Speyeria diana

[Robert Thorn]

In Ohio, we've been waiting a long time for Dianas to recolonize the
mature forests near the Ohio River, but with no success yet.  What was
the reason for the Diana's extirpation from southern Indiana & Ohio?
The party line is that the extensive deforestation that occured earlier
in this century deprived them of foodplants or overwintering sites, but
has any one carefully checked this out?  Correlating last specimens with
temperature or timber harvest/ farming records might speak to this. If
it is the case, reintroduction would be a viable concern, but if some
other factor like disease were responsible, then our efforts might be
wasted.

Rob Thorn