It’s light blue wings flutter softly as it flies from Lupine plant to Lupine plant. Icaricia icarioides missionensis ( Mission Blue Butterfly) was discovered in 1937. Icaricia icarioides missionensis is native to the San Francisco Bay Area of California. It has lost most of it habitat in the region to development , and is thus limited to residing only in the Twin Peaks of San Francisco, Fort Baker in Marin County, and San Bruno Mountain in San Mateo County. Human beings are the main reason for the decline in the Mission Blue’s natural habitat. If something is not done to prevent further damage, and reverse the previous, Icaricia icarioides missionensis will be in danger of becoming extinct. Various wildlife preservation organizations, such as the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, have come up with several methods for attempting to recover the Mission Blue population.
Monitoring Icaricia icarioides missionensis is one way the Golden Gate Recreational Area is attempting to alleviate some of the devastation caused by residential and industrial development in the San Francisco Bay Area. Scientists are attempting to detect trends in the number, and distribution of Mission Blues. This monitoring will help to understand how these trends are affected by different conditions within the region. It will also help us to determine which areas need more protection than others. Milagra Ridge and the Marin Headlands in California are two regions in which the monitoring consists of counting adult butterflies seen in the surrounding grasslands. An alternate form of this monitoring includes tracking Icaricia icarioides missionensis larvae and caterpillars. This overall tracking of the...
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...ricia icarioides missionensis is one method that will allow scientists to understand which areas the butterflies are more populous in order to determine which areas need more protection. Monitoring will also help scientists know which conditions need to be mimicked in order to create a stable environment for the butterflies. Enhancing the Icaricia icarioides missionensis habitat is another plan that can assist in repopulating the species. It will create environments that are conducive to the goal of repopulation. A third plan is the relocation of Icaricia icarioides missionensis butterflies. This plan will remove them from their currently endangered habitats and reintroduce them to a similar, but safer habitat. In conclusion these are three methods with which human beings can attempt to reverse some of the damage they have caused to Icaricia icarioides missionensis.
Humans are trying everything they can to trap the Gypsy moth and try to remove it from there eco-system, but the Gypsy moth keeps on reproducing. An annual trapping program is one method in which they place traps that attracts male Gypsy moths and gets them stuck in a sticky surface. If a substantial amount of moths are caught by the trap then more traps are set in that ecosystem. Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (BTK) is a toxic soil bacterium that is sprayed over an area to prevent defoliation. When Gypsy moths are exposed to BTK the toxic causes stomach poisoning and they would eventually die. (Government of Canada,
The gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) is a highly disruptive species that can, and has played a distinctive role in the lives of many organisms. Included in these organisms are various deciduous trees and shrubs, wildlife species that share the same environment, and even humans. The gypsy moth destroys the beauty of woodlands via defoliation, alters ecosystems and wildlife habitats, and disrupts our own lives. It should therefore come as no surprise that the U.S. Department of Agriculture and many other agencies have taken huge steps to help diminish populations of this small, yet persistent species. In an effort to control these overwhelming populations, five chemical control agents have been used to suppress and/or eradicate the gypsy moth. Following, is a discussion of each chemical and their potentially hazardous effects on humans.
On the contrary, President Obama “unveiled a plan aimed at stopping the rapid decline in bee and butterfly populations” (“On May 19”). His plans are to reduce the death rate of bees which in turn will help out the agricultural production. He also plans to clear land in order to give the bees a bigger environment in which to repopulation and will ensure that no bees are harmed in the process (“On May 19”). The president sees the devastation that the decline could cause and is trying to combat the issue. The European Union has banned three pesticides in order to combat the decline but “have fallen short of providing adequate safeguards for the re-propagation of bee colonies”(“Bee research”). Governments are taking notice of the problem ahead yet still we are until to achieve the full support of all
To most, the honeybee can be an annoying insect that has a powerful sting. Yet, the honeybee is so much more than just another insect. The honeybee is arguably the most vital component in the development of our food crops. With roughly 90 percent of our food crops dependent on the pollination of our honeybees, our food system, agricultural development, and diet rest on the work and well being of these buzzing insects. Unfortunately, since 2006 there has been a major decline in the population of honeybees, and has gotten progressively worse because of colony collapse disorder. The first reported increase of CCD was documented in November 2006 in Florida. By February 2007, several states began reporting major losses associated with CCD, ranging from 30% to 90%. A little over a half decade later in 2012 the attention paid towards CCD has grown substantially with more research being done as CCD continues to get worse. The main culprit for CCD, as research has suggested, is the use of pesticides on our food crops. With major corporations such as Bayer making millions and millions of dollars in profit each year in the distribution of pesticides, it is no wonder that nothing is being done to stop this practice despite evidence linking the use of pesticides and the drastic deterioration of the health of honeybees. With the continuation of the use of deadly pesticides and the vital role bees play in the pollination and development of our food crops, both the environment and our economy will be effected directly and face the potential for catastrophic results.
