I forgot the link to the Karner's blue. If you click the words male or female, a photo will appear

Here is a link that might be useful: Karner's blue

Karner Blues do not move around much at any stage of their life. If you are more than 0.5 mile from an existing population there is almost no chance you will have any come into your planting. In fact, most researchers would put the distance at considerably less than that. And of course, being endangered, you could get in big trouble if you captured any eggs, larva or adults and tried to relocate them.

There are other small blue butterflies that are similar in size and markings. Check the under surface of the hindwing for a band of orange spots just in from the wing margin. Close focusing binoculars are ideal for this since netting a KBB is illegal. In lower Michigan, only the Karner has the line of orange spots. In the Upper Peninsula the northern blue has the same markings. In fact they are almost impossible to tell apart. Their ranges do not overlap, though, so that is considered enough for a positive ID. Males and females have identical hind underwings. They usually land with their hindwings closed so these identifiers are exposed. Of course, if they open their wings you get to see beautiful light blue on the males and dark blue with orange spots on the famales. The web site you linked to has a prominent photo that shows the under hindwing markings very clearly. The rest of the info is excellent, also.

Some people think the eastern tailed blue looks similar....but it has hair-like tails and only a few orange spots. Other blues also could cause confusion. Flight time and habitat can help eliminate some of them even if you can not observe the markings on these tiny butterflies. Some coppers and hairstreaks are in similar habitats and are similar in size but the coloring is different.

The larva (caterpillars) are extremely tiny green sluglike things. You would have to really be looking to see them. I only ever saw them when out with another more experienced researcher who is a larva expert. The larva are tended by ants that like to bite people. So if you have seen the adults and have ants swarming to a spot on the lupine, you may have larva. Other species of blues have larva that look similar, just with different spots and lines. They are all so small it is tough to see the larva, much less the markings.

I hope you get lots of butterfly species coming to your plantings. It is great that many people are interested in these flying beauties and adding food sources for them. If you do see possible Karners, I would like to know. I do surveys for a local land conservancy and would love to hear of a new population of KBBs.

Naturegirl,

Thank you so much for the detailed information. I think I have some butterfly learning to do. Can you recommend a good beginner's ID book? I'm hoping to get the Audobon society's field guide for my birthday.
I'm glad you mentioned that netting a KBB is illegal. I might otherwise have tried temporarily netting every little blue butterfly that flitted through my yard in an attempt to ID it. I'll just have to get in the mindset that they are to be treated like birds. Look, but don't get too close. I'm in Livingston County, so with the information you provided about travel distance, I won't expect to accidentally stumble across one. To my knowledge, there are no stands of lupine in the immediate vicinity, so it is unlikely they are hiding around here.

I will continue to plant for the wildlife and have fun learning about all the little things mother nature sends my way.

Squirrel Girl

PS: Since you seem pretty knowledgable about endangered species, may I ask you a question unrelated to butterflies? I received 'bonus' seeds in a seed swap that appear to be from plants listed as special concern, threatened, or endangered in one or more states. What is the right thing to do with these seeds? I used the common name on the envelope and the USDA Plants website to ID them. I e-mailed my extension office, but have not heard back from them.

Here is a link that might be useful: my e-mail addy

I have two favorite butterfly field guides. Well, I have ALOT of field guides but these are my faves :)

Butterflies Through Binoculars: A Field Guide to the Butterflies of The East by Jeffrey Glassberg (Check carefully, he has guides for other regions also.) Good photos, interesting and informative narrative. I watch with binoculars, but also net some butterflies...not what Glassberg recommends. I wouldn't get too worried about netting around your house unless you know you are in good habitat for a rare species. When I go out to known KBB sites I do not have a net along. At other places I do carry a net and sometimes catch and usually release after close examination of a butterfly (or more often a skipper) in a jar. I don't know if I'll ever feel confident with skipper IDs whether netted or not.

Another guide I like is Michigan Butterflies and Skippers by Mogens C. Nielsen. This is a good book if you want one with only the butterflies and skippers found in Michigan. It includes migrants and strays, some recorded only once ever. I would not have it as my first or only butterfly guide but I love the county by county range maps. Mo requires excellent photos or actual specimens to record a species in a county. "Dead and spread" is his mantra. Kinda different from Glassberg :) Both authors have done alot to bring butterfly watching and identifying to the non-university people.

About your seeds...I wouldn't get too concerned unless I knew the seeds were illegally collected from the wild. Perhaps ask the collecter where they are from. I'm no expert on the legal stuff but I know many species are legally available. Also, many are rare and protected in one state but common in other areas. Also, in Michigan people confuse the protection given by the Christmas Greens Act with protection given under the Endangered Species Act. The first is to protect "showy" plants from overcollection. The second is to protect and preserve rare species. Most spring wildflowers fall under the first catagory and are collectable with written permission on private land.

Some state listed plants and animals are at the edge of their range and have always struggled to hold on there. In more suitable areas they are doing fine. I'm not sure they deserve special protection in the marginal areas....ie. In Michigan Pipevine Swallowtail butterflies are listed as is it's host plant, Virginia Snakeroot. They are common in states to the south and are almost never found to the north. I would not collect them, but I would not put super special efforts into protecting either of them. And if they suddenly begin to increase in number, I would credit it to warmer winters, not protection under the Endangered Species law.

Guess this is a long post that really doesn't answer the plant question well :(

Enjoy learning about butterflies. I started not too many years ago on my own and now have had invites to help with surveys of critical habitat. Very fun. Lots of non scientists are truly butterfly experts. A friend of mine studies life cycles just for fun. A university expert saw her work and is working with her to get various parts published in a scientific journal because he feels it is important for his collegues to know about it. He raves about her work and knowledge....all self taught.

Naturegirl,
Thank you for the wonderful post. I'm putting both of those books on my birthday wish list and will look forward to using them this summer. Your answers to my questions were perfect as I love a thorough discussion of a topic. If you are ever out my way and need a glass of ice tea, you have an open invitation to stop by my fledgling gardens. Send me an e-mail, and I'll give you directions.

Sincerely,
Squirrel Girl
The forum's newest lurker

I would just like to say you are both welcome at my place! I have some nice skippers, viceroys, and swallowtails. I am still planting lupines, myself, but I am not really expecting Karner Blues. I have learned that lupines help five other species, too, so maybe I will get some of those!