Karner Blue

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Karner Blue

Conservation status

Imperiled (TNC)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Lycaeides
Species: L. melissa
Subspecies: L. m. samuelis
Trinomial name
Lycaeides melissa samuelis
Nabokov, 1944
Synonyms

Plebejus melissa samuelis (Nabokov, 1944)

The Karner Blue, Lycaeides melissa samuelis, is a small, blue butterfly found in small areas of New Jersey, the Great Lakes region, southern New Hampshire, and the Capital District region of New York. The butterfly, whose lifecycle depends on the wild blue lupine flower (Lupinus perennis), is classified as an endangered species. In May 2000, the Canadian Species at Risk Act listed the Karner Blue as being extirpated in Canada. This subspecies of Lycaeides melissa was described by novelist Vladimir Nabokov. It is sometimes placed in the genus Plebejus.

Local conservation efforts, concentrating on replanting large areas of blue lupine which have been lost to development (and to fire suppression, which destroys the open, sandy habitat required by blue lupine), are having modest success at encouraging the butterfly's repopulation. The Karner Blue, (Lycaeides melissa samuelis), is the official state butterfly of New Hampshire. The Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in central Wisconsin is home to the world's largest population of Karner Blues, who benefit from its vast area of savannah and extensive lupine.

The Karner Blue was first identified and named by novelist and lepidopterist Vladimir Nabokov. The name originates from Karner, the former name of Center, New York (located half-way between Albany and Schenectady, New York, in the Pine Bush), where it was first discovered. Lupine blooms in late May. There are two generations of Karner Blues per year. The first in late May to mid June. The second from mid-July to mid-August.

In the novel Pnin, Nabokov describes a score of Karner Blues without naming them.[1]

What does it look like?

The Karner blue butterfly has a wingspan of about one inch, roughly the size of a postage stamp. The upper surface of the male is blue with a black edge and white outer margin.

The female is similar but more brown or grayish in color The female also has a row of dark spots with orange crescents along the wing margins.

The underside of both is similar. It is slate gray with several marginal rows of orange and black spots.

The Karner Blue is sometimes confused with two others.

The Karner Blue is often confused with two other blue butterflies. They are the Eastern Tailed Blue Butterfly and the Summer Azure Butterfly.

The main difference is the Karner Blue does not have a tail-like projection.

[2]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Kurt Johnson and Stephen Coates. Nabokov's Blues. The Scientific Odyssey of a Literary Genius. Zoland Books, Cambridge, MA (1999) ISNB 1-58195-009-8
  2. ^ The Karner Blue in the Ohio Oak Openings Region [1]

[edit] Resources

  • Karner blue butterfly This site from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources contains conservation information, identification tips, plant species that attract and nurture Karner blues, and much more.

NY DEC article on the Karner Blue

http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10370_12145_12204-33007--,00.html

[edit] External links

  • Karner blue butterfly This site from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources contains conservation information, identification tips, plant species that attract and nurture Karner blues, and much more.
  • Rhapsody In Blue The Karner blue butterfly makes a comeback
  • The Return of The Karner Blue in Ohio
  • Karner Blue for New York State Butterfly An effort to have the Karner Blue declared the official NY state butterfly and how it will help prevent extinction of this wonderful species
  • [2] The most successful Karner blue butterfly conservation effort is in Wisconsin.