The Rarest Butterfly

en.wikipedia.org

The Palos Verdes Blue (Glaucopsyche lygdamus palosverdesensis) exists in a tiny population on the northern side of a small peninsula in the southwestern part of Los Angeles County, California.

This delicate blue beauty is believed to be the rarest butterfly in the world.

They were actually believed extinct in 1983 due to habitat loss, but a small group was rediscovered in 1994.

The caterpillars of this butterfly only eat one plant, the common deerweed (Lotus scoparius), and as new houses go up this plant is rapidly disappearing. Adults only breed once a year and have a lifespan of five days in which to do it. All these factors contribute to a very shaky future for this rare species.

animalpicturesarchive.com

Captive breeding and reintroduction programs are currently underway, with some positive benefit. The preservation of habitat and host plants, however, is the most crucial point towards this creature's survival.

We can only hope that they don't slip back down into extinction, because this time there might not be any coming back.