{"id":11691,"date":"2022-05-13T11:07:19","date_gmt":"2022-05-13T18:07:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/bcparksblog\/?p=11691"},"modified":"2022-06-27T11:57:42","modified_gmt":"2022-06-27T18:57:42","slug":"beautiful-butterflies-in-helliwell-provincial-park","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/bcparksblog\/2022\/05\/13\/beautiful-butterflies-in-helliwell-provincial-park\/","title":{"rendered":"Beautiful Butterflies in Helliwell Provincial Park"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n Home<\/a>\n \n Beautiful Butterflies in Helliwell Provincial Park\n <\/span>\n
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Beautiful Butterflies in Helliwell Provincial Park<\/h1>\n
BC Parks Licence Plate Program<\/a>, <\/span>Conservation<\/a>, <\/span>Indigenous Relations<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n
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Two caterpillars on a leaf.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In March 2022, BC Parks and the Taylor\u2019s Checkerspot Butterfly Recovery Project released a record 5,400 Taylor\u2019s Checkerspot butterfly larvae in Helliwell\u2019s coastal bluff meadow over a three-week period. There is great hope that this will give a big boost to establishing a self-sustaining population. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2020, 800 larvae (also known as caterpillars) were released, and in 2021, 1,300 larvae. The caterpillars were reared at the Greater Vancouver Zoo with the support of Wildlife Preservation Canada staff. A minimum of 5,000 larvae per year seems to be an important factor for successful butterfly reintroductions, because that will usually result in about 250 adult butterflies each year. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Multiple partners have been involved over the last three years to re-establish a population of the critically endangered species in Helliwell Provincial Park. The project team had a lot of help to gently place all those fuzzy little larvae on their meadow food plants with assistance from: K\u2019\u00f3moks First Nation, Greater Vancouver Zoo, BC Conservation Foundation, Mosaic Forest Management, Conservancy Hornby Island, the Hornby Island Natural History Centre, Hornby Island Provincial Parks Committee and BC Parks. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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An adult Taylor’s Checkerspot butterfly<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Laying out caterpillars in Helliwell Provincial Park<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Trampling is a key threat for caterpillars and their food plants, which include leaves of English plantain, small-flowered blue-eyed Mary, or harsh paintbrush. Park visitors can help protect the caterpillars by staying on the trails that are delineated by ropes and restoration area signs. Also, visitors are reminded that dogs must be on a leash and bikes aren\u2019t allowed in this park. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The recovery initiative required extensive habitat restoration in the park, such as selective tree and invasive plant removal, and adding native plants and seeds. Although focused on Taylor\u2019s checkerspot butterflies, several other at-risk and uncommon coastal bluff species benefit from this project, such as dun skipper butterflies and about a dozen other range-restricted butterflies, western bumble bee, bats, western screech-owl, and numerous other birds and plants. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If all goes well, the Taylor\u2019s checkerspot butterflies will progress through a few more developmental stages, pupate, and then emerge as spectacular orange, black and white checkered butterflies in late April to early June.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Laying caterpillars in Helliwell Provincial Park<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

If you spot a Taylor’s checkerspot, leave it be, and report sightings to <\/span>Taylors.Checkerspot@gov.bc.ca<\/span><\/a>, or by using the free iNaturalist<\/a> app. It\u2019s an easy-to-use species identification tool that enables citizen scientists to record and contribute important species data for projects around the globe. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This recovery project has benefited from funding from the BC Parks Licence Plate Program<\/a>, the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, and the Environment Canada Habitat Stewardship Fund and others. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Taylor\u2019s Checkerspot Butterfly Recovery Project Team<\/span><\/b> includes representatives from BC Ministry of Land, Water and Resource Stewardship, BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, BC Parks, biological consultants, Denman Conservancy Association, Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team, Greater Vancouver Zoo, Mosaic Forest Management, Wildlife Preservation Canada, and others. There has also been a lot of local assistance for the project from Helliwell Park neighbours in High Salal Ranch Strata and local community volunteers. BC Parks and the project team thank the Cowichan Tribes, Halalt, Homalco, K\u2019\u00f3moks, Lake Cowichan, Lyackson, Penelakut, Qualicum, Snaw\u2019Naw\u2019As, Stz\u2019uminus, Tla\u2019amin, We Wai Kai, and We Wai Kum First Nations, for allowing us to restore ecosystems in their traditional territories.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Background Information <\/span><\/b> <\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Taylor\u2019s Checkerspot Butterfly (<\/span><\/b>Euphydryas editha taylori<\/span><\/i><\/b>) <\/span><\/b> <\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n