Pollinator Habitat Conservation Along Roadways, Volume 5: Great Lakes (2023)

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3-1 Chapter 3 Imperiled Pollinator Profiles The Great Lakes region, which includes Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, and parts of Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and New York, is home to a diverse assemblage of pollinators (Figure 1-1). The Great Lakes is home to four species listed under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) and one candidate species as of March 2022. This includes the rusty patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis), the first bumble bee covered by the ESA. However, there are many declining pollinators in this region that are not protected by the ESA. This section provides profiles of ESA-listed and -candidate pollinator species found in the Great Lakes region (Table 3-1), as well as imperiled pollinators that have the potential to be listed in the future based on NatureServe rankings and expert opinion. These include two butterflies on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) workplan (Chapter 4), four imperiled bumble bees, and two additional butterflies. This is not an exhaustive list of all declining pollinators in the region; the focus is on species in need of conservation that have a broad distribution and those that are more likely to affect Departments of Transportation (DOTs). An overview of the basic biology of bees, butterflies, and other insect pollinators can be found in Chapter 2. This section presents information on life history, distribution, threats, and habitat requirements for imperiled pollinators in this region. Information on known adult flight times (i.e., the breeding period) and larval active times (for butterflies and moths; larval bees live within nests) are included. The profiles also include a list of important plants that are used by each species as host plants or for pollen and/or nectar. Some of these plants are nonnative species or noxious weeds. These species are included in the profiles, as the information may be useful, but using them in revegetation efforts is not recommended (see Chapter 7 for more). Some basic conservation recommendations and information on the effects of roadside management on each species are also provided, when such information is available. Insects generally tend to be less well studied than vertebrates; therefore, very little is known about the biology and habitat requirements of some of these species. Other pollinator species may be better studied, but rigorous studies of the effects of different management practices on the species or their habitat may still be lacking. The best possible recommendations are made based on the available information. The profiles provide information on life cycles, host plants, habitat needs, and adult flight times that can be used to tailor maintenance and revegetation decisions (Chapters 6 and 7). General active times for adults and larvae are also provided. It should be noted that active times may shift regionally, such as with elevation or latitude, or from year to year with changes in climate. However, consultation with local experts, as well as biologists from state and federal agencies, is recommended to help DOTs develop meaningful management plans for species of interest in their areas because the profiles cannot capture the site- specific nuances that should be considered. As the profiles indicate, habitat loss is a primary driver of species’ declines. Roads can be a source of habitat fragmentation (Box 5-3). However, with investments in high-quality revegetation (revegetation that prioritizes usage of native plants and high plant diversity, including an abundance of flowering plants that provide pollen and nectar or act as host

Chapter 3. Imperiled Pollinator Profiles  3-2 plants for butterflies) where appropriate, roadsides also provide an ideal opportunity to increase habitat connectivity for many species, including pollinators. It is important to note that although some of the species profiled in this section may be unlikely to use roadside habitat for breeding, individuals may still use roadside habitat for nectar or pollen or as movement corridors. Therefore, it is worthwhile to invest in high-quality habitat restoration projects along roadsides near natural areas, preserves, and populations of imperiled species. Another common threat to many imperiled butterflies in the United States is noxious and invasive plants that displace required host plants. Here again, investing in high-quality habitat restoration using native plants can benefit imperiled pollinators, even if those pollinators are not using roadside habitat, by helping to slow the spread of invasive plants into key habitat areas. This section includes profiles of pollinator species that may not occur in roadside habitat, but may be found in other DOT land holdings, such as mitigation areas. Table 3-1. List of profiled imperiled pollinator species in the Great Lakes region. Scientific Name  Common Name  Status#  ESA‐Listed Pollinator Species  Bombus affinis  Rusty patched bumble bee  Endangered  Danaus plexippus   Monarch butterfly  Candidate  Lycaeides melissa samuelis  Karner blue butterfly  Endangered  Neonympha mitchellii mitchellii  Mitchell’s satyr butterfly  Endangered  Oarisma poweshiek  Poweshiek skipperling  Endangered  Declining Pollinator Species  Bombus fervidus  Yellow bumble bee  G3G4  Bombus pensylvanicus*  American bumble bee  G3G4  Bombus terricola  Yellow‐banded bumble bee  G3G4  Bombus variabilis  Variable cuckoo bumble bee  G1G2  Callophrys irus  Frosted elfin butterfly  G2G3  Hesperia leonardus  Leonard’s skipper  G4  Hesperia ottoe  Ottoe skipper  G3  Speyeria idalia*  Regal fritillary  G3?  * Species are under review or on USFWS workplan to be evaluated for listing under the ESA as of March 2022. # Status of pollinators is either the ESA status for listed species or is taken from NatureServe (accessed  March 2022) for species not listed under the ESA.    G1: Critically Imperiled. At very high risk of extinction due to extreme rarity (often five or fewer populations), very steep declines, or other factors.  G2: Imperiled. At high risk of extinction due to very restricted range, very few populations (often 20 or fewer), steep declines, or other factors.  G3: Vulnerable. At moderate risk of extinction due to a restricted range, relatively few populations (often 80 or fewer), recent and widespread declines, or other factors.

Chapter 3. Imperiled Pollinator Profiles  3-3  G4: Apparently Secure. Uncommon but not rare; some cause for long‐term concern due to declines or  other factors.   G5: Secure. Common; widespread and abundant.   G#G#: Range Rank. A numeric range rank (e.g., G2G3) is used to indicate the range of uncertainty in  the status of a species or community.   T#: Infraspecific Taxon (for subspecies or varieties). The status of infraspecific taxa is indicated by a  “T‐rank” following the species’ global rank. For example, the global rank of a critically imperiled  subspecies of an otherwise widespread and common species would be G5T1.    ?: Denotes inexact numeric rank.  3.1 Rusty Patched Bumble Bee (Bombus affinis)    Jan  Feb  Mar  April  May  June  July  Aug  Sept  Oct  Nov  Dec  Adult                                                                                                Adult rusty patched bumble bee (top left) and known distribution (top right). Adult flight times (i.e.,  breeding period) are shown in the chart (bottom). Photo credit: Rich Hatfield/The Xerces Society. Map  Source: ecos.fws.gov, accessed March 2022.  Order: Hymenoptera Family: Apidae Status: Endangered Distribution: Once common throughout the northeastern United States, this species has experienced severe decline in range and relative abundance. Since 1997, this species has typically been observed in very low numbers in the Midwest. Where it occurs: Forest, grassland, urban Flight Time: This species is typically active on the landscape from late April to mid- October. Between late October and early April, queens are overwintering in the ground. Nesting behavior: Nests underground in deserted mammal burrows. How to recognize: This bumble bee has black hairs of the face and a yellow thorax with a black circle in the center. The first two segments of the abdomen are yellow; workers and males often have a rusty-colored patch on the second segment.