A keystone species is an organism that has a critical effect on maintaining the structure of an ecosystem. Keystone species have a low functional redundancy and if extinct, would significantly alter the ecology, negatively impacting the range of species that inhabit the environment. The report will discuss the application and limitation of science as a human endeavor, with consideration to the role that humans are playing to reduce the extinction of the keystone specie, Grey-headed Flying-Fox. The Grey-Headed Flying-fox is recognized as a keystone specie within its environment as it plays an important role in the pollination of rainforests and native
Before development exploded in California, the state contained about 5 million acres of wetland habitat. Unfortunately, over the years California has been willing to part with 91 percent of its wetlands, Southern California having lost 95 percent. Los Angeles County has only one wetland remaining. This being the Ballona Wetlands located between Marina del Rey and the Westchester bluffs, it was once a major part of California’s natural wetland systems. Before development, Ballona wetlands natural habitat covered 2002 acres. This area, 800 to 1000 acres, referred to as Playa Vista by its owners is made up of salt marsh freshwater marsh and part upland and dune areas. It is considered Los Angeles’ largest ‘wetland ecosystem’. Although degraded over the years it still functions as a normal natural wetland - providing vital services. A major function it provides is that it filters out toxic wastes and pollutants from stormwater runoff before they reach the Santa Monica Bay. It is "a coastal plain, and acts as a flood plain for the surrounding area" (FOBW Information folder 1998: Fact Sheet). Ballona is an integral part of the Pacific flyaway, providing vital feeding and nesting habitat for over 185 species of birds, including some on the federal endangered species list. The southwestern willow flycatcher, an endangered species, was just recently seen by developers in an area cleared for construction. Ballona is no doubt a welcomed refuge to all species, both flora and fauna, from the industrial landscape of Los Angeles. The Friends of Ballona Wetlands have said it is "a spawning ground for commercial and sport fish, and a vital source of nutrients for the entire coastal marine environment" (FOBW Information folder 1998: 20 years of C...
With all these interesting facts about the monarch, the anatomy, life cycle, milkweed plant, migration, the endangerment, and the help of Alvarez, it is a wondering why more people are not doing more to help this national treasure.
Merchant, M. Insects in the City. Texas A&M Agrlife, 14 Aug. 2012. Web. 10 Nov. 2013.
Recognized by its size, bald head and large white patches under their wings, California condors have been worshiped by Native Americans, used for ritualistic sacrifices and its feathers harvested for capes, but it wasn’t until the Europeans settled in the new world did G. californianus start its downfall. “By 1492 the condor was already retreating westward. Its bones were discovered in Florida early on, and recently its former presence in upper New York state was confirmed by Richard Laub of the Buffalo Museum of Science and David Stedman of the New York State Museum. When the '49ers were trekking to California, the condor had retired behind the Rockies, and it survived into the 20th century only in California and Baja California.” (Ehrlich, Dobkin, & Wheye, 1988)
current need for more and more pollination of places like California almond fields we need
The disappearance of honey bees is baffling scientists everywhere. Although most people see bees as useless annoying insects, they play an important role in the eco-system. Without bees, agricultural business would cease to exist, so it is vital that bees are saved. Currently, about one-third of the honey bees on the United states have disappeared. It seems that within a few days of having a good, healthy colony of bees, most of the adult population disappears. They can't even find any bodies near the hive. Scientists nicknamed this as CCD (Colony Collapse Disorder). Bees have been disappearing all over the globe. Countries such as Portugal, Poland, Central America, and South America have all reported cases of the phenomenon. When bees get sick, they sacrifice themselves and leave the colony to die to lessen possibility of spreading the disease or affliction to the rest of the hive. What is unique about CCD though, is the sheer number of bees leaving the hive.
Winfree, R. . The conservation and restoration of wild bees. Annuals of the New York Academy of Sciences. Volume 1195, 3 May 2010, Pages 169 – 197.
The honey bees started to vanish rapidly without any reason in the year 2006. Honey bees are vital to the life of humans, plants, and animals. In the article “The Importance of Honey Bees”, Maria Boland writes, “Honey bees pollinate 80% of the earth’s plants, which converts to 1/3 of what humans eat.” The world should look into saving the honey bees because, without them, plants would not be pollinated, animals would die, humans would have a hard time finding things to eat, and the world would lose staggering sums of money. In the book The Backyard Beekeeper, Kim Flottum writes that Albert Einstein once said, “If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe then man would only have four years of life left. No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man. Because the honey bee is important to all life on earth, our government should work to help educate children and adults on the honey bees, regulate pesticides sold, and help fund research towards protecting the honey bees.
Experts in butterfly migration, eating patterns, and growth state that planting milkweed would encourage the butterflies to inhabit the area that has milkweed, and as a result be able to support a growing population. Many people in questioning insist that because they are a single person, not much can be done. In contrary, if people educate the public and set examples for others by planting their own milkweed, more people will get involved and changes will be made; it just takes time. Even though the pesticides ruined the land now used for genetically modified crops instead of milkweed, there is a plethora of space that goes unused in butterfly inhabiting areas of the United States and Mexico, such as road medians, backyards, and parks. These spaces can be used for planting milkweed for the butterflies to live off of, which would, in turn, allow for growth in the population of butterflies. People would argue that if milkweed was planted in the medians, it would make it dangerous for