Checkerspot-E. San Diego Co.

wanda be496 at lafn.org
Thu Mar 18 13:22:37 EST 1999


Understand Steve Myers has been helping w/the monitoring and may know
something that he can share about the Quino C/S.....

Steve, there was a thread on the Quino name confusion that is pretty
well resolved into a Henne's in E. San Diego....   But interest has
arisen of what is happening with the actual Quino????

Wanda Dameron, Los Angeles


Mark Walker wrote:
> 
> Doug Yanega wrote:
> 
> > Neil Jones wrote:
> >
> > >It is a gorgeous creature and I sincerely hope that you will succed in
> > >your efforts to conserve it. This thing of beauty should remain a joy for
> > ever.
> >
> > Sadly, the general public opinion here seems to be negative, overall. The
> > listing of insects, even pretty ones, sends even some avid conservation
> > supporters into fits, and California has a LOT of things on their lists,
> > making it increasingly harder for the real estate developers. The fact
> > that
> > the Quino and related listed subspecies happen to occur on land that is
> > prime turf for people who want to have a house and commute to LA, etc.,
> > makes this particular case increasingly contentious. Don't forget, this is
> > the same area where the Delhi Sands Flower-loving Fly is listed, and that
> > turned out to be a public relations nightmare, too - people around here
> > *already* have a low opinion of endangered species listings. The Quino is
> > a
> > recent listing, and the effects are evidently just now coming fully into
> > public awareness. There was a piece on the local evening news a week or
> > two
> > ago where the developers got all their shots in, and the only comment from
> > a biologist, when asked why the Quino should be saved, was "Because some
> > things are worth saving." Not a very persuasive take-home message, and I
> > doubt the conservation cause won any converts from that broadcast. If the
> > conservation cause is perceived to be nothing more than naive, emotional,
> > and obstructionist, it's probably only a matter of time before the
> > backlash
> > undoes much of what we've worked for.
> >         Not trying to start another depressing thread, just making some
> > observations prompted by this particular case.
> >
>         That's right - I forgot - welcome (back?) to California, Doug.
> God's country };>)
> 
>         I heard something just last week about a planned development on Vail
> Lake (or somewhere in Butterfield Country) that was halted on account of the
> _Quino Checkerspot_.  I assume it is the same sub-species as the one that
> used to fly off of Chapman Ave./Santiago Canyon in Orange County (and whose
> habitat is now virtually covered with tract homes).
> 
>         While I was in Vermont, not only did this butterfly get put on the
> endangered list, but they also built a marvelous new toll road that cuts
> right across this once virgin landscape.  Well, marvelous for the commuters
> from Riverside, but not so marvelous for the wildlife.  Just curious - was
> the _Quino Checkerspot_ part of the debate over this toll road?
> 
>         Neil mentions on his website that the butterfly has been isolated to
> a few colonies in San Diego (I assume these are the locations near Vista and
> Fallbrook, where the butterfly used to be more common, but are now also
> covered with new homes).  Aren't there still a few other colonies in Orange
> and Riverside counties?
> 
>         Man, this really makes me sick.  It's one of the reasons I left L.A.
> and moved to Vermont in the first place.  So what's the deal on this
> butterfly - what is being done?
> 
>         Mark Walker.


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