Chapter 3. Imperiled Pollinator Profiles  3-4 Body size: Large. Queens range from 12 to 23 millimeters (0.75 to 0.92 inch) and workers range from 9 to 16 millimeters (0.37 to 0.64 inch). Habitat needs: Availability of food and nesting resources are key features in determining the success of a bumble bee colony. It is critical to maintain a bloom of floral resources throughout the spring, summer, and fall to supply bumble bees with a diversity and abundance of food. Top reasons for decline, if known: There are multiple factors affecting bumble bee decline, including habitat loss, pesticide exposure, climate change, pathogens, and parasites, as well as the introduction of nonnative species. The greatest threat contributing to the decline of this species is likely the commercial rearing and shipping of bumble bees, which spread pathogens and parasites, and increased competition for resources. General conservation recommendations: Preserve, restore, and create high-quality habitat that includes suitable nesting, foraging, and overwintering sites throughout a species’ range. Assess and mitigate risk of pesticide use in or near suitable habitat to avoid treating flowers in bloom or contaminating nesting and overwintering sites. Avoid the introduction of managed honey bees and managed bumble bees to areas of natural habitat to protect and minimize disease exposure. Roadside management recommendations: Intensive mowing may deplete floral resources and potentially disturb species that have nested aboveground in the roadside. Reduced mowing frequency would alleviate this problem. In areas likely to contain B. affinis, avoid mowing from April through October to avoid harming nests. Use a diversity of plants in revegetation to ensure multiple species are in bloom from spring through fall. Blanket spraying of herbicides can affect the health of bumble bees in the area by reducing floral resources. When managing weeds in B. affinis habitat, replace weeds that provide pollen and nectar with flowering plants. A recent study of roadside mortality of bumble bee queens in Sweden found that bumble bee queens used roadsides with both high plant diversity and low plant diversity in similar proportions when looking for nests. Queen mortality increased with traffic volume but was slightly lower along roadsides with higher quality vegetation. The authors recommend improving habitat quality along roadsides, and keeping a mown buffer strip next to the road to reduce queen mortality. Table 3-2. Plants used by bumble bees. Species Name by Bloom  Period  Common Name  Notes   Early  Anemone spp.  Anemones  Multiple colors; perennial  Dicentra spp.  Bleeding hearts  White/ pink; perennial  Geranium maculatum  Spotted geranium  Purple; perennial 

Chapter 3. Imperiled Pollinator Profiles  3-5 Species Name by Bloom  Period  Common Name  Notes   Hydrophyllum spp  Waterleaf  White/ purple; perennial  Lupinus perennis  Wild lupine/sundial lupine  Blue; perennial  Penstemon digitalis  Foxglove beardtongue  White; perennial  Tradescantia ohiensis  Spiderwort/bluejacket  Purple; perennial  Mid  Agastache  Giant hyssops  White/pink/purple;  perennial  Dalea purpurea  Purple prairie clover  Purple; perennial  Eupatorium spp.  Snakeroots  White; perennial  Eutrochium spp.  Joe Pye weeds  Pink/purple; perennial  Eutrochium fistulosum  Joe Pye weed  Pink; perennial  Monarda spp.  Bee balm  Pink/purple/red;  perennial  Monarda fistulosa  Bee balm/wild bergamot  Purple; perennial  Pycnanthemum tenuifolium  Narrowleaf mountain mint  White; perennial  Veronicastrum   Veronicastrum  White/pink/blue;  perennial  Late  Cirsium discolor  Field thistle  Pink/purple; biennial  Rudbeckia laciniata  Cutleaf coneflower  Yellow; perennial  Solidago spp.  Goldenrods  Yellow; perennial  Solidago nemoralis  Gray goldenrod  Yellow; perennial  Symphyotrichum novae‐ angliae  New England aster  Purple; perennial  3.1.1 References Cariveau, D., E. Evans, and M. Boone. 2019. Monitoring and habitat assessment of declining bumble bees in roadsides in the Twin Cities metro area of Minnesota. Minnesota Department of Transportation.

Chapter 3. Imperiled Pollinator Profiles  3-6 Dániel-Ferreira, J., Å. Berggren, R. Bommarco, J. Wissman, and E. Öckinger. 2022. Bumblebee queen mortality along roads increase with traffic. Biological conservation 272:109643. Hatfield, R., S. Jepsen, E. Mader, S. H. Black, and M. Shepherd. 2012. Conserving bumble bees. Guidelines for Creating and Managing Habitat for America's Declining Pollinators. The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Portland, OR. Jepsen, S., E. Evans, R. Thorp, R. Hatfield, and S. H. Black. 2013. Petition to list the rusty patched bumble bee Bombus affinis (Cresson), 1863 as an endangered species under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. Available: https://www.xerces.org/sites/default/files/2018-07/Bombus-affinis- petition.pdf. Williams, P. H., R. W. Thorp, L. L. Richardson, and S. R. Colla. 2014. Bumble bees of North America: an identification guide. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ. doi:10.2307/j.ctt6wpzr9. Wolf, Amy T., Watson, Jay C., Hyde, Terrell J., Carpenter, Susan G., and Jean, Robert P. (n.d.). Floral Resources Used by the Endangered Rusty Patched Bumble Bee (Bombus affinis) in the Midwestern United States. 3.2 Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus)    Jan  Feb  Mar  April  May  June  July  Aug  Sept  Oct  Nov  Dec  Adult                                                                                                Larvae                                                                                                Adult monarch (top left) and monarch distribution within the United States. (top right). Adult flight times  (i.e., breeding period; blue) and larvae active periods (green) for monarchs in this region are shown in the  chart (bottom). Adult and larval active times vary regionally; see Figure 3‐1 for regionally specific suggested  management windows. Photo credit: Jennifer Hopwood.    Order: Lepidoptera Family: Nymphalidae Status: Candidate Distribution: As of 150 years ago, the monarch was restricted to southern Canada, the lower 48 states, Mexico, Central America, and northwestern South America. In recent years

Chapter 3. Imperiled Pollinator Profiles  3-7 the species has spread or been introduced to several other areas, including Spain, Hawaii, Australia, and New Zealand. Where it occurs: During the summer breeding season and early during fall migration, monarchs can be found in every county of the Great Lakes states. These monarchs are part of the eastern population that migrates to central Mexico in the fall. How to recognize: Orange and black monarchs are larger than most butterflies with similar coloration. In contrast to the species that most closely resembles monarchs— viceroys—monarchs lack the black line crossing the middle of each hind wing. Behaviorally, monarchs tend to glide more than most other butterfly species. They lack the steady, rapid wingbeat of the great spangled fritillary (Speyeria cybele), for instance. Life cycle: Monarchs that developed on milkweeds in the southern United States in April arrive in the Great Lakes states in May and June (Figure 3-1). They lay their eggs on northern milkweeds, producing the second generation of monarchs. The second produces the third, and the third generation produces the fourth generation in late July and August. From late August to early October, fourth-generation monarchs migrate south from the Great Lakes to overwintering grounds in Mexico. Habitat needs: Although monarchs tend to avoid dense forests, they use most terrestrial and wetland ecosystems in the Northern Plains, as long as those ecosystems have milkweeds and some nectar sources. This includes roadsides: monarchs lay eggs on a variety of milkweed species on well-drained roadsides and in roadside ditches. Top reasons for decline, if known: Loss and degradation of overwintering and breeding habitat; loss of habitat via conversion to row-crop agriculture and urban development; use of herbicides that kill milkweeds and nectar sources; inadequate habitat management (not enough or too much disturbance, or disturbances poorly timed); use of insecticides that kill monarchs or cause negative but sublethal effects. General conservation recommendations: Given the migratory nature of the eastern population of the monarch, its survival is dependent on actions throughout the range of the eastern population. In the Great Lakes states, monarchs can be helped through planting of native milkweeds and nectar sources, control of invasive species, and implementation of proper habitat management practices, including well-timed prescribed burning and mowing. Roadside management recommendations: Frequent mowing during the breeding season (May through August; see Figure 3-1 for management windows) will likely kill many monarch eggs, larvae, and pupae. Mowing can also reduce nectar sources for adults when it occurs too frequently during the growing season. Limited research in eastern North America has shown that summer mowing can be used to extend the availability of milkweed plants for monarch breeding; monarchs often prefer to lay eggs on fresh milkweed growth rather than older growth. In the Great Lakes region, common milkweed mowed in July had higher numbers of monarch eggs and larvae compared to unmown and senescing milkweed. It is unknown if the benefit of additional Monarch butterfly larvae  Photo Credit: Ray Moranz/The Xerces  Society 

