The Xerces Blue butterfly, which went extinct over 80 years ago due to human development in San Francisco, has a new chance at life thanks to the efforts of scientists, conservationists, and researchers. A close relative of the Xerces Blue, the Silvery Blue butterfly, has been reintroduced to the dunes in Presidio National Park in San Francisco. Genetic sequencing and analysis confirmed that the Silvery Blue butterfly could successfully fill the ecological gap left by the Xerces Blue, acting as an ecological stand-in for the extinct species.
Chris Grinter, the collection manager of entomology at California Academy of Sciences, highlighted the use of modern technology and genome sequencing to extract genomes from extinct butterflies to kickstart the project. The Presidio Trust and other organizations worked to restore the butterflies’ native dunes by planting deerweed, a preferred host plant of both the Xerces Blue and Silvery Blue butterflies. Dozens of Silvery Blue butterflies were collected in Monterey County, marked for identification, and transported to San Francisco, where they were released in the restored habitat.
The team will continue to track the movements of the reintroduced butterflies using high-resolution photographs to learn more about their behavior and habitat preferences. Scott Sampson, executive director of the California Academy of Sciences, emphasized that the lessons learned from this project could serve as a model for regenerating other ecosystems across California and beyond. The successful reintroduction of the Silvery Blue butterfly in the Presidio National Park marks a significant milestone in conservation efforts to restore lost species and their habitats.
The Xerces Blue butterfly, which inspired the name of the Xerces Society, an environmental nonprofit focused on conserving invertebrates, went extinct in the 1940s. The reintroduction of the Silvery Blue butterfly represents a hopeful step towards preserving the biodiversity of butterfly species in the United States. Scientists and researchers involved in the project are optimistic about the impact the Silvery Blue will have as a pollinator and a critical member of the food web in the restored dunes of the Presidio National Park in San Francisco.
As the Silvery Blue butterflies settle into their new habitat, researchers will continue to monitor their progress and behavior to further understand their role in the ecosystem. The collaborative effort between scientific institutions, conservation organizations, and wildlife experts showcases the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in conservation work. By leveraging modern technology and genetic sequencing, researchers were able to bring back a species that was lost to human development, offering hope for the future of butterfly species facing extinction due to habitat loss and degradation.
