Speyeria Zerene - Conservation

Conservation

In 1999, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service initiated a recovery plan for the Speyeria zerene. The recovery program helped establish breeding programs in several zoos and colleges that provide captive rearing for the Speyeria zerene. In late summer, female butterflies are captured after they have mated with a male and then transferred to a facility where they are induced into laying eggs. After the eggs hatch, the larvae are stored in a refigerator over winter in order to replicate the conditions of the season. After the winter dormancy, the larvae are fed and cared for until they pupate or are large enough to be returned to the wild.

Other programs that are being implemented to help the wild population include the regular mowing of meadows by private home owners, and especially habitat restoration for properties owned by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. One of the most essential components of the Speyeria zerene habitat is the blue violet, or Viola adunca; it is used for the food and shelter of the early stages of a larva's life. However, the blue violet is also threatened by invasive species and the overgrowth of shrubs and trees in meadows. The facilities that have established breeding programs for the butterflies have also set up nurseries for the blue violets. These nurseries are mainly used to provide food for the larvae reared in these facilities, but some violets are also transported and planted in restoration sites.