Chapter 3. Imperiled Pollinator Profiles  3-8 milkweed availability in the fall outweighs the costs of the larval mortality caused by summer mowing. Roadside managers can achieve a diverse mosaic of habitat in order to sustain healthy ecosystems for monarchs and other insects by leaving unmown strips as refugia, delaying mowing until late summer or fall, and increasing heterogeneity of mowing (e.g., mowing in patches or at different heights). Mowing outside of the growing season and a single mowing in mid-summer can help maintain open conditions needed for host plants and nectar sources to thrive. Table 3-3. Plants used by monarch butterfly. Species Name   Common Name  Larval Host Plants  Asclepias incarnata  Swamp milkweed  Asclepias ovalifolia  Oval‐leaf milkweed  Asclepias syriaca  Common milkweed  Asclepias tuberosa  Butterfly milkweed  Asclepias verticillata  Whorled milkweed  Asclepias viridiflora  Green comet milkweed  Multiple other Asclepias spp.  Milkweeds  Nectar Plants  Asclepias spp.  Milkweeds  Cephalanthus occidentalis  Buttonbush  Cirsium discolor  Field thistle  Echinacea purpurea  Purple coneflower  Eutrochium maculatum  Spotted Joe Pye weed  Liatris aspera  Rough blazing star  Liatris ligulistylis  Meadow blazing star  Monarda fistulosa  Wild bergamot  Oligoneuron rigidum  Rigid goldenrod  Solidago speciosa  Showy goldenrod  Symphyotrichum novae‐angliae  New England Aster 

Chapter 3. Imperiled Pollinator Profiles  3-9 Taken from handout created by Monarch Joint Venture and The Xerces Society:  https://monarchjointventure.org/images/uploads/documents/MowingForMonarchsUpdated.pdf.   Figure 3-1. Management timing windows for monarchs in the United States. Roadside milkweed guides:  Milkweeds of the Great Lakes: https://xerces.org/publications/fact-sheets/roadside- habitat-for-monarchs-milkweeds-of-great-lakes  Milkweeds of the Northeast: https://xerces.org/publications/fact-sheets/roadside- habitat-for-monarchs-milkweeds-of-northeast 3.2.1 References Haan, N. L., and D. A. Landis. 2019. “Grassland disturbance increases monarch butterfly oviposition and decreases arthropod predator abundance.” Biological Conservation 233:185–192. Halbritter, D. A., J. C. Daniels, D. C. Whitaker, and L. Huang. 2015. “Reducing Mowing Frequency Increases Floral Resource and Butterfly (Lepidoptera: Hesperioidea and Papilionoidea) Abundance in Managed Roadside Margins.” Florida Entomologist 98(4):1081–1092.

Chapter 3. Imperiled Pollinator Profiles  3-10 NatureServe. 2020. NatureServe Explorer (web application). NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available: https://explorer.natureserve.org/. Accessed: September 20, 2020. Xerces Society. 2016. Monarch nectar plants: Midwest. Xerces Society, Portland, OR. Xerces Society and Monarch Joint Venture. 2019. Roadside habitat for monarchs: Milkweeds of the Great Lakes. Xerces Society, Portland, OR. 3.3 Karner Blue Butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis)    Jan  Feb  Mar  April  May  June  July  Aug  Sept  Oct  Nov  Dec  Adult                                                                                                Larvae                                                                                                Adult Karner blue butterfly (top left) and known distribution (top right). Adult flight times (i.e., breeding  period; blue) and larvae active periods (green) for this this region are shown in the chart (bottom). See Life  Cycle for more. Photo credit: Joel Trick/USFWS. Map Source: ecos.fws.gov, accessed March 2022.  Order: Lepidoptera Family: Lycaenidae Status: Endangered Distribution: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, and Wisconsin Where it occurs: This species is found in openings in oak savannas, pine-oak savannas, and pine barrens. This species can also sometimes be found in sand dunes and dry prairie habitats with lupines. How to recognize: These are small butterflies, with a wingspan of up to 1.25 inches. In males, the upper sides of the wings are blue or purplish with a black border and white fringe. In females, the upper sides of the wings are more brown and have a row of black and orange spots along the bottom of the hind wings. In both sexes, the undersides of the wings are grayish with black spots. Life cycle: This species is bivoltine, with two generations per year. Adult flight time runs from late May to mid-June for the first generation and from mid-July through early August for the second generation. Larvae feed on lupine leaves, flowers, buds, and fruit and can be found from April through June for the first generation and from June through July for

Chapter 3. Imperiled Pollinator Profiles  3-11 the second generation. This species overwinters in the egg stage and may be tended by ants. Habitat needs: This species uses lupines as the host plant. Lupines are not the preferred nectar plants, but some first-generation adults will nectar from lupines. This species will take nectar from a variety of plants (Table 3-4). Lack of nectar sources in late summer can make a site unsuitable for the Karner blue. Karner blues also require sites with some shade. Top reasons for decline, if known: Habitat loss and fragmentation, which have led to small population sizes and greatly reduced genetic variability; habitat degradation. Climate change may play a role in current and future declines through phenological mismatches and extreme weather events. General conservation recommendations: Protect and restore habitat. Large stretches of habitat are likely needed to save this species. Establish corridors for adults to move through and maintain forest openings for the host plant to grow in. Fire and/or mowing could be used to maintain habitat but should be done with care to avoid harming individuals and should be conducted in a way that leaves some areas unburned. Roadside management recommendations: Avoid mowing in April through August when butterflies are active. Reduce mowing frequency outside the clear zone to increase the abundance of floral resources. Avoid using herbicide on host plants and nectar plants. Efforts should be made to control or eradicate nonnative lupines in roadside habitat where Karner blue butterflies and their native lupines occur. Table 3-4. Plants used by Karner blue butterfly1. Species Name   Common Name  Larval Host Plants  Lupinus perennis  Wild lupine  Nectar Plants  Phlox pilosa  Prairie phlox  Coreopsis lanceolata  Sand coreopsis  Krigia biflora  False dandelion  Ceanothus americanus and other Ceanothus  spp.  New Jersey tea  Lithospermum spp.  Stoneseeds  Arabis lyrata  Lyrate rockcress  Potentilla simplex  Common cinquefoil 

Chapter 3. Imperiled Pollinator Profiles  3-12 Species Name   Common Name  Rubus spp.  Blackberry3  Asclepias spp.  Milkweed   Centaurea maculosa  Spotted knapweed2  Erigeron strigosus  Prairie fleabane  Euphorbia corollata  Flowering spurge  Melilotus alba  Sweetclover2  Monarda punctata  Spotted beebalm  1 This species specializes on wild lupine but uses a wide variety of plants for nectar. This is a partial list of  nectar plants used by this species.  2 Nonnative.  3 This genus includes native and nonnative species; some of the nonnative species are invasive.  3.3.1 References: Chan, P. K., and L. Packer. 2006. “Assessment of potential karner blue butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis) (Family: Lycanidae) reintroduction sites in Ontario, Canada.” Restoration Ecology 14:645–652. Haack, R. A. 1993. The endangered Karner blue butterfly (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae): biology, management considerations, and data gaps. United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service General Technical Report NC. 83-100. Hess, A. N., R. J. Hess, J. L. M. Hess, B. Paulan, and J. A. M. Hess. 2014. “American bison influences on lepidopteran and wild blue lupine distribution in an oak savanna landscape.” Journal of Insect Conservation 18:327–338. Kleintjes Neff, P., C. Locke, and E. Lee-Mӓder. 2017. “Assessing a farmland set-aside conservation program for an endangered butterfly: USDA State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) for the Karner blue butterfly.” Journal of Insect Conservation 21:929–941. Patterson, T. A., R. Grundel, J. D. K. Dzurisin, R. L. Knutson, and J. J. Hellmann. 2020. “Evidence of an extreme weather-induced phenological mismatch and a local extirpation of the endangered Karner blue butterfly.” Conservation Science and Practice 2. Pickens, B. A., and K. V. Root. 2008. Factors Affecting Host-plant Quality and Nectar Use for the Karner Blue Butterfly: Implications for Oak Savanna Restoration. Swengel, A. B., and S. R. Swengel. 2018. “Patterns of long-term population trends of three lupine-feeding butterflies in Wisconsin.” Diversity 10:31. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2012. Karner Blue Butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis) 5- Year Review.

