Subject: re-introduction or rare species

From: John A Shuey <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 1 Jul 1996 14:14:12 -0400

In Indiana (USA) the smokey-eyed brown (Satyrodes eurydice fumosa) occurs at
a couple of unprotected wet prairie remnants in the extreme NW of the state.
 One of these populations is very healthy, with over 100 adults sited in
under an hour in one 5 acre sedge meadow pocket - similar pockets occur
throughout this 80 acre site.

We (The Nature Conservancy) own a 60 acre preserve just 6 miles south of this
site, but with no _S. e. fumosa_.  This prairie was a hog farm prior to its
protection and was very badly abused.  After 8 years of intensive managment,
its a pretty nice prairie again, at least botanically.  However, it supports
no butterflies which could be considered rare or wet prairie restricted in
the region, while the unprotected prairie to the north supports species such
as _Euphyes bimacula, E. conspicua, Poanes massasoit, Polites mystic, Boloria
selene nebraskensis, and of course S. e. fumosus_.

So, last year, very early in the flight season, I transported 8 pairs of S.
e. fumosus to the protected site.  Last Friday, at 7pm and at the very start
of the flight season, I visited the site and scared out one very fresh
female!  The entire sedge meadow at the reintroduction site was in deep shade
and the reports from the other site indicate that the species' flight period
had just began 2 days earlier.

So, I'm pretty pleased that there was carry-over from last year.
 Unfortunately, I'm not going to be able to check this site again this year,
so I won't know the full extent of the population.  I'm optimistic about this
reintroduction effort, but unless I can slip out of the office for a half day
this week, I'll have to wait until next year to see how its doing.

Does anyone else have similar experiance working with quasi-rare species.  Is
there any reason I should be really optimistic that this population will
persist (assumes of course that there really is a population now).  Could it
really be this easy to start up similar populations???

John Shuey
The Nature Conservancy

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From: Neil Jones <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 1 Jul 1996 20:55:50 GMT

> really be this easy to start up similar populations???

This is a very interesting topic. I have been wondering what experiences others
have in other parts of the world, as some work has been done on this in the UK.

Introductions seem to be a common occurence as many lepidopterists see this
as a good way to encourage scarce species. Dr. Martin Warren (who is now the
Head of Conservation for the British conservation organisation Butterfly
Conservation) has published a some data on this in  The Ecology of Butterflies
in Britain which is edited by Roger L. H. Dennis and Published by Oxford
Science Publications ISBN 0 19 8540256.

It seems that, in general, introductions of butterflies to new sites do not
take. Most species do not do well at all. The species for which there are
the most data is the Marsh Fritillary Eurodryas (=Euphydryas) aurinia.
The data show that out of  56 introduction attempts only 2 resulted
in populations which survived for more than 10 years. Since the original
research was done these 2 populations have also gone extinct. (M. Warren Pers
comm. )

There are may be, however, a few exceptions to this. The Black Hairstreak
Satyrium pruni and the Wood White Lepidea sinapis seem to do relatively well
although there are too few data to derive a proper analysis.

There can be a few problems associated with introductions.
They are often performed in secret. This can cause problems for
conservationists. "False" sites can be created and give a false picture
which is often exploited by developers.

They are often used as excuses by developers to destroy habitat. Even
if the scheme works only one showy species of invertebrate survives while
dozens of others are wiped out.

Carried out properly on nature reserves however experiments of this kind
can provide valuable experience. I would also urge that one other thing should
be considered. If the species concerned has species specific parasites should
these be introduced as well?

--
Neil Jones- [email-masked] "The beauty and genius of a work of art
may be reconceived, though its first material expression be destroyed, but when
the last individual of a race of living things breathes no more another heaven
and another earth must pass before such a one can be again." William Beebe

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From: Paul Opler <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 1 Jul 1996 14:34:19 -0600

Hi John!  Jim Scott took females of S. e. fumosus from a
         colony near Fort Collins and introduced them to a similar
         habitat west of Denver. According to him the introudction
         worked. It is probably not as easy for most species though.
         In addition, most conservationists and responsible biologists
         feel it is not advisable to introduce native species outside
         of their known range. I know of quite a few butterfly
         introduction attempts that did not take.  Vertebrate
         biologists know that the likelihood of a successful
         intoruction is a function of how many attempts are made and
         how many individuals compose each introduction. Paul Opler