"dire straits faced by most of our butterfly fauna"

Grkovich, Alex agrkovich at tmpeng.com
Wed May 2 14:02:21 EDT 2007


Roger,
 
First of all, you're talking about the specific parts of SE Michigan
that have been swallowed up by suburban Detroit. This is NOT at all
happening across the State. Also:
 
Persius Duskywing is probably indigenous to the west; it is uncommon to
rare everywhere in the East, regardless of development or not... Bog
Copper is not in any kind of trouble, is common in the right habitat
everywhere. Zebra Swallowtail has never been common, and has always been
sporadic with colonies coming and going, in southeastern Michigan or in
adjacent Ontario - it is often extremely common in its typical southern
locales. Swamp Metalmark is a problem - yes. Brown Elfin? I have to
avoid stepping all over them over here; you gotta be kidding...Ditto for
Harris Checkerspot and Indian Skipper. Pipevine Swallowtail is not at
all in trouble (Bob Kriegel, pers. com.). Columbine Duskywing has for a
long time been rare. Compton Tortoiseshell: You gotta be kidding again;
just go to Scott Bog in N NH, plus this one is notorious for
"periodicity". Two Spotted Skipper is common in its right habitat and is
easily overlooked.
 
I guess my point is that everyone knows that man's selfish and greedy
activities are a problem to those of us who care for the Creation. But
let's not get into excessive hype. 
 
Alex 

________________________________

From: Roger Kuhlman [mailto:rkuhlman at hotmail.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2007 12:21 PM
To: Grkovich, Alex; Leps List
Subject: RE: "dire straits faced by most of our butterfly fauna"


Some of the other butterfly species that have probably gone extinct the
last 35 years in southeast Michigan (Lenawee, Wayne, Washtenaw, and
Monroe counties) are Persius Duskywing, Mottled Duskywing, Bog Copper
and Indian Skipper. Several others including Zebra Swallowtail, Swamp
Metalmark, Dusted Skipper, Brown Elfin, Harris' Checkerspot, Pipevine
Swallowtail, Columbine Duskywing, Compton's Tortoise Shell, and
Two-spotted Skipper are either on the verge of extinction or only
vagrants today. The Mitchell's Satyr population in the area is very
small and easily could be snuffed out.
 
Most of this damage can be directly linked to habitat loss or
fragmentation and the strict control of natural disturbance forces like
fires and flooding. The introduction and spread of a number of invasive
non-native plants have played significant supporting roles in the harm
that has been done. The worst hit habitats are various prairie-type
habitats and the now, uncommon wetland habitats like fens and bogs. The
negative changes in these productive habitats are human induced. With
fewer people living in our area and less development all these habitats
would be in much better shape than they are today.
 
Roger Kuhlman
Ann Arbor, Michigan

> No one is goint to argue that 'overdevelopment' has been going on at
an
> alarming rate everywhere in the U.S., including here in eastern
> Massachusetts (in our neighborhood for example). Condominium
> construction is going on at a 'fever pace'...However, I understand
that
> the condo market is also cooling (thanksfully)...Habitat destruction
is
> a concern...for sure...
> 
> However, Roger, I wanted to ask: What are the 5 to 10 butterfly
species
> in southeast Michigan that are either extinct or in trouble? Regal
> Fritillary decline is well-known, although this may have most to do
with
> the decline of a Prairie-species in regions in which 'prairies' are
> being overgrown by forest succcessions; and the Regal has NEVER been
> common either in Ontario OR Michigan...Lupine feeders (Karner Blue,
> Frosted Elfin ecotype) have been similarly declining over the past few
> decades - and this is quite apparently connected also with secondary
> succession; however the irus-feeding Frosted Elfin ecotype is holding
> its own (at least here in the northeast)...As far as I know, (at
least)
> most species in Michigan and Ontario are in healthy shape overall...
> 
> Conservationists should be most concerned about, however, stopping
these
> wars that are going on all over the globe. That's the most destructive
> aspect to man's 'activities' on the planet. Much more than 'habitat'
is
> lost.
> 
> Alex
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-leps-l at lists.yale.edu [mailto:owner-leps-l at lists.yale.edu]
> On Behalf Of Paul Cherubini
> Sent: Monday, April 30, 2007 5:37 PM
> To: leps-l at lists.yale.edu
> Subject: Re: 'dire straits faced by most of our butterfly fauna'
> 
> Roger Kuhlman wrote:
> 
> > I too found this article excellent and glad it was posted. We here
in 
> > southeast Michigan have not been having droughts but we have a huge 
> > problem with habitat destruction and isolated patches of habitat. I 
> > wish we had detailed, rigourous observations going back 35 years
here.
> > I am sure they would also show a serious decline in butterfly 
> > populations.
> 
> Roger, if the habitat destruction has been 'huge' then you could
> document it via the historical aerial photos that are available in
your
> larger local university libraries (map depts. of the libraries) and
> compare them with recent Google Earth photos. 
> 
> Google Earth is a cool new tool that can be used to show what is
really
> going on with butterfly habitats. For example, on the south island of
> New Zealand a couple entomologists have written a phamplet about the
> monarch overwintering sites in the city of Chirstchurch. In the
phamplet
> they say the monarch numbers seem to be increasing:
> http://www.ccc.govt.nz/parks/theenvironment/MonarchButterflies.pdf
> 
> Here's the general location of the city of Christchurch, New Zealand:
> http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/ccisland.jpg
> And here's an aerial view of the general location of the three monarch
> overwintering sites in Christchurch :
> http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/ccover.jpg
> 
> Here is what the phamplet says about the St. James Park overwintering
> site in Christchurch:
> http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/stjam.jpg
> And here is an actual Google Earth photo of the site:
> http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/ccstj.jpg
> 
> Here is what the phamplet says about the Abberley Park overwintering
> site in Christchurch:
> http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/abb.jpg
> And here is an actual Google Earth photo of the site:
> http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/ccaber.jpg
> 
> Here is what the phamplet says about the Ruru Lawn Cemetery
> overwintering site in Christchurch:
> http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/ruru.jpg
> And here is an actual Google Earth photo of the site:
> http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/ccruru.jpg
> 
> Thus Google Earth provides indisputable physical evidence that monarch
> butterflies in New Zealand are choosing and using man made
overwintering
> habitats in an extremely urbanized setting even though much more
natural
> and rural habitats are available nearby. 
> 
> Paul Cherubini
> El Dorado, Calif.
> 
> 
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