Karner Blue

Description
The Karner Blue is a small butterfly with a wingspread of just 22 to 32 mm. The upper side of the male's wing is iridescent light blue, edged with a thin black line that parallels a white fringe on the wing's outer margins. The upper side of the female's wing is purple-blue with a purple-brown tone; a chain of black spots appears on the leading and outer areas of the wings. An inner parallel row of orange crescents embrace these black spots. The bottom side of both sexes is light silver-grey with several white-edged, black spots in the inner areas of both wings.

Top

Distribution and Population
The Karner Blue is one of five subspecies of the more widespread Melissa Blue. The Karner Blue once occurred from New Hampshire and New York, west across southern Ontario, northern Indiana and Michigan, to southern Wisconsin. It was most commonly found in oak savanna habitats scattered within the deciduous forest region of southern Ontario, and its historic range may have included Toronto, London and Sarnia. The species has declined by up to 90 % since the early to mid-1980s. By the early 1980s only two of Ontario's six sites remained - Port Franks and St. Williams. The Port Franks site was considered secure, with the population possibly growing in 1984. At that time, the population exceeded 1,000 individuals. The St. Williams site was conversely very small, with about seven individuals, and expected to die out. Then, during extremely dry summers in 1988 and 1989, the Wild Lupine populations died before Karner Blue adults had laid second broods. The Wild Lupine is the Karner Blue larva's only source of food. Since then, there have been no confirmed reports of the butterfly at either site. The situation in the United States is quite similar. The butterfly is extirpated or endangered in all but one state where its status is not known.

Top

Habitat
The butterfly is restricted to sandy soils, sandy pine barrens and beach dunes. These are areas where the Wild Lupine grows. Sandy soils are the foundation of the St. Williams' dry oak savanna habitat, while beach dune complexes provide required habitat at the Port Franks site. Well-spaced trees with 35 to 60 % canopy and well-developed ground cover characterize the St. Williams' woodlands. Fire suppression is blamed for loss of a lot of suitable habitat, since fire is necessary to prevent overgrowth.

Top

Biology
There are four stages to the life cycle of a butterfly: egg, larva, pupa, adult. Adult Karner Blues have two flight periods: the first is from May 25 to June 30 and the second is from July 12 to August 18. It is during second flight that the eggs for the second generation are laid. The second generation is three to four times more numerous than the first generation. This difference is probably due to the greater availability of food when the second group is born. Eggs are laid on Wild Lupine plants. The larvae feed only on Wild Lupine, mainly on the leaves. The larvae may be tended by ants, which reduce parasitic attacks on the larvae in exchange for a sugary substance the larvae produce. Larvae enter an eight-day chrysalis stage at the end of the fifth instar (stage between molts). The adults are sedentary, often moving an average of just a few hundred metres during the course of a day, but they can be active all day long if the temperature is warm. The butterflies are not deterred by cloud or breeze, but very hot weather reduces their activity and they are inactive when it rains. The average lifespan of an adult in the wild is five days.

Top

Reasons for extirpation
The distribution and population density of this subspecies appear to have been limited by the extent and health of the Wild Lupine. Wild fires likely maintain the open nature of the lupine's habitat. Fire suppression and extensive planting of pine trees has hastened the shading out of early successional habitat, including Wild Lupine. To survive, Karner Blue and Wild Lupine sites must contain successional variety. The butterfly also requires a variety of flowering plants for nectar. It also depends upon micro-climates different enough to support lupine populations until the second generation of Karner Blues is laid.

Top

Protection
The Karner Blue is protected under the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA). More information about SARA, including how it protects individual species, is available in the Species at Risk Act: A Guide.

Recovery Initiatives

Status of Recovery Planning

Recovery Strategies :
	Name National Recovery Strategy for the Karner Blue (Lycaeides melissa samuelis) Status Recovery team/planner in place Number of Action Plans 0

Top

Recovery Team

Karner Blue Recovery Team

Dawn Burke - Chair - Government of Ontario
Phone: 519-873-4624  Fax: 519-873-4645  Send Email

Peter Carson - Chair - Private consultant
Phone: 519-586-3985  Send Email

Peter Banks - Member - Conservation organization (NGO)
Rick Beaver - Member - Aboriginal group
Loony Coote - Member -
Ron Gould - Member - Government of Ontario
Tom Mason - Member - Other
Laurence Packer - Member - University or college
Ken Stead - Member -
Brad Steinberg - Member - Government of Ontario

Top

Recovery Progress and Activities

Recovery Plan Status: recovery plan is in development.

Summary of Research/Monitoring Activities:

- 1996: inventoried all insects in southwestern Ontario.
- ongoing: studying micro-habitat conditions in several locations.

Summary of Recovery Activities:

- 1988 to present: restoring the oak savannah Karner blue habitat at the Karner Blue Butterfly Sanctuary in southwestern Ontario near Pinery Provincial Park.
- 1993: conducted a workshop to plan the restoration of oak savanna habitat and the reintroduction of the Karner blue.
- 2001: participated in a Karner blue workshop hosted by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association.
- ongoing: conducting habitat work in several areas; investigating the possibility of working more closely with the American Recovery Team under the "Framework for Cooperation Between the U.S. Department of the Interior and Environment Canada in the Protection and Recovery of Wild Species at Risk."

Summary of Progress to Date:

The Toronto Zoo developed a protocol for the captive rearing of Karner blue butterflies using the tailed blue butterfly as a prototype. The tailed blue butterfly has similar characteristics to the Karner blue.

Top