Chapter 3. Imperiled Pollinator Profiles  3-13 Wood, E. M., A. M. Pidgeon, C. Gratton, and T. T. Wilder. 2011. “Effects of oak barrens habitat management for Karner blue butterfly (Lycaeides samuelis) on the avian community.” Biological Conservation 144:3117–3126. 3.4 Mitchell’s Satyr Butterfly (Neonympha mitchellii  mitchellii)    Jan  Feb  Mar  April  May  June  July  Aug  Sept  Oct  Nov  Dec  Adult                                                                                                Larvae                                                                                                Adult Mitchell’s satyr butterfly (top left) and known distribution (top right). Adult flight times (i.e., breeding  period; blue) and larvae active periods (green) for this region are shown in the chart (bottom). Lighter  shades indicate uncertain but likely active times (see Life Cycle for more). Photo credit: Don Henise/Flickr  Creative Commons. Map Source: ecos.fws.gov, accessed March 2022.    Order: Lepidoptera Family: Nymphalidae Status: Endangered Distribution: Alabama, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, and Virginia (historically, also Ohio, New Jersey, and possibly Maryland) Where it occurs: This species prefers wetland habitats dominated by Carex. Northern populations occur in prairie fen habitats, which are wetlands supplied by perennial alkaline groundwater flow. They are often dominated by sedges, grasses, and wildflowers. The butterfly prefers ecotonal habitats such as forest edges and areas with scattered woody vegetation, compared to open areas. In southern locations, this butterfly inhabits wetlands influenced by beaver activity and prefers patches dominated by sedges. Populations of this species within the Mid-Atlantic region are found only in Virginia. In this region, they occupy wetlands or groundwater seepage slopes where sedges (Carex sp.) and bulrushes (Scirpus sp.) are dominant. Many of these habitats are also used for light to moderate grazing. How to recognize: A medium-sized brownish butterfly, with a wingspan of 2.5 to 3.0 centimeters. The outer wings have eyespots (ocelli) near the edges of the wings. The eyespots are round or oval and dark with a yellow border and are most prominent on the hindwings. The hindwings also have four orangeish stripes: two on each side of the eyespots.

Chapter 3. Imperiled Pollinator Profiles  3-14 Life cycle: Adults can be observed from late June through mid-July. Fourth instar larvae overwinter at the base of host plants and begin feeding again in spring. In late spring to early summer, larvae form a chrysalis. This stage lasts from 10 to 15 days. Northern populations and populations in Virginia are univoltine. Populations in Alabama and Minnesota are bivoltine, with adult flight occurring from late May through late June and early August through early September. Adults will lay eggs on a variety of plants. After hatching, larvae move to host plants. This species uses sedges as host plants, with Carex stricta likely the primary host plant. Adults are short-lived, with lifespan averaging 2 to 5 days. Northern populations are rarely observed nectaring, but southern populations (Virginia, Alabama, Minnesota) have been observed nectaring (Table 3-5). Habitat needs: This species is found in early successional wetland habitat dominated by sedges, especially in southern populations. In many areas, the habitat conditions required for this species are maintained by disturbance by beavers. This creates a shifting mosaic of appropriate habitat, with populations of Mitchell’s satyr moving to new patches that form in response to activity from beaver or other disturbance. Top reasons for decline, if known: Habitat loss and alteration of natural ecological processes and disturbance regimes that maintained habitat. General conservation recommendations: Conserve and maintain habitat and establish movement corridors. Southern populations occur on protected land. Roadside management recommendations: Development of roadways can alter wetland hydrology and threaten water quality. Construction and right-of-way maintenance can create disturbances that perpetuate invasive species in adjacent wetlands, especially Phragmites, hybrid Typha, and reed canary grass, all species that can form monocultures not suitable for the satyr. Reduce mowing frequency beyond the clear zone to reduce harmful impacts on butterflies as well as the host plants and nectar plants they rely on. Avoid mowing habitat with Carex stricta or other sedges in spring through summer to avoid harming adults or larvae. Avoid spraying important host and nectar plants with herbicides. Table 3-5. Plants used by Mitchell’s satyr butterfly. Species Name  Common Name  Notes   Larval Host Plants  Carex stricta  Tussock sedge  Primary host plant; may also  use other sedges  Carex bromoides  Brome‐like sedge  Used in Alabama, probably  Minnesota  Scirpus expansus  Wood bulrush  Used in Virginia 

Chapter 3. Imperiled Pollinator Profiles  3-15 Species Name  Common Name  Notes   Nectar Plants  Asclepias incarnata  Swamp milkweed  Known to be used in Virginia  Asclepias syriaca  Common milkweed  Known to be used in Virginia  Achillea millefolium  Common yarrow  Known to be used in Virginia  Daucus carota  Queen Anne’s lace  Known to be used in Virginia  Coronilla varia  Crown vetch  Known to be used in Virginia  Sagittaria latifolia  Broadleaf arrowhead  Known to be used in Alabama  Rudbeckia hirta  Black‐eyed Susan  Known for northern  populations  Pycnanthemum virginianum  Mountain mint  Known for northern  populations  3.4.1 References Hamm, C. A., V. Rademacher, D. A. Landis, and B. L. Williams. 2013a. Data from: Conservation genetics and the implication for recovery of the endangered Mitchell’s satyr butterfly, Neonympha mitchellii mitchellii. Dryad Digital Repository. Hamm, C. A., B. L. Williams, and D. A. Landis. 2013b. “Natural history and conservation status of the endangered Mitchell’s satyr butterfly: synthesis and expansion of our knowledge regarding Neonympha mitchellii mitchellii (French 1889).” Journal of the Lepidopterists’ Society 67:15–28. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2009. Mitchell’s satyr butterfly (Neonympha mitchellii mitchellii). 5-year review.

