First Mission Blue adults emerge on Twin Peaks...

We are in our fourth year of bolstering the small population of the endangered Mission Blue ( I. i. missionensis) butterfly on Twin Peaks in San Francisco. The butterfly is actually named such because Twin Peaks used to be considered part of the Mission District when it was collected by Pierre Lorquin during the Gold Rush. When the creature was named to the Endangered Species List in 1976, the Recovery Plan eluded to the disjunct population at Twin Peaks (as opposed to the larger metapopulations in the Marin Headlands and San Bruno Mountain to the south) as "probably needing to be augmented with individuals somewhere down the road." That "somewhere" happened in 2009, when I ran into David Kelley from Fish & Wildlife (during the survey of another endangered: Lange's Metalmark) who was in charge of the six endangered butterflies in the Bay Area. I brought him to the table of Lisa Wayne at SF Rec & Park.
Restoration of invertebrates has not been done much in the US. Most of the studies and reintroductions have happened in Europe. It takes a commitment by all parties of a multiple-year commitment. We've tried to moved 40 females and 20 males each year from San Bruno Mountain ( the natural corridor has become urbanized) - permitted by US F & W - but last year we fell way below that. Larvae were surveyed...up until today...on Twin Peaks, when the three adult males where observed. Three weeks earlier than last year's emergence: hope they stick around for some girls.

Posted on March 22, 2013 01:48 AM by robberfly