Big Hopes for Tiny Butterflies
Betsy Leppo pubished an article in the Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program Summer 2019 "Wild Heritage News". The article describes survey work for frosted elfin (Callophrys irus) and Appalachian grizzled skipper (Pyrgus wyandot) at sites throughout Pennsylvania. "Decades ago there were dozens of active (extant) sites for these butterflies around the state, but they gradually disappeared from those places. When we began these surveys there was only one active colony known in the state for each butterfly."
Pennsylvania is participating in this project through bee survey and is planning habitat management to maintain more open canopies for frosted elfin and other target species.
