Karner Blue Butterfly Recovery at the Eastern Edge of Its Range

1. Karner Blue Butterfly Recovery at the Eastern Edge of Its Range R. Niver, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service K. O’Brien, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation N. Gifford, Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission C. Zimmerman, The Nature Conservancy M. Amaral, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

2. Karner blue butterfly (Lycaeidesmelissasamuelis)

3. Bivoltine first hatch in April Larvae feed on lupine Pupate in May/June Eggs overwinter on base of lupine or nearby grasses Lay eggs 1st flight late May into June Adults live average of 3-5 days 2ndflight in July/August Lay eggs Second brood eggs hatch in 5-10 days

4. Similar Looking Species Eastern tailed blue Spring azure Karner blue butterfly ventral surface ventral surface ventral surface (www.google/images) (www.google/images) (K. Breisch)

5. Biological Planning Status Federally listed as endangered in 1992 Conservation Objective • Restore viable metapopulations of Karner blues across the species extant range so that it can be reclassified from endangered to threatened and then ultimately delisted (2003 Recovery Plan) • Improve species status (2009 Spotlight Species Plan) Threats Loss and/or fragmentation of habitat due to: • succession (due to lack of management ) • commercial, industrial, and residential development Mammal/insect damage to lupine Stochastic events such as droughts and cool springs Changes in snowpack Pesticide use

6. >90% decline in NY since the 1970s-forest succession-development

7. Biological Planning/Conservation Design • Federal recovery plan completed 2003 • Region 3 Spotlight Species- Action Plan completed September 2009 • NYSDEC developing recovery plan • Various management plans

8. Recovery Units

9. 4 Recovery Areas/Populations

10. Recovery Criteria • Reclassification criteria will be met when a minimum of 27 metapopulations[19 viable metapopulations (supporting 3,000 butterflies each), and 8 large viable metapopulations(supporting 6,000 butterflies each)] are established within at least 13 recovery units across the butterfly’s range and are being managed consistent with the recovery objectives outlined in this plan. • Delisting will be considered when a minimum of 29 metapopulations (13 viable and 16 large viable metapopulations) have been established within at least 13 recovery units and are being managed consistent with the plan.

11. Metapop. Recovery Criteria

12. Conservation Delivery- Habitat Protection Albany Pine Bush • ~1,000 acres protected since 1992 • 3,100 acres in Preserve • Goal of ~ 5,000 acres in Preserve RLA $$ 24 acres

13. Conservation Delivery- Habitat Protection Saratoga Sandplains • ~2,192 acres protected RLA $$ 2 sites- 6 acres

14. Conservation Delivery- Habitat Protection • Queensbury • 5 acres • Saratoga West • 313 acres • 293 acres Saratoga County Airport • 15 acres Spa State Park • 5 acres under management associated with 2 projects

15. Conservation Delivery - Habitat Restoration Restoration Crew Before Restoration Removal of over-story to improve habitat conditions for wild lupine and native grasses. After

17. Habitat Restoration and Management • Habitat Conservation Plan (utility ROWs) in prep • Programmatic Safe Harbor with The Nature Conservancy completed 2010 • 3 successful law enforcement cases settled

18. Monitoring Habitat • Lupine stem density • Nectar species richness • Nectar density • Grass cover • Canopy cover Karner blues • P/A surveys • Transects • Distance Sampling (population estimates)

19. Monitoring - KBB Habitat in Saratoga Sandplains • Goal • 320 acres suitable habitat • 2003 • 10 acres • Currently • 127 acres KBB habitat restored/protected • 106 monitored • 76 suitable

20. Monitoring - KBB Habitat in Albany Pine Bush Goal- 640 acres suitable habitat 1992-~13.5 acres KBB habitat Currently- 333 acres KBB habitat, 225 acres monitored, 62 acres suitable Spring 2005 Spring 2007

21. Private Stewardship Grant Program • 2005-2009 • 4 grants • 126.5 acres restored • 14 sites • 8 colonized by KBB to date

22. Conservation Delivery- Captive Propagation • New Hampshire • 1980s 1000s of KBBs • Numbers declined • TNC initiated captive propagation program in 1991 with NH KBB • 1999 24 KBB in wild • KBB extirpated from NH in 2000 • NH Fish and Game initiated intensive program using NY KBB • NH Army National Guard provided building for captive rearing facility • Continues to date Eclosed butterfly drying its wings. Released butterfly with marking on lupine.

23. New Hampshire

24. Monitoring - KBB Response in Saratoga Sandplains Second Brood Counts - Distance Sampling

25. Monitoring - KBB Response in Albany Pine Bush Second Brood Counts - Distance Sampling 2010 Second Brood Estimates 770-1,100 KBB

26. Conservation Delivery- Captive Propagation • New York • Initiated releases in 2008 • NH site is primary facility • Pilot rearing program at Farnsworth Middle School in 2008 • Continues to date

27. New York **684 kept for mating or released in NH Collected Adult females- FMW – 4/5 put back in wild (1 died in captivity) NH – All eventually died in captivity 3 NY Release Sites

28. New York Collected Adult females- FMW – 4/5 put back in wild (1 died in captivity) NH – All eventually died in captivity 2 Release Sites (617 and 45 KBB)

29. New York 2010 • 8 release sites • 1,538 pupae/adults released

30. Monitoring GLA Recovery Status

31. Conservation Delivery- Outreach

32. Cooperative Efforts

33. What’s next? • Additional land protection • Habitat restoration and management • Captive propagation and release • Monitoring Challenges • Providing funding/support to NYSDEC • Increased monitoring costs with more and more habitat

34. Thank you! This is a story of hope. While we have expended a great deal of time and funding since listing, we cannot give up now. With persistence, we can meet recovery objectives for this species.