Kingdom: Animalia (Animals)
Phylum: Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum: Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class: Insecta (Insects)
Order: Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Family: Lycaenidae (Blues, Coppers, Hairstreaks, Harvesters)
Genus: Callophrys
Species: hesseli (Hessel’s Hairstreak)
Callophrys hesseli, also known as Hessel’s Hairstreak, is a rare and possibly endangered butterfly found on the eastern seaboard of the US, with an estimated population count between 21 and 300. Because its environment of choice (bogs and swamps with white cedar trees) is fairly niche, Callophrys hesseli is very rare. Although they are not found on the IUCN Red List, NatureServe lists them as having a Rounded Global Status of G3, meaning it’s vulnerable. Although logging has thinned out the possible habitats for Callophrys hesseli, recolonization is a possibility (as long as logging is done in moderation)—bigger threats are the development of new settlements/neighborhoods and the spraying of biocides. Callophrys hesseli’s unique brown and green coloring makes it particularly well-suited to camouflage. We, as humans, can reconnect to Callophrys hesseli by going out to our local bogs and hiding in bushes for hours on end, peering into our binoculars and straining our eyes in a hopefully fruitful effort to defeat Callophrys hesseli’s perfect camouflage. No programs are underway to help restore and protect Callophrys hesseli that I’m currently aware of.
Further reading at
I appreciated how you mentioned the different sources for its classification as threatened/endangered. It's as if it still needs an "official" human stamp of approval before people seriously consider protecting it, even though they were the ones pushing it to this point in the first place.
ReplyDeleteAre the biocides you mentioned linked to a particular human activity, such as lawn pesticides from residential areas, or something specifically to do with the logging you mentioned?
I appreciated how you mentioned the different sources for its classification as threatened/endangered. It's as if it still needs an "official" human stamp of approval before people seriously consider protecting it, even though they were the ones pushing it to this point in the first place.
ReplyDeleteAre the biocides you mentioned linked to a particular human activity, such as lawn pesticides from residential areas, or something specifically to do with the logging you mentioned?
Everything has been briefly explained in a single paragraph, which is splendid, but also it makes me feel a little bit confused when I read it because of the highly-condensed content. It is interesting that you keep using the scientific name from the beginning to the end (it play a role in bullying my poor English).
ReplyDelete