The butterfly fauna of Wisconsin bogs: lessons for conservation

Abstract

During 2002-2009, we surveyed butterflies at 73 bogs, 20 adjacent lowland roadsides, and 5 nearby upland roadsides in northern Wisconsin and three bogs in central Wisconsin, with additional observations from 1986 to 2001. Especially in northern Wisconsin, bogs are relatively unaffected by humans, but naturally comprise \1% of the landscape. Bog specialist species composition varied by bog type (muskeg, kettlehole, coastal peatland). Specialist abundance also varied significantly both among bog types and within type among sites. A number of bog specialists frequently occurred in numerous examples of bogs, including all three types. But virtually no specialist individuals occurred in nearby upland roadsides. Northern Wisconsin bogs had similar specialist species richness compared to large barrens and heaths in the same region. Specialist species comprised a small proportion (10%) of all butterfly species recorded in bogs, similar to proportions reported for specialists in tallgrass prairie and barrens. However, specialists accounted for nearly half the total individuals recorded in bogs, comparable to proportions of specialists found in less fragmented vegetation (barrens) and larger patches of favorably managed prairie, but far exceeding proportions observed in other highly fragmented prairie patches. A fundamental lesson may be that aiming to conserve typical ecosystems, even if native, and their average processes, leads to average (generalist) butterflies. Bogs have different vegetation types superimposed on each other, including bog, heath, forest, sedge meadow, and wet meadow associates in the same spots. Conservation management needs to avoid simplifying the vegetation to one layer, reducing specialist fauna. Long-term vegetative consistency, as in bogs, is advised for conservation management of specialist butterflies in other fragmented vegetations.

Diversity Pattern of Butterfly Communities (Lepidoptera, Papilionoidae) in Different Habitat Types in a Tropical Rain Forest of Southern Vietnam

“…However, undisturbed habitats such as the natural forests are important to conserve forest restricted butterfly species (specialist species) [9]. Swengel and Swengel [29] also indicated that long-term vegetative consistency is advised for conservation management of specialist butterflies.…”

Complex Messages in Long-Term Monitoring of Regal Fritillary (Speyeria idalia) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) in the State of Wisconsin, USA, 1988–2015

“…We also added one site complex in central Wisconsin (Buena Vista Grassland, Portage County) in 1997 specifically to search for regal fritillaries, as well as study other grassland butterflies and birds. At many other survey sites in Central and Northern Wisconsin, we had other primary survey goals but our visits there during summer also afforded valid assays for the regal fritillary: (1) six state-owned wildlife areas containing complexes of old fields (degraded grasslands) to study grassland species, especially birds; most were in counties within the regal’s historic range [42,43,44]; (2) >125 pine-oak barrens (prairie-like herbaceous flora with trees and shrubs intermixed) in Central and Northwestern Wisconsin to study the Karner blue ( Lycaeides melissa samuelis ), federally listed as endangered [45], and other barrens butterflies [40,46,47]; and (3) >10 barrens and heaths across Northern Wisconsin (north of Karner blue range); and (4) 75 bogs and 20 bog roadsides in Northern Wisconsin to study their butterfly community, which includes other butterfly species that feed on violets as larvae [48,49,50]. Most sites were conserved lands in private or government ownership (e.g., preserves, federal refuges, state parks, state wildlife areas, state, and county forest) or public rights-of-way.…”

Patterns of Long-Term Population Trends of Three Lupine-Feeding Butterflies in Wisconsin

“…In northwestern Wisconsin, we usually surveyed on only one date per summer for Karner Blue. Our surveying and phenological observations in central Wisconsin and elsewhere in northern Wisconsin aided in this date selection [23,34,45,46].…”