Scientists plan to reintroduce frosted elfin butterfly to Ontario
Researchers will breed the species in captivity using eggs from New York to restore the population in Canada.
Scientists led by the University of Guelph plan to reintroduce the frosted elfin butterfly to Ontario, where the species has not been recorded since 1988, according to the Times of India.
The project involves transporting adult butterflies and eggs from New York to the Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory to be bred in captivity for release into the wild.
The first release is scheduled for spring 2027 in Port Rowan, Norfolk County, southeast of London, Ontario.
The frosted elfin is a non-migratory species with a wingspan of 22 to 24 mm that relies on wild lupine plants for survival.
The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada reported that a 2019 survey failed to find any trace of the butterfly in the province.
The disappearance is attributed to habitat destruction from urban development and the conversion of natural landscapes into farmland.
This reintroduction is part of a $2.4-million conservation initiative funded by the federal government through an NSERC Alliance-Society grant.
The initiative aims to recover three at-risk species, including the mottled duskywing and the curiously isolated hairstreak.