Volunteers needed for endangered butterfly count

MARSHFIELD–VolunteersarewantedinWoodCountytohelpthestateDepartmentofNaturalResources(DNR)withitsannualKarnerbluebutterflymonitoringprogram. Thedatacollectedhelpsdeterminethespecies’populationstate,distributionandtrends.ItthengoestotheU.S.FishandWildlifeService’sKarnerBlueRecoveryPlan,whichhasthegoalofdelistingKarnersasanendangeredspeciesonceitreachesacertainpopulation. TheKarnerbluebutterfly’shabitatoncerangedfromMinnesotatoMaineandintoCanada.ThreatstoKarnersincludehabitatloss,fragmentationandclimatechange.WisconsinhasthelargestremainingpopulationofKarnerblues,withanabundanceofhabitatsthatsupportthisspecies,includingopenbarrens,savannasandprairiesthatcontainwildlupine(Lupinusperennis).WildlupineistheonlyfoodsourceforKarners’palegreencaterpillars. Onlinetrainingisavailable;oryoucanregisterforin-personfieldtrainingsessions: 1-3p.m.June6,BeaverCreekReserve–WiseNatureCenter,FallCreek1-3p.m.June13,HartmanCreekStatePar