White Mountain Fritillary (Boloria chariclea montinus) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae)
by Kent P. McFarland, John D. Lloyd and Spencer P. Hardy
Insects 2017, 8(2), 57; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects8020057 - 4 Jun 2017
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 5051
Abstract
We conducted point counts in the alpine zone of the Presidential Range of the White Mountains, New Hampshire, USA, to estimate the distribution and density of the rare endemic White Mountain Fritillary (Boloria chariclea montinus). Incidence of occurrence and density of [...] Read more.
We conducted point counts in the alpine zone of the Presidential Range of the White Mountains, New Hampshire, USA, to estimate the distribution and density of the rare endemic White Mountain Fritillary (Boloria chariclea montinus). Incidence of occurrence and density of the endemic White Mountain Fritillary during surveys in 2012 and 2013 were greatest in the herbaceous-snowbank plant community. Densities at points in the heath-shrub-rush plant community were lower, but because this plant community is more widespread in the alpine zone, it likely supports the bulk of adult fritillaries. White Mountain Fritillary used cushion-tussock, the other alpine plant community suspected of providing habitat, only sparingly. Detectability of White Mountain Fritillaries varied as a consequence of weather conditions during the survey and among observers, suggesting that raw counts yield biased estimates of density and abundance. Point counts, commonly used to study and monitor populations of birds, were an effective means of sampling White Mountain Fritillary in the alpine environment where patches of habitat are small, irregularly shaped, and widely spaced, rendering line-transect methods inefficient and difficult to implement. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Butterfly Conservation)
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1395 KiB  
Article
eButterfly: Leveraging Massive Online Citizen Science for Butterfly Conservation
by Kathleen L. Prudic, Kent P. McFarland, Jeffrey C. Oliver, Rebecca A. Hutchinson, Elizabeth C. Long, Jeremy T. Kerr and Maxim Larrivée
Insects 2017, 8(2), 53; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects8020053 - 18 May 2017
Cited by 69 | Viewed by 11029
Abstract
Data collection, storage, analysis, visualization, and dissemination are changing rapidly due to advances in new technologies driven by computer science and universal access to the internet. These technologies and web connections place human observers front and center in citizen science-driven research and are [...] Read more.
Data collection, storage, analysis, visualization, and dissemination are changing rapidly due to advances in new technologies driven by computer science and universal access to the internet. These technologies and web connections place human observers front and center in citizen science-driven research and are critical in generating new discoveries and innovation in such fields as astronomy, biodiversity, and meteorology. Research projects utilizing a citizen science approach address scientific problems at regional, continental, and even global scales otherwise impossible for a single lab or even a small collection of academic researchers. Here we describe eButterfly an integrative checklist-based butterfly monitoring and database web-platform that leverages the skills and knowledge of recreational butterfly enthusiasts to create a globally accessible unified database of butterfly observations across North America. Citizen scientists, conservationists, policy makers, and scientists are using eButterfly data to better understand the biological patterns of butterfly species diversity and how environmental conditions shape these patterns in space and time. eButterfly in collaboration with thousands of butterfly enthusiasts has created a near real-time butterfly data resource producing tens of thousands of observations per year open to all to share and explore. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Butterfly Conservation)
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869 KiB  
Article
Estimating Density and Temperature Dependence of Juvenile Vital Rates Using a Hidden Markov Model
by Robert M. McElderry
Insects 2017, 8(2), 51; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects8020051 - 15 May 2017
Viewed by 4124
Abstract
Organisms in the wild have cryptic life stages that are sensitive to changing environmental conditions and can be difficult to survey. In this study, I used mark-recapture methods to repeatedly survey Anaea aidea (Nymphalidae) caterpillars in nature, then modeled caterpillar demography as a [...] Read more.
Organisms in the wild have cryptic life stages that are sensitive to changing environmental conditions and can be difficult to survey. In this study, I used mark-recapture methods to repeatedly survey Anaea aidea (Nymphalidae) caterpillars in nature, then modeled caterpillar demography as a hidden Markov process to assess if temporal variability in temperature and density influence the survival and growth of A. aidea over time. Individual encounter histories result from the joint likelihood of being alive and observed in a particular stage, and I have included hidden states by separating demography and observations into parallel and independent processes. I constructed a demographic matrix containing the probabilities of all possible fates for each stage, including hidden states, e.g., eggs and pupae. I observed both dead and live caterpillars with high probability. Peak caterpillar abundance attracted multiple predators, and survival of fifth instars declined as per capita predation rate increased through spring. A time lag between predator and prey abundance was likely the cause of improved fifth instar survival estimated at high density. Growth rates showed an increase with temperature, but the preferred model did not include temperature. This work illustrates how state-space models can include unobservable stages and hidden state processes to evaluate how environmental factors influence vital rates of cryptic life stages in the wild. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Butterfly Conservation)
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542 KiB  
Article
Demographic Variation of Wolbachia Infection in the Endangered Mitchell’s Satyr Butterfly
by Jennifer Fenner, Jennifer Seltzer, Scott Peyton, Heather Sullivan, Peter Tolson, Ryan P. Walsh, JoVonn Hill and Brian A. Counterman
Insects 2017, 8(2), 50; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects8020050 - 9 May 2017
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 5324
Abstract
The Mitchell’s satyr, Neonympha mitchellii, is an endangered species that is limited to highly isolated habitats in the northern and southern United States. Conservation strategies for isolated endangered species often implement captive breeding and translocation programs for repopulation. However, these programs risk [...] Read more.
