caterpillar

Development of an Artificial Diet to Support Conservation Efforts of the Atala Hairstreak Butterfly (Eumaeus atala)

The rare atala hairstreak butterfly (Eumaeus atala) is native to Florida, and coontie, a small cycad, is its only native host plant. In the early 1900’s, coontie was eradicated due to unsustainable agricultural practices, so atala populations plummeted.  The butterfly was thought to be extinct in the mid-1900s but has seen a comeback since its rediscovery near Miami in the...

Development of an artificial diet to support conservation efforts of the Atala Hairstreak Butterfly (Eumaeus atala)

The rare atala  hairstreak  butterfly  (Eumaeus  atala)  is  native  to  Florida,  and  coontie,  a  small  cycad,  is  its  only  native  host  plant.  In  the  early  1900’s,  coontie  was  eradicated  due  to  unsustainable  agricultural  practices,  so  atala  populations  plummeted.    The  butterfly  was  thought  to  be  extinct  in  the  mid-1900s  but  has  seen  a  comeback  since  its  rediscovery  near  Miami  in  the ...