02/17/2025
Happy reading week!
This week’s bug of the week is the Karner Blue butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis)!🦋
The Karner Blue is an endangered small blue butterfly species that can be found in eastern Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and New York. The Karner Blue has been extirpated from Iowa, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Maine, and Ontario 🥲.
Their diet primarily consists of wild lupine. The availability of wild lupine has decreased due to fires. Wild lupine is being replanted in hopes of saving the Karner Blue butterfly.
Females have about 2 broods a year. Their reproductive success is affected by temperature. These butterflies have a short dispersal distance.
Tune in next week to learn some facts about another cool bug! 😎🐜🦋🐝🪲
