NEBRASKAland Magazine is dedicated to outstanding photography and informative writing with an engaging mix of articles and photos highlighting Nebraska’s outdoor activities, parklands, wildlife, history and people.
Issue link: http://mag.outdoornebraska.gov/i/668245
MAY 2016 • NEBRASKAland 77 I n awareness of Endangered Species Day on May 20, Nebraskans should know that we have a "royal" species that is getting harder to find. It is not a king or queen, but rather a delicate regal fritillary. The regal fritillary (Speyeria idalia) is a large orange and black butterfly that can be seen flitting above the prairie grasses in mid-summer. It can be found across Nebraska, but is more abundant in the eastern half of the state. The regal fritillary is a prairie specialist, and is even considered an indicator species of quality native prairie. This is because as caterpillars, they will feed only on violets, but as adults, they need a variety of nectar flowers to survive and thrive. Unfortunately, the regal fritillary is declining. The regal fritillary has become so rare that on April 19, 2013, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service received a petition to list the regal fritillary under the Endangered Species Act. Their decline is largely due to the loss of prairie habitat. Most of the prairies that remain today are small and fragmented, with additional habitat loss certainly possible. These butterflies do not migrate and have limited dispersal ability, so at isolated sites when something eliminates all the regal fritillaries, that site is unlikely to become recolonized. The regal fritillary is not alone. In Nebraska, we have 27 animal and plant species that are already listed as threatened or endangered, but endangered does not mean extinct. As more people take action to restore wildlife and their habitats, populations of these rare species can rebound. For the regal fritillary, there is hope. In cooperation with partners, prairies are being restored with high diversity seed mixtures. Vigor and health are being restored to existing prairies through prescribed burning, removing encroaching cedar trees and avoiding pesticide use. Biologists are working on both public and private lands to restore larger, continuous blocks of prairie for the benefit of regal fritillaries and many other species. You can be a part of the restoration and conservation of this species. While habitat is improved, there is an urgent need to have a more accurate regal fritillary population count. The regal fritillary has not been listed yet, so an accurate population count will be critical as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decides if this butterfly should be considered threatened with extinction. If you enjoy a slow walk through a prairie on a warm summer day, consider conducting a regal fritillary survey. The surveys are simple, and the regal fritillary is one of the easier butterflies to identify. The information you collect will be used to determine the current population levels in Nebraska and archived to better recognize population changes in the future. Learn more at Outdoornebraska.gov about how you can be a part of restoring royalty to the prairies. ■ Saving the Regal Fritillary In Awareness of Endangered Species Day. By Kristal Stoner PHOTO BY GEORGE SCHADE PHOTO BY CHRIS HELZER Top: a Regal Fritillary resting in a Gage County meadow. Bottom: Regal fritillary butterfly (Speyeria idalia) on hoary vervain (Verbena stricta) at The Nature Conservancy's Dahms Tract.