Butterfly Conservation in North America

Dukes' Skipper                                                                                                                                                            Photo by Dean Jue

A recent book, Butterfly Conservation in North America: Efforts to help save our charismatic microfauna, edited by Dr. Jaret Daniels of the University of Florida, is unique in its geographic and species focus-- butterfly conservation in North America-- and  emphasis on efforts to protect all North American butterfly species rather than just a few bellwether species such as the monarch.  A recent review in the Journal of Insect Conservation states that the new book delivers practical advice on butterfly conservation while being informative and free of jargon.  One of its nine chapters highlights FNAI’s recent development of a rare butterfly database.  Written by Dean Jue, staff scientist with FNAI and the Florida Resources and Environmental Analysis Center (FREAC), the chapter includes a detailed discussion of the challenges and problems encountered in developing such a database and possible ways to resolve those issues.

Dean Jue and citizen scientists surveying for rare butterflies at Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge.  Photo by Sally Jue 

In the mid-2000s, FNAI took action to expand its rare species database to include more comprehensive data on invertebrates, and hired a full-time invertebrate biologist to help accomplish this goal.  In addition, Dean Jue obtained six years of state wildlife grant (SWG) funding from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to survey Florida conservation lands specifically for rare butterflies.   With volunteer time providing the required SWG match, FNAI staff developed a state-wide, coordinated survey methodology utilizing citizen scientists to accomplish this task.  Over one hundred citizen scientists participated in this project.  As a result of their efforts, the number of FNAI database records for rare Florida butterflies increased from fewer than two dozen in 2006 to more than 400 records in 2015.

Young's Deepdigger Scarab Beetle

© DT Almquist 2016

This is Young's Deepdigger Scarab Beetle (Peltotrupes youngi), which is mostly active from November to April, and we are highlighting this species because it is very active now and because we have recently received distributional information about it. It only lives in a very small area in Florida in and near Ocala National Forest primarily in open, well-managed, scrub habitat. 

© Machele White 2016

The related Florida Deepdigger Scarab Beetle (Peltotrupes profundus), above, is known from surrounding areas in xeric (very dry) habitat in the northern Florida peninsula. 

Image courtesy of Henry Howden and the Scarabs newsletter

The above image is of Henry Howden, who was the world expert on the family of Earth-boring Scarabs, standing  in a hole that he dug to excavate a Deepdigger Scarab's burrow to learn more about its biology. These beetles dig burrows about 6 feet deep, and sometimes down to 10 feet, which is pretty impressive since it’s only about ¾ of an inch long! It provisions its burrow, where is lays its eggs, with pine needles, pine cones, and leaves.  Adult diet is unknown, but they have been recorded under a nibbled-on mushroom, under horse dung, captured in pitfall traps baited with dung, and will gobble down moistened dry cat food in captivity.

© DT Almquist 2016

Fresh burrow mounds of Deepdigger Scarabs have a "chunky" texture to them because the beetle loosens sand at the bottom and then pushes it all the way up the burrow and out the entrance.  

 

© DT Almquist 2016

Although they have somewhat impressive mandibles ("jaws"), I have never had a Deepdigger Scarab try to bite me and I think that this one just posed nicely for me because it wants me to put it back down so that it can get some more food.  

Many thanks to Paul Moler for sending me these interesting and beautiful beetles so that I could get pictures of them and write about them.

© DT Almquist 2016                                                                                The End

Noteworthy Discoveries: Rare Plant Finds in the Florida Panhandle

Ann Johnson, FNAI community ecologist, has been busy this fall season looking for rare plants at Box R Wildlife Management Area under a contract with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).  A rare plant survey was last conducted on the site back in 2007, and a lot has changed since then!  FWC management activities have focused on thinning densely planted pine trees, and the application of prescribed fire to restore former flatwoods and prairies.   

Flatwoods at sunrise, Box-R Wildlife Management Area, Franklin & Gulf Counties.  Photo by Amy Jenkins.

Ann’s efforts and sharp eyes have found two rare plants never before documented on Box R, both of which depend on frequent fire to bloom and persist.  Pine-woods aster (Eurybia spinulosa) is a small herb found only in mesic and wet pine flatwoods in the central Florida Panhandle.  This species is considered to be critically endangered due to its rarity, limited range, and threats to its habitat.  Wiregrass gentian (Gentiana pennelliana) is a rare winter-blooming species with showy white petals, occurring in open wet prairies.    

Wiregrass gentian (Gentiana pennelliana).  Photo by Gary Knight.

Cathy Ricketts, biologist at the nearby Apalachicola River Wildlife and Environmental Area, also found this beautiful plant growing in a restoration wet prairie location.  We are hoping for more exciting field finds this spring!

Frost Flowers

Photo by Amy Jenkins

Frost flowers (also known as ice flowers, ice blossoms, and frost castles) are delicate ribbons of ice that can form when the air temperatures are freezing but the ground remains unfrozen.  Longitudinal cracks form along the stems of some plant species because of freezing sap.  Water from the ground is then drawn out through the cracks in the stem and freezes upon contact with the air.  These beautifully intricate ice structures swirl and curl into flower-like structures as the water oozes out through the cracks and freezes.  FNAI scientists observed these frost flowers along the edge of a marsh a few days ago on a cold morning at Flint Rock Wildlife Management Area in Wakulla and Jefferson Counties.  Be on the watch for them on cold mornings!!

Photo by Amy Jenkins

Who's Your CISMA?

Invasive, non-native plants and animals are one of the greatest threats to biodiversity and the ecological integrity of our natural areas, and therefore are a focus for FNAI.  There are many groups doing exceptional work related to invasive species, and much of that work in Florida and around the country is coordinated by regional collaborations called Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas or CISMAS.  CISMAs are volunteer collaborations of professionals, private landowners, and concerned citizens who believe that more can get done when working together.  Participants may work for different private and public organizations with differing job duties and often differing priorities.  However, everyone unites in their efforts to eradicate or control invasive species across fencelines and political boundaries.  Bringing resources together is often a more cost-effective approach to manage the problem.

CISMA boundaries in Florida.

There are two primary ways in which CISMAs can make a difference.  First, there is direct control of invasive species through scheduled workdays.  Teams will work together to kill invasive plants (hand pulling or treating with herbicide) or do surveys to find out and document where the invasive species may be present.  Second, CISMAs participate in public events to educate the community and local land managers on the problems associated with invasive species.  Many people don’t even know that the invasive species they have in their own yard are causing a problem for conservation lands nearby! 

A CISMA team workday.

We encourage anyone interested in the conservation of Florida’s biodiversity to become familiar with the CISMA in your area.  To find out who to contact, visit the Florida Invasive Species Partnership (FISP) website.  FISP is the umbrella organization over all of the Florida CISMAs.  FNAI is a key partner in this process; our invasive species contacts actively working with the CISMAs are Gregg Walker and Greg Jubinsky.