Chapter 3. Imperiled Pollinator Profiles  3-16 3.5 Poweshiek Skipperling (Oarisma poweshiek)    Jan  Feb  Mar  April  May  June  July  Aug  Sept  Oct  Nov  Dec  Adult                                                                                                Larvae                                                                                                Adult Poweshiek skipperling (top left) and known distribution (top right). Adult flight times (i.e., breeding  period; blue) and larvae active periods (green) are shown in the chart (bottom). See Life Cycle for more.  Photo credit: Kirstyn Eckhardt. Map Source: ecos.fws.gov, accessed March 2022.  Order: Lepidoptera Family: Hesperiidae Status: Endangered Distribution: Michigan and Manitoba; likely extirpated in Wisconsin. Historically also occurred in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois. Where it occurs: High-quality native grasslands and prairie fens ranging from wet-mesic prairie to dry grasslands. How to recognize: A small butterfly with a wingspan of approximately 1 inch. The upper sides of the wings are brownish orange; undersides of the wings are brown with white veins that make the wings appear striped. The head and thorax are orangeish. Life cycle: Adult flight occurs from mid-June through the middle of July. Eggs take about 9 days to hatch. Larvae feed on host plants until reaching the fourth instar in September. Larvae then enter diapause for the winter at the base of grasses. Unlike other skippers, they do not form a shelter to diapause in. They break diapause in March or April and continue feeding until the pupal stage. Habitat needs: High-quality grasslands with an abundance of native grasses and sedges, as well as nectar plants. In prairie fens in Michigan, tall invasive plants such as cattails reduce the quality of habitat for this low-flying species. Top reasons for decline, if known: This species has experienced a dramatic decline over the last 20 years, but the exact reasons for this decline are unknown. Habitat loss and fragmentation, climate change, and pesticides likely played a role. General conservation recommendations: Manage and protect existing habitat and maintain connectivity among high-quality habitat patches. Measures to control invasive

Chapter 3. Imperiled Pollinator Profiles  3-17 species and woody encroachment are needed. These butterflies have a low flight height and are unlikely to travel across areas with high vegetation, such as invasive woody plants or cattails. Additional research is needed on this species’ life history and habitat requirements. Roadside management recommendations: Increase mowing height to approximately 8 inches to reduce mortality of larvae diapausing at the base of plants. Frequent mowing may reduce abundance and diversity of nectar resources. To reduce negative effects of mowing on nectar plant and host plant availability, reduce mowing frequency beyond the clear zone and/or leave some unmowed swaths. Pesticides may harm individuals or remove important plant resources, so avoid non-target herbicide use on important plants (Table 3-5). Restoration may not re-establish lost habitat. Focus habitat restoration and management on roadsides near habitat patches to increase habitat connectivity and enable individuals to move among sites. Table 3-5. Plants used by poweshiek skipperling. Species Name   Common Name  Larval Host Plants  Eleocharis elliptica  Elliptic spikerush  Sporobolus heterolepis  Prairie dropseed  Schizachyrium scoparium  Little bluestem  Bouteloua curtipendula  Sideoats grama  Muhlenbergia richardsonis  Mat muhly1  Poa pratensis  Kentucky bluegrass2  Nectar Plants  Echinacea angustifolia  Narrowleaf coneflower  Rudbeckia hirta  Blackeyed susan  Solidago ptarmicoides  Prairie goldenrod  Heliopsis helianthoides  Smooth ox‐eye  Coreopsis palmata  Stiff tickseed  Lobelia spicata  Palespike lobelia  Triantha glutinosa  Sticky tofieldia  Dasiphora fruticosa   Shrubby cinquefoil3  1 Oviposition observed on this species  2 Nonnative  3 An indicator of prairie fen and wet meadow habitat and preferred by females 

Chapter 3. Imperiled Pollinator Profiles  3-18 3.5.1 References Belitz, M. W., L. K. Hendrick, M. J. Monfils, D. L. Cuthrell, C. J. Marshall, A. Y. Kawahara, N. S. Cobb, J. M. Zaspel, A. M. Horton, S. L. Huber, A. D. Warren, G. A. Forthaus, and A. K. Monfils. 2018. “Aggregated occurrence records of the federally endangered Poweshiek skipperling (Oarisma poweshiek).” Biodiversity Data Journal:e29081. Belitz, M. W., M. J. Monfils, D. L. Cuthrell, and A. K. Monfils. 2019. “Life history and ecology of the endangered Poweshiek skipperling Oarisma poweshiek in Michigan prairie fens.” Journal of Insect Conservation 23:635–649. Belitz, M. W., M. J. Monfils, D. L. Cuthrell, and A. K. Monfils. 2020. “Landscape‐level environmental stressors contributing to the decline of Poweshiek skipperling (Oarisma poweshiek).” Insect conservation and diversity / Royal Entomological Society of London 13:187–200. Dearborn, K., and R. Westwood. 2014. “Predicting adult emergence of Dakota skipper and Poweshiek skipperling (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) in Canada.” Journal of Insect Conservation 18:875–884. Pogue, C. D., M. J. Monfils, D. L. Cuthrell, B. J. Heumann, and A. K. Monfils. 2016. “Habitat suitability modeling of the federally endangered poweshiek skipperling in Michigan.” Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management 7:359–368. Saarinen, E. V., P. F. Reilly, and J. D. Austin. 2016. “Conservation genetics of an endangered grassland butterfly (Oarisma poweshiek) reveals historically high gene flow despite recent and rapid range loss.” Insect conservation and diversity / Royal Entomological Society of London 9:517–528. Swengel, A. B., and S. R. Swengel. 1999. “Observations of prairie skippers (Oarsima poweshiek, Hesperia dacotae, H. ottoe, H. loenardus pawnee, and Atrytone argos Iowa) (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) in Iowa, Minnesota, and North Dakota during 1988– 1997.” The Great Lakes Entomologist 32:267–292. Swengel, S. R., D. Schlicht, F. Olsen, and A. B. Swengel. 2011. “Declines of prairie butterflies in the midwestern USA.” Journal of Insect Conservation 15:327–339. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2008. Candidate assessment for Dakota skipper (Oarisma poweshiek). 3.6 Bumble Bees: Yellow Bumble Bee (Bombus fervidus),  American Bumble Bee (B. pensylvanicus), Yellow‐ Banded Bumble Bee (B. terricola), Variable Cuckoo  Bumble Bee (B. variabilis)  Order: Hymenoptera Family: Apidae Habitat Needs: Availability of food and nesting resources are key features in determining the success of a bumble bee colony. It is critical to maintain a bloom of floral resources throughout the spring, summer, and fall to supply bumble bees with a diversity and

Chapter 3. Imperiled Pollinator Profiles  3-19 abundance of pollen and nectar, food for adults and larvae. Bumble bees nest above, on, or under the ground, utilizing pre-existing insulated cavities such as rock piles, areas of dense vegetation (e.g., bunch grasses), or old bird nests or mouse burrows. See Table 3-2 for a list of plants used by bumble bees. Top reasons for decline, if known: There are multiple factors affecting bumble bee decline including habitat loss, pesticide exposure, climate change, pathogens, and parasites, as well as the introduction of nonnative bee species. General conservation recommendations: Preserve, restore, and create high-quality habitat that includes suitable nesting, foraging, and overwintering sites throughout a species’ range. Assess and mitigate risk of pesticide use in or near suitable habitat to avoid treating flowers in bloom or contaminating nesting and overwintering sites. Avoid the introduction of managed honey bees and managed bumble bees to areas of natural habitat to protect and minimize disease exposure. Roadside management recommendations: Intensive mowing may deplete floral resources and potentially disturb species that have nested aboveground in the roadside. Reduced mowing frequency would alleviate this problem. In areas with aboveground nesting species, avoid mowing during the nesting season to avoid harming nests. Use a diversity of plants in revegetation to ensure multiple species are in bloom from spring through fall. Blanket spraying of herbicides can affect the health of bumble bees in the area by reducing floral resources. A recent study of roadside mortality of bumble bee queens in Sweden found that bumble bee queens used roadsides with both high plant diversity and low plant diversity in similar proportions when looking for nests. Queen mortality increased with traffic volume but was slightly lower along roadsides with higher quality vegetation. The authors recommend improving habitat quality along roadsides and keeping a mown buffer strip next to the road to reduce queen mortality. 3.6.1 Yellow Bumble Bee (Bombus fervidus)   Jan  Feb  Mar  April  May  June  July  Aug  Sept  Oct  Nov  Dec  Adult                                                                                                Adult yellow bumble bee (top left) and known U.S. state‐level distribution (top right). Adult flight times  (i.e., breeding period) are shown in the chart (bottom). Photo credit: Katie Lamke/The Xerces Society.   

