The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is seeking volunteers to help collect information about the federally endangered Karner blue butterfly and its habitat to help advance recovery efforts.
One of the many things Wisconsinites can be proud of is the abundance of habitats that support the world’s largest populations of Karner blue butterflies.
Wisconsin is one of the last remaining strongholds in the entire Karner range.
They can be found in barrens, savannas, prairies, and right of way corridors. The adult Karner is about the size of a nickel and has two flight periods: The first beginning in late May/early June into late June and the second beginning in early/mid-July into late August.
There are many opportunities for the public to help protect the Karner blue and its habitat, including volunteering to survey this special butterfly.
Anyone interested in volunteering must watch two free online training videos and take a quiz. These and other resources can be found on the Karner Volunteer Monitoring Website.
There is also an optional virtual field day at 1:00 PM on June 11th. To get the link for the field day, email Chelsea Weinzinger, DNR Karner Blue Butterfly Recovery Coordinator, at Chelsea.Weinzinger@wisconsin.gov.