The Mitchell’s satyr, Neonympha mitchellii, is an endangered species that is limited to highly isolated habitats in the northern and southern United States. Conservation strategies for isolated endangered species often implement captive breeding and translocation programs for repopulation. However, these programs risk increasing the spread of harmful pathogens, such as the bacterial endosymbiont Wolbachia. Wolbachia can manipulate the host’s reproduction leading to incompatibilities between infected and uninfected hosts. This study uses molecular methods to screen for Wolbachia presence across the distribution of the Mitchell’s satyr and its subspecies, St. Francis satyr, which are both federally listed as endangered and are considered two of the rarest butterflies in North America. The screens confirmed the presence of Wolbachia in the northern and newly discovered southern populations of the Mitchell’s satyr, but not in the St. Francis satyr population. These results combined with previous reports of Wolbachia in N. mitchellii, highlight that Wolbachia infection varies both geographically and temporally in satyr populations. The temporal variance shows the importance of continued monitoring of Wolbachia infection during conservation programs. To reduce the risk of reproductive incompatibilities, it is advised that all individuals collected for conservation purposes be screened for Wolbachia and recommended to avoid the use of infected individuals for captive breeding and translocation programs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Butterfly Conservation)
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2370 KiB  
Article
Complex Messages in Long-Term Monitoring of Regal Fritillary (Speyeria idalia) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) in the State of Wisconsin, USA, 1988–2015
by Ann B. Swengel and Scott R. Swengel
Insects 2017, 8(1), 6; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects8010006 - 10 Jan 2017
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4765
Abstract
The regal fritillary (“regal”) (Speyeria idalia) is endangered in Wisconsin, USA, and declining and at risk range-wide. During 1988–2015, we surveyed 24 known regal sites and >100 areas of potential habitat in Wisconsin. We recorded 9037 individuals in 742.7 km on [...] Read more.
The regal fritillary (“regal”) (Speyeria idalia) is endangered in Wisconsin, USA, and declining and at risk range-wide. During 1988–2015, we surveyed 24 known regal sites and >100 areas of potential habitat in Wisconsin. We recorded 9037 individuals in 742.7 km on the peak survey per year at occupied sites. At six sites surveyed over 5–25 years, we found regal fritillaries in only one year, mostly in the latter half of the study. The three populations in the state with more favorable trends than the median had a never-burned refugium and/or infrequent fire management. They also all had substantial amounts of grazing, haying, and/or mowing managements. Sites with trends below the regional median trend had frequent or moderate fire management, and either a diminishing never-burned refugium or none at all. Regal populations at sites with ≤15 ha of grassland have become undetectable. Nonetheless, Hogback, a slightly larger than 15 ha site, had the most favorable trend, a significant increase. Nearly all Wisconsin Regal populations known before 1990 declined to consistent non-findability, even though these were conserved sites. More favorable trends at more recently discovered populations may be attributable to species-specific habitat management protocols implemented in the 1990s. Two sites with better than median long-term trends represent the longest consistent land ownership of known Regal populations in the state. This wide range of population outcomes illustrates both the need for long-term monitoring and the challenges of explaining the outcomes. Despite evidence of increasing Regal dispersal, this species remains very localized, indicating the unsuitability of the wider landscape as regal habitat. The number of significantly declining or no longer detectable populations in Wisconsin indicates an ever more adverse landscape for this species. Sites will need to have habitat characteristics that are ever more optimal in a wide range of climatic conditions for Regal populations to persist. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Butterfly Conservation)
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Review

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25 pages, 3918 KiB  
Review
Enlightening Butterfly Conservation Efforts: The Importance of Natural Lighting for Butterfly Behavioral Ecology and Conservation
by Brett M Seymoure
Insects 2018, 9(1), 22; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects9010022 - 12 Feb 2018
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 9186
Abstract
Light is arguably the most important abiotic factor for living organisms. Organisms evolved under specific lighting conditions and their behavior, physiology, and ecology are inexorably linked to light. Understanding light effects on biology could not be more important as present anthropogenic effects are [...] Read more.
