How to help a butterfly

Publié leaoût 31, 2021parAmber Lavictoire|Hespérie tachetée, Actualités et événements, Pollinisateurs

A large number of people and organizations joined together to make the mottled duskywing recovery project in Ontario possible. From earlier stages in Rice Lake Plains to the current reintroduction effort at Pinery Provincial Park, many have played an essential role in protecting this butterfly at risk from local extinction.

There is still a great deal that needs to be done.

Mottled duskywings are going to need help from people working outside of the field of conservation to save it. We need you to join us in our journey to bring back this beautiful butterfly and take it off of the species at risk list.

How can you help?

1. Plant New Jersey tea

The mottled duskywing is quite picky, and it requires its favourite (host) plant, New Jersey tea, to survive. Ceanothus americanus is a species of Ceanothus shrub native to North America, produces beautiful white flowers and is quite popular with other pollinators as well. Unfortunately, it can be hard to find as it is a preferred meal for deer and requires disturbance such as prescribed burns to survive.

That’s where you come in! Planting New Jersey tea in your gardens at home will help with connecting and repairing habitats for this butterfly and other pollinators. New Jersey tea can be purchased on the Ontario Native Plants website, and other local retailers.

2. Create a pollinator garden

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Planting an abundance of native wildflowers will bring all kinds of butterflies to your backyard, including monarchs (pictured above) as well as the mottled duskywing. Eliminate or limit the use of pesticides to provide the best chance for survival for these and other pollinators, and allow you the best chance to make a difference!

3. Learn more about the mottled duskywing butterfly

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A mottled duskywing butterfly. Photo: Jessica Linton

Amber Lavictoire

Mottled Duskywing Reintroduction – Team Member

Amber has a BSc from the University of Guelph in zoology and is pursuing a Master of Environmental Science degree at the University of Toronto. Her years of field work in a variety of settings have given her an appreciation for even the smallest of creatures – like the mottled duskywing butterfly.