Miami Blue - Sightings and Breeding Programs

Sightings and Breeding Programs

In 1999 some Miami blues were spotted in Bahia Honda State Park. It was estimated that fewer than fifty of the butterflies were left. Acting on a request from the North American Butterfly Association, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission temporarily listed the Miami blue as endangered on an emergency basis in 2002. The 'endangered' listing was made permanent in 2003. In the meantime, searches had found no other colonies of the Miami blue.

In 2003 the Entomology and Nematology Department at the University of Florida began raising and breeding Miami blues, starting from about 100 eggs collected in the wild. In 2004 they released 2,500 of the insects at selected locations. However, the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season caused damage to all of the release sites as well as at Bahia Honda. The Bahia Honda colony has recovered, and the University continues its breeding and wild release program.

In August and September 2006 hundreds of captive-bred caterpillars and adult Miami blues were released on Elliott Key.

In November and December 2006, more colonies were discovered on other islands in the Florida Keys.

In August 2011, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service used an emergency measure that gives the species 240 days of temporary federal protection while they go through the formal process of placing it on the federal list of endangered species.