A butterfly once thought to be extinct in the wild is enjoying a remarkable resurgence in Florida, thanks to the tireless work of local activists, smart legislation, and sustainable landscaping.
Sarasota Magazine reported that the Atala butterfly's population is soaring some fifty years on from its presumed extinction. With its shimmering black wings with bright blue polka dots and vibrant orange body, there's no mistaking its captivating beauty.
"They're magical," Jackie Lebouitz, an entomologist and Sarasota County official whose work aided the Atala's recovery.
The butterfly's perilous decline in the first place was caused by the overexploitation of a key plant for the Atala's reproductive cycle. The larvae rely completely on the coontie plant. Unfortunately, this once common shrub disappeared from South Florida because of housing developments and cultivation for its flour. As the coontie vanished, so too did the Atala, an object lesson in the delicate balance of nature.
Fortunately, reports of the butterfly's demise were premature. After a colony was discovered near Miami in 1979, survivors were transferred to botanical gardens with coontie plants. The population exploded, and at the same time, the coontie began its own resurgence.
Landscapers increasingly turned to this hardy, drought- and hurricane-resistant plant. It also coincided with the city's ruling that three-quarters of vegetation had to be "Florida-friendly."
As the Conservancy of Southwest Florida notes, the Atala butterfly and the coontie plant have a mutualistic relationship. Atala caterpillars feed on toxic coontie leaves, which gives a defense against predators. The caterpillar's nutrient-rich waste helps fertilize the soil from which the coontie grows.
The Atala's revival highlights the importance of local conservation work and of native flora to protecting the ecosystem.
Homeowners can contribute to the survival of species like the Atala butterfly by rewilding their yards with suitable plants. For example, the threatened monarch butterfly requires the milkweed to reproduce. There are several variants depending on the region that can be planted, per the U.S. Forest Service.
Not only will your yard become a welcoming space for useful pollinators, saving time and money to maintain, but the whole neighborhood will enjoy the beauties that take up residence.
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As Lebouitz reflected on the sight of Atalas in Sarasota, "It makes for a peaceful and serene environment. They're such majestic little creatures."
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