One Man Single-Handedly Repopulates Rare Butterfly Species In His Own Backyard
The California Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor hirsuta) is a locally rare butterfly within San Francisco. Now, thanks to California Academy of Sciences aquatic biologist, Tim Wong, the butterfly species is gradually repopulating in the area again.
The biologist built a greenhouse for the butterflies in his own backyard. It had all the perfect conditions for butterflies to grow – sunlight, temperature fluctuations, and an occasional nice breeze. He also learned that the butterflies only feed on one plant – the California pipevine (Aristolochia californica), which was pretty hard to track down. After a while, Wong found the plant in a botanical garden, which allowed him to take a few clippings of the plant. Once his butterfly paradise was built, Wong transported 20 caterpillars to it and let them grow. Now, around 3 years later, his butterfly home is thriving, and he’s not stopping yet!
More info : Instagram | Booster (h/t: vox, mymodernmet)
The California pipevine swallowtail butterfly was disappearing
Until biologist Tim Wong decided to repopulate it in his back yard
The butterflies only feed on one plant – the California pipevine, so Wong transplanted it into his yard
He built a greenhouse that had all the perfect conditions for butterflies to grow
Then brought in 20 caterpillars
And they began their long process of maturation
Where a caterpillar forms a chrysalis, until it finally turns into a butterfly
Now, 3 years later, Wong’s butterfly home is thriving and San Francisco is seeing more of these butterflies every day
“Each year since 2012, we’ve seen more butterflies surviving in the garden, flying around, laying eggs, successfully pupating, and emerge the following year,” said Wong
“That’s a good sign that our efforts are working!”
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Share on FacebookIntentions and skills. He knew what he was doing. Well done to him though, one small piece of nature rescued
Load More Replies...I have "captured" Monarch caterpillars, fed them, etc. and tagged them after going to monarchwatch.org! VERY interesting, but VERY sad s you don't see as many Monarchs as you used to! You can thank Monsanto for the loss of butterflies and more!!!!!
> bashes Monsanto > promotes project funded by Monsanto
Load More Replies...Well done, they are stunning butterflies, it would have been so sad to loose them from the world
I freaked out looking at the pic of the caterpillars but truly inspirational!! :)
I attend the Butterfly Pavilion every year here at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles. I was lucky enough to get pics of this very butterfly! How lucky I am! P1080478-5...a375b7.jpg
A marvelous work! But if this butterfly feeds off one single species of plant, the California Pipevine, unless more of them are planted to sustain the growing population, then there are gonna be problems... Try to get the town to participate, to plant some of these in public gardens. They are indigenous to the area (they are called CALIFORNIA pipevines, after all), so schools could also be involved to teach children about the local flora and fauna and the importance of conservation. So many possible projects!
This article should contain a link on nurseries where one can obtain the pipevine in the Bay Area to help the species thrive!
A great answer for anyone who says, "What can I do about it? I'm just one person."
I'm curious... What about the plant that is so important to the species? It sounds hard to find. Did you have a simultaneous effort to replant the pipevine?
I was wondering that myself. The butterflies can't re-populate without their host plant being widely available. (Just like monarchs need milkweed plants, but at least they're not picky about which variety of milkweed.) I have aristolochia fimbriata planted in my yard and have had pipevine swallowtails, but not the California pipevines because I don't have the right variety of aristolochia (and, besides, I live in Texas. LOL).
Load More Replies...What a guy!! Thank you, Mr. Wong! These butterflies are beautiful!!!
In 2015 I heard on the Denver news, "Let your Milkweed grow; it attracts Monarch butterflies, which are becoming endangered" So for 2 years Id this tall weed in front of my condo. I got one Viceroy each year. So sad.
Well done Tim there should be more people like you around the world saving insects like these, we will be in sh** street if all these insects disappear , Like the UK all our bumble bees are dying off, I have hardly seen any this year when last year my garden was full of them last year,I plant flowers that attract the bees but something is drasticlly wrong this year as there are hardly any bees about, we will all suffer from the lack of bees as we will have nothing to pollinate all our crops with, then the human will die off.
So glad he decided to do this. They look magnificent! Look at those stunning colors!
Intentions and skills. He knew what he was doing. Well done to him though, one small piece of nature rescued
Load More Replies...I have "captured" Monarch caterpillars, fed them, etc. and tagged them after going to monarchwatch.org! VERY interesting, but VERY sad s you don't see as many Monarchs as you used to! You can thank Monsanto for the loss of butterflies and more!!!!!
> bashes Monsanto > promotes project funded by Monsanto
Load More Replies...Well done, they are stunning butterflies, it would have been so sad to loose them from the world
I freaked out looking at the pic of the caterpillars but truly inspirational!! :)
I attend the Butterfly Pavilion every year here at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles. I was lucky enough to get pics of this very butterfly! How lucky I am! P1080478-5...a375b7.jpg
A marvelous work! But if this butterfly feeds off one single species of plant, the California Pipevine, unless more of them are planted to sustain the growing population, then there are gonna be problems... Try to get the town to participate, to plant some of these in public gardens. They are indigenous to the area (they are called CALIFORNIA pipevines, after all), so schools could also be involved to teach children about the local flora and fauna and the importance of conservation. So many possible projects!
This article should contain a link on nurseries where one can obtain the pipevine in the Bay Area to help the species thrive!
A great answer for anyone who says, "What can I do about it? I'm just one person."
I'm curious... What about the plant that is so important to the species? It sounds hard to find. Did you have a simultaneous effort to replant the pipevine?
I was wondering that myself. The butterflies can't re-populate without their host plant being widely available. (Just like monarchs need milkweed plants, but at least they're not picky about which variety of milkweed.) I have aristolochia fimbriata planted in my yard and have had pipevine swallowtails, but not the California pipevines because I don't have the right variety of aristolochia (and, besides, I live in Texas. LOL).
Load More Replies...What a guy!! Thank you, Mr. Wong! These butterflies are beautiful!!!
In 2015 I heard on the Denver news, "Let your Milkweed grow; it attracts Monarch butterflies, which are becoming endangered" So for 2 years Id this tall weed in front of my condo. I got one Viceroy each year. So sad.
Well done Tim there should be more people like you around the world saving insects like these, we will be in sh** street if all these insects disappear , Like the UK all our bumble bees are dying off, I have hardly seen any this year when last year my garden was full of them last year,I plant flowers that attract the bees but something is drasticlly wrong this year as there are hardly any bees about, we will all suffer from the lack of bees as we will have nothing to pollinate all our crops with, then the human will die off.
So glad he decided to do this. They look magnificent! Look at those stunning colors!
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