Light is arguably the most important abiotic factor for living organisms. Organisms evolved under specific lighting conditions and their behavior, physiology, and ecology are inexorably linked to light. Understanding light effects on biology could not be more important as present anthropogenic effects are greatly changing the light environments in which animals exist. The two biggest anthropogenic contributors changing light environments are: (1) anthropogenic lighting at night (i.e., light pollution); and (2) deforestation and the built environment. I highlight light importance for butterfly behavior, physiology, and ecology and stress the importance of including light as a conservation factor for conserving butterfly biodiversity. This review focuses on four parts: (1) Introducing the nature and extent of light. (2) Visual and non-visual light reception in butterflies. (3) Implications of unnatural lighting for butterflies across several different behavioral and ecological contexts. (4). Future directions for quantifying the threat of unnatural lighting on butterflies and simple approaches to mitigate unnatural light impacts on butterflies. I urge future research to include light as a factor and end with the hopeful thought that controlling many unnatural light conditions is simply done by flipping a switch. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Butterfly Conservation)
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8383 KiB  
Review
Jamaica’s Critically Endangered Butterfly: A Review of the Biology and Conservation Status of the Homerus Swallowtail (Papilio (Pterourus) homerus Fabricius)
by Matthew S. Lehnert, Valerie R. Kramer, John E. Rawlins, Vanessa Verdecia and Jaret C. Daniels
Insects 2017, 8(3), 68; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects8030068 - 10 Jul 2017
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 13712
Abstract
The Homerus swallowtail, Papilio (Pterourus) homerus Fabricius, is listed as an endangered species and is endemic to the Caribbean island of Jamaica. The largest butterfly in the Western Hemisphere, P. homerus once inhabited seven of Jamaica’s 14 parishes and consisted of [...] Read more.
The Homerus swallowtail, Papilio (Pterourus) homerus Fabricius, is listed as an endangered species and is endemic to the Caribbean island of Jamaica. The largest butterfly in the Western Hemisphere, P. homerus once inhabited seven of Jamaica’s 14 parishes and consisted of at least three populations; however, now only two stronghold populations remain, a western population in the rugged Cockpit Country and an eastern population in the Blue and John Crow Mountains. Despite numerous studies of its life history, much about the population biology, including estimates of total numbers of individuals in each population, remains unknown. In addition, a breeding program is needed to establish an experimental population, which could be used to augment wild populations and ensure the continued survival of the species. Here, we present a review of the biology of P. homerus and recommendations for a conservation plan. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Butterfly Conservation)
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244 KiB  
Review
Speyeria (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) Conservation
by Steven R. Sims
Insects 2017, 8(2), 45; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects8020045 - 25 Apr 2017
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 5262
Abstract
Speyeria (Nymphalidae) are a conspicuous component of the North American butterfly fauna. There are approximately 16 species and >100 associated subspecies (or geographical variants). Speyeria are univoltine, occupy a wide range of habitats, overwinter as first instar larvae, and feed only on native [...] Read more.
Speyeria (Nymphalidae) are a conspicuous component of the North American butterfly fauna. There are approximately 16 species and >100 associated subspecies (or geographical variants). Speyeria are univoltine, occupy a wide range of habitats, overwinter as first instar larvae, and feed only on native violets. Speyeria species have become a model group for studies of evolution, speciation, and conservation. Several species and subspecies are threatened or endangered. The reasons for this vary with the taxa involved, but always involve the degradation or loss of quality habitat for larvae and adults. The impacts of climate change must be considered among the causes for habitat degradation and in the establishment of conservation measures. In addition to increasing the available habitat, conservation efforts should consider maintaining habitat in a seral “disturbed” successional stage that selectively favors the growth of violets and preferred adult nectar sources. A major future challenge will be determining the most effective allocation of conservation resources to those species and subspecies that have the greatest potential to respond favorably to these efforts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Butterfly Conservation)

Other

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213 KiB  
Case Report
Successful Community-Based Conservation: The Story of Millbank and Pterourus (Papilio) homerus
by Eric Garraway, John Parnell and Delano S. Lewis
Insects 2017, 8(3), 69; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects8030069 - 14 Jul 2017
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4223
Abstract
The literature on community-based environmental management is very extensive and the discussion of the pros and cons is continuing. Presented here is an example of a successful interaction between university-based entomologists and a local rural community, detailing the change in the attitude of [...] Read more.
The literature on community-based environmental management is very extensive and the discussion of the pros and cons is continuing. Presented here is an example of a successful interaction between university-based entomologists and a local rural community, detailing the change in the attitude of the town of Millbank, Jamaica, from a Giant Swallowtail Butterfly collecting site to a model for community protection of a species and its environment. A review of some of the research work on community-based conservation efforts is included. These linkages take a considerable time to establish and the efforts spent by scientific personnel, governmental representatives and eco-tourists are itemized to emphasize how specific conservation activities have inspired confidence in the local community, thus engendering trust and mutual respect between the two groups. Reviews of the developed legislative support from both international and state entities also must be in place, and these are included in chronological detail as much as possible. Finally, a review of the long-term funding of educational and other local programs providing a level of stability to the conservation effort, until the local community can take over the protection of the species and/or habitat, is provided. Of utmost importance is a comprehensive educational campaign to not only sensitize the community, but the larger society, so that there can be buy-in from all stakeholders. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Butterfly Conservation)
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