Conservation banks are parcels of land which enjoy permanent protection due to the value of natural resources therein. These lands are methodically managed for habitat critical for species listed as endangered, threatened or candidates for listing or otherwise at risk. As the name implies, conservation banking acts to offset impacts to habitat occurring elsewhere, this can…
Monarch butterflies, Danaus plexippus, may be one of the most distinctive of all Lepidopterans, almost everyone can identify the formerly ubiquitous species as they flutter by. Their bright orange and black markings make them recognizable to humans and serve as a warning to predators; they may be beautiful, but they are also bitter and toxic. Most…
In a dramatic, but satisfying, twist of fate, the Karner blue butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis) has almost recovered from the brink of extinction. Named for its initial location of discovery and beautiful coloration the Karner blue butterfly relies on unique inland wetland pine barrens found east of Minnesota and along the eastern seaboard. Historically the blue’s range was a…
