Fern Ridge home to largest population of endangered butterfly
VENETA, Ore. - The wild area around Fern Ridge Reservoir is home to the world's largest population of a species of butterly found only in Oregon's Willamette Valley that was previously believed to have gone extinct.
A 2012 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers survey estimates there are 3,769 Fender's blue butterflies at 11 sites near the reservoir west of Eugene, Ore. 2011 surveys estimated a population of 1,687 butterflies.
This species of butterfly was believed to be extinct from 1937 until it was rediscovered in 1989. It was first identified on Corps land in 1998. The species was listed as endangered in 2000.
The known population of Fender's blue butterflies has increased dramatically since their rediscovery, the Army Corps said. Corps biologists credit a combination of factors for the species' recovery, including restoration of prairie habitat by planting the butterfly's larval host, the federally protected Kincaid's lupine; control of invasive species; discovery of new populations; and improved monitoring methods.
Recovery of the Fender's blue butterfly and other prairie species of Western Oregon and Southwest Washington is a collaborative effort between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Geological Survey, Oregon and Washington state agencies, and a variety of non-governmental organizations.
With all those government agencies involved, now I know why we have a $16 trillion debt
"improved monitoring methods", so a few government acronym agencies actually counted some of them. Interesting news, what will they be stimulated to count next?
 @BakerOregon Biology is awesome, sorry you failed it and don't understand the importance of butterflies (major pollinator).
 @RelaxThereIsNoGod Aced Biology multiple times. Grew up on property around Fern Ridge. I've seen these butterflies and many others that you can't find in a book or online. Guess I just haven't mouth-breathed to Grizzled. Always wondered who to breath too.
@BakerOregon While bragging about your intellect, you may want to learn the difference between breath and breathe. Congrats on acing HS Biology too! You're a star!
Didn't you know there was an extensive study somewhere and it was found that only the 3769 Fender blue butteflies were doing all of the pollination. Serious thou if I were a state or Federal biologist I would create a endangered butterfly  just so I could have a job counting them.
@RelaxThereIsNoGod @BakerOregon You can't expect mouth-breathers to understand that.
 @Grizzled There's no need for insults.
Cool.