Chapter 3. Imperiled Pollinator Profiles  3-20 Status: Vulnerable to apparently secure (G3G4) Distribution: Widespread across the United States, except for the south-central and southeastern states. Where it occurs: Grassland, urban, forest, shrubland Flight Time: This species is typically active on the landscape from May through September. Between late October and April, queens are overwintering in the ground. Nesting behavior: Nests on the surface or aboveground; occasionally nests underground. How to recognize: This bumble bee has black hair on the face; a yellow thorax with a narrow, black band between the wings; and a predominantly yellow abdomen with a black posterior end. Males may have different color patterns. Body size: Medium. Queens range from 18 to 21 millimeters (0.72 to 0.84 inch) and workers range from 11 to 17 millimeters (0.42 to 0.67 inch). 3.6.2 American Bumble Bee (Bombus pensylvanicus)   Jan  Feb  Mar  April  May  June  July  Aug  Sept  Oct  Nov  Dec  Adult                                                                                                Adult American bumble bee (top left) and known U.S. state‐level distribution (top right). Adult flight times  (i.e., breeding period) are shown in the chart (bottom). Photo credit: Ray Moranz/The Xerces Society.      Status: Vulnerable to apparently secure (G3G4); under review for listing under the ESA Distribution: Widespread in the United States; absent in much of the mountain West. Where it occurs: Grassland, urban Flight time: This species is typically active on the landscape late March through October. Between late November and early March, queens are overwintering in the ground.

Chapter 3. Imperiled Pollinator Profiles  3-21 Nesting behavior: Nests mostly on the surface amid long grass; occasionally nests underground. How to recognize: This bumble bee has black hair on the face. The thorax has a yellow band in front of the wings, with a black band between the wings; the band behind the wings may be black or yellow. The abdomen’s interior half is yellow, and the posterior half is black (the first segment is sometimes black or half black). Males may have different color patterns. Body size: Large. Queens range from 22 to 26 millimeters (0.87 to 1.01 inches) and workers range from 13 to 19 millimeters (0.52 to 0.76 inch). 3.6.3 Yellow-banded Bumble Bee (Bombus terricola)   Jan  Feb  Mar  April  May  June  July  Aug  Sept  Oct  Nov  Dec  Adult                                                                                                Adult yellow‐banded bumble bee (top left) and known U.S. state‐level distribution (top right). Adult flight  times (i.e., breeding period) are shown in the chart (bottom). Photo credit: Leif Richardson.    Status: Vulnerable to apparently secure (G3G4); petitioned in 2015 to be listed as endangered or threatened under the ESA Distribution: Northeastern half of the United States in temperate and boreal forest areas; also found at high elevations in the Appalachians and Mountain West. Where it occurs: Woodlands, wetlands Flight Time: This species is typically active on the landscape from late May through early September. Between October and early May, queens are overwintering in the ground. Nesting behavior: Nests underground. How to recognize: This bumble bee has black hair on the face and a yellow band in front of the wings. The abdomen has a thick yellow stripe between black bands; the fifth segment near the rear usually has pale/brown hairs. Males may have different color patterns. Body size: Medium. Queens range from 19 to 21 millimeters (0.73 to 0.84 inch) and workers range from 10 to 15 millimeters (0.39 to 0.57 inch).

Chapter 3. Imperiled Pollinator Profiles  3-22 3.6.4 Variable Cuckoo Bumble Bee (Bombus variabilis)   Jan  Feb  Mar  April  May  June  July  Aug  Sept  Oct  Nov  Dec  Adult                                                                                                Adult variable cuckoo bumble bee (top left) and known U.S. state‐level distribution (top right). Adult flight  times (i.e., breeding period) are shown in the chart (bottom). Photo credit: Laurence  Packer/www.DiscoverLife.org.    Status: Critically imperiled to imperiled (G1G2) Distribution: Midwest of the United States, occurring in the Great Plains and temperate forest areas. Scattered along the coast of the southeastern United States. This species has always been uncommon. Where it occurs: Urban, grassland, forest Parasite of: American bumble bee (Bombus pensylvanicus) Flight times: This species is typically active on the landscape between May and mid-July, then again from late August through mid-October. During the peak of summer, this species remains in the host’s nest. Nesting behavior: Parasite of the American bumble bee, which usually nests on the surface among long grass; occasionally nests underground. How to recognize: This bumble bee has black hair on the front of the face; the top of the head is yellow. The thorax has a yellow band in front of the wings; the area between the wings may be all yellow, or it may have a black band or a black spot. The area behind wings may have a yellow band or intermixed black hairs. The abdomen is black, unless it is a male, which may display varying degrees of yellow on any segment. Males may have different color patterns. Body size: Medium. Females range from 18 to 22 millimeters (0.73 to 0.87 inch). 3.6.5 References Dániel-Ferreira, J., Å. Berggren, R. Bommarco, J. Wissman, and E. Öckinger. 2022. Bumblebee queen mortality along roads increase with traffic. Biological conservation 272:109643.

Chapter 3. Imperiled Pollinator Profiles  3-23 Hatfield, R., S. Jepsen, E. Mader, S. H. Black, and M. Shepherd. 2012. Conserving bumble bees. Guidelines for Creating and Managing Habitat for America's Declining Pollinators. 32 pp. The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Portland, OR. Williams, P. H., R. W. Thorp, L. L. Richardson, and S. R. Colla. 2014. Bumble Bees of North America: An Identification Guide. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ. doi:10.2307/j.ctt6wpzr9. 3.7 Frosted Elfin Butterfly (Callophrys irus)    Jan  Feb  Mar  April  May  June  July  Aug  Sept  Oct  Nov  Dec  Adult                                                                                                Larvae                                                                                                Adult frosted elfin butterfly (top left) and known distribution (top right). Adult flight times (i.e., breeding  period; blue) and larvae active periods (green) are shown in the chart (bottom). See Life Cycle for more.  Photo credit: Tom Murray/Flickr Creative Commons. Map Source: ecos.fws.gov, accessed March 2022.    Order: Lepidoptera Family: Lycaenidae Status: Imperiled to vulnerable (G2G3). Very rare in most of the states where it was historically found; continuing to decline recently in most states. This species was petitioned for listing under the ESA but was not listed. Distribution: The historic range was from Texas east to Florida as well as north to Ontario and Maine. However, it is believed to have been extirpated from Illinois, Maine and Ontario. The species is currently known to occur in Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Where it occurs: In the Great Lakes states, multiple populations remain in Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, and Pennsylvania. Only one county in Ohio is known to host this species. It occurs in open areas (savannas, woodlands, power line rights-of-way), but only when the host plant is also present.

