Karner blue butterflies take flight again

It is that time of the year when Karner blue butterflies are ready for their second flight of the summer. 

Karners have two “flight periods” during the summer. They first emerge in early summer to mate and lay eggs. After that, they tend to stay close to their only larval host past, the wild lupine. 

Adult butterflies emerge for their second flight around this time, usually in late June to early July. During this time, they will lay eggs that will endure for up to 10 months until the following spring.

Wisconsin is home to the world’s largest remaining population of Karner blue butterflies. To help support the conservation of the Karner blue butterfly and its habitat you can plant wild lupine or participate in the Wisconsin Karner Volunteer Monitoring Program. The program’s goal is to conduct long-term monitoring that aids in tracking the population status, distribution and trends of the Karner blue butterfly. 

To learn more visit dnr.wisconsin.gov.