Lycaeides melissa samuelis (The Karner Blue Butterfly)

The Karner Blue butterfly is one of the most well-known butterflies in the United States!

Public Domain

Through the Butterfly Conservation Initiative, zoos and other nature institutions have been able to join together to help conserve this and many other species of butterfly that are endangered in the United States (Binder Park Zoo, n.d.). The Karner Blue butterfly was the subject of very first state-wide Habitat Conservation Plan in Wisconsin (Karner Blue Butterfly, 2015)! 

The Karner Blue Butterfly is in danger for various reasons, most noteworthy of which being habitat destruction (Swengel 2001). Luckily for the butterfly and those trying to conserve it, this particular species requires its habitat to be disturbed (Karner Blue Butterfly 2015). This makes it very easy for landowners, conservationists and farmers to help by disturbing the land in their typical ways that also help the butterfly life cycle. 

Additionally, this butterfly has been the subject of a lot of conservation efforts -- they have been reared in the lab since 1996 and are released periodically into natural areas (Hems et al. 1996). Luckily, this species breeds twice in a year, once in April and another in July (Semko, 2008). 

This butterfly can be seen in various places in the state of Illinois, and the city of Chicago has a great location list of areas this butterfly can be seen in its natural habitat! Also, check out the Peggy Notabaert Nature Musuem to see it in its wonderful butterfly garden! 

What Can You Do??? 

Here is a list of workdays where the Karner Blue Butterfly lives! 

Dupage County, IL 

Cook County, IL

Click here to become a volunteer at the Peggy Notabaert Nature Museum! 

REFERENCES: 

Binder Park Zoo. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.binderparkzoo.org/conservation/butterfly.php 

Herms, Catherine Papps; McCullough, Deborah G.; Miller, Deborah L.; Bauer, Leah S.; Haack, Robert A. 1996. Laboratory rearing of Lycaeides melissa samuelis (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae), an endangered butterfly in Michigan. The Great Lakes Entomologist 29(2):63-75

Karner Blue Butterfly. (2015, April 14). Retrieved from http://www.fws.gov/midwest/endangered/insects/kbb/kbbhcpfs.html

Swengel, A. (2001). A literature review of insect responses to fire, compared to other conservation managements of open habitat. Biodiversity & Conservation,10(7), 1141-1169.