Chapter 3. Imperiled Pollinator Profiles  3-24 How to recognize: This is a small brown butterfly with intricate patterns that are similar to those of congeners such as the Henry’s elfin but distinguished from them by a small dark spot on the ventral surface near the forewing apex. Life cycle: This species has a single brood per year, with adults flying from mid-April through early June. Females lay eggs on the flowers or the flower buds of host plants; larvae eat those plant parts. Larvae take about 5 to 6 weeks to reach the pupal stage, which is spent under litter or just below the soil surface, until emerging as adults the next spring. Habitat needs: This species appears to require savannas and open woodlands with large populations of their host plants, Lupinus perennis or Baptisia spp. One study showed that frosted elfin population density is highest when Lupinus perennis population density is moderate. Top reasons for decline, if known: Loss of habitat due to conversion of native ecosystems to urban and suburban development, row-crop agriculture, and intensive forestry. Altered fire regimes are also believed to be a major cause of decline. General conservation recommendations: Protect existing sites with habitat from conversion to other land uses. Implement good habitat management practices, including occasional well-timed prescribed burning or mowing to keep habitat open. Protect habitat from insecticides or broadcast spraying of herbicides. Roadside management recommendations: Frequent mowing will likely harm frosted elfins and the plants upon which they depend; however, occasional mowing can help maintain the open conditions needed for host plants and nectar sources to thrive. Reduce mowing frequency beyond the clear zone and try to avoid mowing in spring through summer when adults and larvae are active. When mowing at other times of year, setting the mowing height to approximately 4 inches will avoid damaging pupae at the soil surface. Avoid spraying host plants and nectar plants (Table 3-6) with herbicides. Table 3-6. Plants used by frosted elfin butterfly. Species Name   Common Name  Larval Host Plants  Lupinus perennis  Sundial lupine  Baptisia tinctoria  Yellow wild indigo  Baptisia spp.  Wild indigo  Nectar Plants  Lupinus perennis  Sundial lupine  Viola spp.  Violets  Pycnanthemum spp.  Mountain mints 

Chapter 3. Imperiled Pollinator Profiles  3-25 Species Name   Common Name  Vaccinium spp.  Blueberries  Rubus spp.  Blackberries1  1 This genus includes native and nonnative species; some of the nonnative species are invasive.  3.7.1 References NatureServe. 2020. NatureServe Explorer (web application). NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available: https://explorer.natureserve.org/. Accessed: September 03, 2020. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2018. Species status assessment report for the frosted elfin (Callophrys irus), Version 1.2. April 2018. Cortland, NY. 3.8 Leonard’s Skipper (Hesperia leonardus)    Jan  Feb  Mar  April  May  June  July  Aug  Sept  Oct  Nov  Dec  Adult                                                                                                Larvae                                                                                                Adult Leonard’s skipper (top left) and known state‐level distribution (top right). Adult flight times (i.e.,  breeding period; blue) and larvae active periods (green) are shown in the chart (bottom). Adult flight times  vary with latitude. There is still much unknown about this species life history, especially in larval stages. In  lab studies, this species takes three months to develop (see Life Cycle for more). Photo credit: Chris Smith.    Order: Lepidoptera Family: Hesperiidae Status: Apparently secure (G4) Distribution: This species has a broad distribution in the United States and Canada; in the United States can be found in Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Chapter 3. Imperiled Pollinator Profiles  3-26 Where it occurs: Dry habitats on sand, prairie, savannas, and open woodlands. Often prefers areas with little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and blazing star, especially rough blazing star (Liatris aspera). How to recognize: This species has a wingspan of 1.25 to 1.75 inches. The upper sides of the wings are red-orange with a black border. Undersides of the wings are reddish- to orangish-brown with whitish spots in H. l. leonardus. H. l. pawnee often has reduced (or is lacking) spots, especially in males. Life cycle: Adult flight occurs from August through early October but may start slightly earlier or later depending on latitude. Eggs hatch after about 10 days. First and second instar larvae enter diapause until the next spring. Larvae use grasses as host plants, including those in Table 3-6. Like other skippers, they construct shelters for feeding. However, it is not known where the shelters are located in the canopy. Most populations have only a single generation per year. Habitat needs: Habitat with grasses, including little bluestem and abundant floral resources, especially rough blazing star (Liatris aspera). Top reasons for decline, if known: Habitat loss. General conservation recommendations: Protect remaining habitat and increase connectivity among habitat patches. Fire can help to maintain grassland habitat over time, but this species is widely considered to be fire intolerant because even dormant season fire causes mortality, as larvae spend the majority of their time higher up on grasses. Burning small portions of occupied habitat each year and increasing the time between burns to a minimum of 5 years can help minimize negative population-level effects. Pesticides used to control moths (Limantria dispar) may affect this species in open woodlands where both occur. Roadside management recommendations: Frequent mowing can reduce floral resources, so reduce mowing frequency beyond the clear zone in areas where this species occurs. Using a higher mowing height (approximately 8 inches) may help reduce impacts on larvae and pupae, but more information on larval behavior of this species is needed. Avoid spraying host plants and nectar plants, especially Liatris spp. (Table 3-6), with herbicides. Increasing habitat connectivity by investing in high-quality revegetation near areas inhabited by this species will be beneficial to this species and others. Table 3-6. Plants used by Leonard’s skipper. Species Name   Common Name  Larval host plants  Schizachyrium scoparium  Little bluestem  Bouteloua gracilis  Blue grama  Agrostis spp.  Bentgrass1 

Chapter 3. Imperiled Pollinator Profiles  3-27 Species Name   Common Name  Nectar plants  Liatris aspera  Rough blazing star2  Liatris punctata  Blazing star2  Verbena spp.  Verbenas  Cirsium spp.  Thistles1  Aster spp.  Asters  Dipsacus spp.  Teasel1  1 This genus includes native and nonnative species; some of the nonnative species are invasive  2 Favored nectar source    3.8.1 References Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. No date. “Hesperia leonardus: Basis for Listing.” Available: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/rsg/profile.html?action=element Detail&selectedElement=IILEP65060. Scott, J. A., and R. E. Stanford. 1981(82). “Geographic variation and ecology of Hesperia leonardus (Hesperiidae).” Journal of Research on the Lepidoptera 20:18–35. Spomer, S. M., L. C. Higley, T. T. Orwig, G. L. Selby, and L. J. Young. 1993. “Clinal variation in Hesperia leonardus (Hesperiidae) in the Loess Hills of the Missouri River Valley.” Journal of the Lepidopterists’ Society 47:291–302. 3.9 Ottoe Skipper (Hesperia ottoe)    Jan  Feb  Mar  April  May  June  July  Aug  Sept  Oct  Nov  Dec  Adult                                                                                                Larvae                                                                                                Adult Ottoe skipper (top left) and known state‐level distribution (top right). Adult flight times (i.e.,  breeding period; blue) and larvae active periods (green) are shown in the chart (bottom). Larvae are in  aboveground shelters during shown “active” times (see Life Cycle for more). Photo credit: Mike Reese. 

Chapter 3. Imperiled Pollinator Profiles  3-28 Order: Lepidoptera Family: Hesperiidae Status: Vulnerable (G3), given that it rarely occurs away from high-quality prairie and continues to decline in abundance Distribution: Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, as well as southern Manitoba. This species may be extirpated from Minnesota. Where it occurs: This species occurs in high-quality grassland habitat, including mid- grass and tallgrass prairies in the Great Plains and dry prairies and barrens in the Great Lakes regions. How to recognize: One of the larger grass skippers, it is pale yellow underneath but has more striking coloration on the upper surfaces, with males having wide brown borders to the forewings and females having wide brown borders and a glassy spot in the middle of the forewing. Life cycle: A single brood per year, with adults flying between late June and early August. Eggs are laid singly on grasses such as little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), and occasionally on forbs such as coneflowers (Echinacea spp.). Larvae construct aboveground shelters from grasses, where they feed through late summer during the first three instars. They overwinter as larvae in new subterranean shelters constructed at the base of grasses. In the spring, they construct shelters from silk and other debris on the soil surface, where they complete feeding and then pupate. Habitat needs: Requires prairie with native prairie grasses and an abundance of native nectar-producing forbs such as coneflowers (Echinacea spp.) and milkweeds (Asclepias spp.). Top reasons for decline, if known: Habitat loss, including conversion of rangeland to row- crop agriculture; inadequate rangeland management (inappropriate grazing, mowing, and fire regimes). General conservation recommendations: Conserve large expanses of native rangeland. Manage rangeland to ensure an abundance of nectar sources and prevent tree encroachment. How to manage rangeland properly with regard to this species is poorly understood, so managing heterogeneously seems to be very important (i.e., avoid large- scale burning or mowing that might harm an entire population). Roadside management recommendations: Roadside alone is unlikely to provide large enough patches of habitat for this species, but well-managed roadsides can help sustain populations that also inhabit adjacent rangelands and increase habitat connectivity. This species is likely highly mobile, so increased habitat connectivity may be especially beneficial for this species. Mowing can help maintain Ottoe skipper habitat by reducing woody plant invasion. However, mowing in late summer is likely to kill larvae sheltering aboveground in grasses. Therefore, if possible, roadside mowing should be delayed until after grasses have senesced in fall, using a high mowing height (approximately 8 inches) in

