News from the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department
May 20, 2005
Phone: (603) 271-3211
Email: info@wildlife.state.nh.us
For information and online licenses, visit 
http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us

                           * * * * * * *

CONTACT:
Celine Goulet: (603) 271-2461
Liza Poinier: (603) 271-3211
May 20, 2005

           SEASON STARTS STRONG FOR KARNER BLUE BUTTERFLIES

CONCORD, N.H. -- Though it's still more commonly seen in children's 
drawings than in the wild, the federally endangered Karner blue butterfly 
is making a comeback in Concord. At this time of year, the butterflies 
are in their larval stage; biologists are now keeping watch over about 
700 Karner larvae (caterpillars) in a captive rearing facility. A 
majority of the larvae are expected to reach the next stage of growth 
(pupation) within the next week and emerge as butterflies in early June.

The Karner blue, a sapphire-colored butterfly with a wingspan barely an 
inch across, was extirpated from New Hampshire less than a decade ago. 
Many people and organizations have been working to bring back the 
Karner blue -- New Hampshire's official state butterfly -- and to restore 
pine barrens habitat, the only place where the butterfly can survive. A 
variety of partners are involved in the restoration efforts, including 
N.H. Fish and Game, the N.H. Army National Guard, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, the city of Concord and others. 

This is the fifth year that Karners are being raised in captivity and 
released into restored pine barrens habitat at the Karner Blue Butterfly 
Conservation Easement near the Concord Municipal Airport. The captive 
rearing program has resulted in a small but growing wild butterfly 
population; last year, eggs, larvae and adults were all observed in the 
release area in the Heights section of Concord. Core funding for captive 
rearing and habitat restoration comes from the N.H. Army National Guard, 
the moose Conservation License Plate and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service.

Wildlife biologists from N.H. Fish and Game expect to release hundreds 
of captive-reared Karner blue butterflies into the restored habitat in 
June. The second of two annual broods will emerge in July.

The Karner blue butterfly has extremely particular habitat 
requirements; wild lupine is the immature Karner's sole food source, and pine 
barrens are the only place where wild lupine grows. Very little pine barrens 
habitat remains in New Hampshire, most of it having been cleared or 
paved for other uses. The original pine barrens were maintained by natural 
disturbances, including fire, insect and weather damage; today, heavy 
machinery and controlled burns -- one of which is planned for next week 
-- are used to replicate these occurrences. 

Concord schoolchildren and teachers are also helping out with habitat 
restoration efforts. N.H. Fish and Game and the National Wildlife 
Federation, supported by a Disney Foundation grant, have been working with 
teachers and their students to plant wild lupine seed and raise the 
seedlings in the classroom, then transplant them in the easement. Last year, 
wild-born Karners were seen on the lupine that the students raised and 
transplanted.

The public is welcome to visit the easement at the end of Chenell Drive 
in East Concord, where a trailhead kiosk describes the Karner 
restoration project. Visitors are asked to try to not step on any wild lupine 
plants -- there may be Karner blue butterfly larvae on them.

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department is the guardian of the 
state's marine, fish and wildlife resources and their habitats. Visit 
http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us.

                                - ### -


-- 
Copyright 2005 New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, 11 Hazen Drive, 
Concord, NH 03301.  Comments or questions concerning this list should 
be directed to lpoinier@wildlife.state.nh.us.