Chapter 3. Imperiled Pollinator Profiles  3-29 Ottoe skipper habitat while larvae would be active. This species needs abundant nectar sources. Avoid spraying important nectar plants with herbicides. Table 3-7. Plants used by Ottoe skipper. Species Name   Common Name  Larval host plants  Bouteloua gracilis  Blue grama  Andropogon gerardii  Big bluestem  Schizachyrium scoparium  Little bluestem  Bouteloua curtipendula  Sideoats grama  Bouteloua hirsuta  Hairy grama  Digitaria cognata  Fall witchgrass  Panicum wilcoxianum  Fall rosette grass  Sporobolus neglectus  Puffsheath dropseed  Nectar Plants  Liatris spp.  Blazing stars  Asclepias syriaca  Common milkweed  Asclepias viridiflora  Green comet milkweed  Silphium laciniatum  Compass plant  Echinacea angustifolia  Narrow‐leaved coneflower  Verbena stricta  Hoary verbena  Cirsium flodmanii  Flodman’s thistle  Opuntia spp.  Prickly pear  Rudbeckia spp.  Coneflowers  Vicia spp.  Vetches  Helianthus spp.  Sunflowers 

Chapter 3. Imperiled Pollinator Profiles  3-30 3.9.1 References NatureServe. 2020. NatureServe Explorer (web application). NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available: https://explorer.natureserve.org/. Accessed: September 9, 2020. Robinson, G. S., P. R. Ackery, I. J. Kitching, G. W. Beccaloni, and L. M. Hernández. 2010. HOSTS - A Database of the World’s Lepidopteran Hostplants. Natural History Museum, London. http://www.nhm.ac.uk/hosts. Accessed: September 9, 2020. 3.10 Regal Fritillary (Speyeria idalia)    Jan  Feb  Mar  April  May  June  July  Aug  Sept  Oct  Nov  Dec  Adult                                                                                                Larvae                                                                                                Adult regal fritillary (top left) and known state‐level distribution (top right). Adult flight times (i.e., breeding  period; blue) and larvae active periods (green) for this region are shown in the chart (bottom). See Life  Cycle for more. Photo credit: Ray Moranz. Map Source: ecos.fws.gov, accessed March 2022.    Order: Lepidoptera Family: Nymphalidae Status: Vulnerable (G3?); petitioned for listing under the ESA Distribution: Historically, from Northern Plains (including Manitoba) to Maine and from Oklahoma to North Carolina. It is thought to have been extirpated from 15 states, primarily in the east. It is known to still occur in Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Where it occurs: Mainly in prairies in the Central Grasslands, but also in grasslands at Fort Indiantown Gap in Pennsylvania and at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant in Virginia. How to recognize: Large butterfly with bold, distinctive color patterns that flies with a rapid wing beat. Upper sides of the forewings are orange; upper sides of the hindwings are dark purple with rows of orange and white spots (male) or white spots only (female). Undersides of the forewings are orange with black spots, while undersides of hindwings have large, bright white spots contrasting with a hazy copper background. Life cycle: Univoltine (a single generation per year). In the Great Lakes, adult males emerge from chrysalids in late June, with females emerging a week later. They mate, and most

Chapter 3. Imperiled Pollinator Profiles  3-31 males are dead by late July. Females are relatively inactive in late July and August. However, in September, each female lays thousands of eggs, one at a time, near grassland violets (their host plants). Larvae burrow under the litter to hibernate for the winter soon after hatching. Around April, larvae become active and begin feeding on violets until pupation. Habitat needs: Grasslands with violets and high-quality nectar sources (e.g., Asclepias, Echinacea, Liatris, Monarda, Verbena). Minimum habitat patch size is unknown, but 20 acres is likely too small to maintain a local population over the long term. Disturbance (i.e., fire, mowing) is often needed to counter woody plant encroachment, but fire or mowing should be conducted on one-third or less of the site each year to minimize the chance of extirpating the population. Top reasons for decline, if known: Habitat loss (conversion of habitat to row-crop agriculture, improved pasture, and urban/suburban development); encroachment of woody plants and invasive exotics that reduce habitat quality. General conservation recommendations: Restore habitat by restoring diverse, native prairie with violets and nectar sources. Manage habitat with fire, haying, or mowing to maintain native forb populations and prevent woody plant encroachment. Avoid use of insecticides and broadcast spraying of broad-spectrum herbicides in and near habitat. Persistence of this species will likely depend on having large, connected habitat available throughout its range. Work to increase availability of violets for use in restoration efforts. Roadside management recommendations: Roadside mowing could kill some regal fritillary immatures (eggs, larvae, and pupae), so reducing mowing frequency beyond the clear zone or leaving some areas unmowed in regal fritillary habitat could be beneficial. Infrequent mowing will also help maintain habitat by preventing woody plant encroachment and allowing light to reach low-growing violets. Spot spraying of herbicides to kill woody plants and invasive herbaceous species will also help maintain habitat, although direct effects of herbicides on the butterfly remain unknown. Care should be taken to avoid spraying violets and important nectar plants with herbicides. Use violets (Table 3-8) in pollinator habitat created in regal fritillary habitat. Because this species lays eggs on plants other than the host plant, survival will be diminished if they lay many eggs in habitat lacking host plants. Table 3-8. Plants used by regal fritillary. Species Name   Common Name  Larval Host Plants  Viola bicolor  Field pansy  Viola lanceolata  Bog white violet  Viola pedata  Birdfoot violet 

Chapter 3. Imperiled Pollinator Profiles  3-32 Species Name   Common Name  Viola pedatifida  Prairie violet  Viola sagittata  Arrowleaf violet  Viola sororia  Common blue violet  Nectar Plants  Asclepias purpurascens  purple milkweed  Asclepias sullivantii  Prairie milkweed  Asclepias syriaca  Common milkweed  Asclepias tuberosa  Butterfly milkweed  Cephalanthus occidentalis  Buttonbush  Cirsium spp.  Thistles1  Echinacea purpurea  Purple coneflower  Liatris pycnostachya  Prairie blazing star  Liatris spicata  Dense blazing star  Monarda fistulosa  Wild bergamot  Pycnanthemum tenuifolium  slender mountain mint  1 This genus includes native and nonnative species; some of the nonnative species are invasive.    3.10.1 References NatureServe. 2020. NatureServe Explorer (web application). NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org/. Accessed: August 19, 2020. Robinson, G. S., P. R. Ackery, I. J. Kitching, G. W. Beccaloni, and L. M. Hernández. 2010. HOSTS - A Database of the World’s Lepidopteran Hostplants. Natural History Museum, London. http://www.nhm.ac.uk/hosts. Accessed: August 18, 2010. Selby, G. 2007. Regal Fritillary (Speyeria idalia Drury): a technical conservation assessment. February 9. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region. Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/projects/scp/assessments/regalfritillary.pdf. Accessed: August 17, 2020.