Emergency relocation of a Purple Copper Butterfly colony during roadworks: Successes and lessons learned

Published source details Mjadwesch R. & Nally S. (2008) Emergency relocation of a Purple Copper Butterfly colony during roadworks: Successes and lessons learned. Ecological Management & Restoration, 9, 100-109.
Share Tweet Email

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Apply ecological compensation for developments Action Link
	Remove or control non-native or problematic plants Action Link
	Translocate to re-establish populations in known or believed former range Action Link

Apply ecological compensation for developments

A study in 2004–2007 in one shrubland in New South Wales, Australia (Mjadwesch & Nally 2008) reported that, three years after translocation, along with habitat management and host plant translocation, a population of purple copper butterfly Paralucia spinifera caterpillars that had been moved from land designated for development to an adjacent area of managed compensatory habitat and retained habitat had increased in number. The site designated for development and adjacent area initially had an estimated purple copper population of 2,000 caterpillars. After the development and translocation of butterflies into the retained and compensatory habitat, which had received habitat management, the estimated caterpillar population size reduced to 1,600 in the following year but increased to an estimated 1,995 two years and 2,780 three years after translocation. Of the caterpillars found in the third year, 39% were in the compensatory habitat and 61% were in the area of retained original habitat. In 2004–2005, two thirds of an area of purple copper butterfly habitat was cleared for road-building and an area adjacent to the retained third was designated as compensatory habitat. Invasive plants were cleared from the retained and compensatory habitat and caterpillars and their host plant blackthorn Bursaria spinosa var. lasiophylla were moved from the land about to the cleared to the retained and compensatory habitat. Over 12 nights in December 2004–January 2005, a total of 1,260 caterpillars were moved. In 2005–2007 blackthorn plants in the retained and compensatory habitats were surveyed for caterpillars, signs of their feeding, and their mutualistic ants Anonychomyrma itinerans. Estimated caterpillar population sizes were calculated by multiplying the number of caterpillars found by five.

(Summarised by: Eleanor Bladon)
Remove or control non-native or problematic plants

A study in 2004–2007 in one shrubland in New South Wales, Australia (Mjadwesch & Nally 2008) reported that, three years after translocation, a population of purple copper butterfly Paralucia spinifera caterpillars that had been moved from land designated for development to an adjacent area of retained habitat and compensatory habitat where invasive plants had been removed, along with host plant translocation and other habitat management, increased in number compared to the time of translocation. A site designated for development and adjacent retained and compensatory habitat initially had an estimated purple copper caterpillar population size of 2,000. After the development, habitat management and translocation of butterflies into the retained and compensatory habitat, the estimated caterpillar population size reduced to 1,600 in the following year but increased to an estimated 1,995 two years and 2,780 three years after translocation. Of the caterpillars found in the third year, 39% were in the compensatory habitat and 61% were in the area of retained original habitat. In 2004–2005, two thirds of an area of purple copper butterfly habitat was cleared for road-building and an area adjacent to the retained third was designated as compensatory habitat. Invasive plants, including hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, radiata pine Pinus radiata, cotoneaster Cotoneaster sp., blackberry Rubus fruticosus sp. and briar rose Rosa rubiginosa were cleared from the retained and compensatory habitat and caterpillars and their host plant blackthorn Bursaria spinosa var. lasiophylla were moved from the land about to the cleared to the retained and compensatory habitat. Over 12 nights in December 2004–January 2005, a total of 1,260 caterpillars were moved. In 2005–2007 blackthorn plants in the retained and compensatory habitats were surveyed for caterpillars, signs of their feeding, and their mutualistic ants Anonychomyrma itinerans. Estimated caterpillar population sizes were calculated by multiplying the number of caterpillars found by five.

(Summarised by: Eleanor Bladon)
Translocate to re-establish populations in known or believed former range

A study in 2004–2007 in one shrubland in New South Wales, Australia (Mjadwesch & Nally 2008) reported that, three years after translocation, along with habitat management and host plant translocation, a population of purple copper butterfly Paralucia spinifera caterpillars had persisted and increased in number. A site designated for development and adjacent retained and compensatory habitat initially had an estimated purple copper population of 2,000 caterpillars. After the development, and habitat management of and translocation of butterflies into the retained and compensatory habitat, the estimated caterpillar population size reduced to 1,600 in the following year but increased to an estimated 1,995 two years and 2,780 three years after translocation. Of the caterpillars found in the third year, 61% were in the area of retained original habitat and 39% were in the compensatory habitat. In 2004–2005, two thirds of an area of purple copper butterfly habitat was cleared for road-building and an area adjacent to the retained third was designated as compensatory habitat. Invasive plants were cleared from the compensatory habitat and caterpillars and their host plant blackthorn Bursaria spinosa var. lasiophylla were moved from the land about to the cleared to the retained and compensatory habitat. Over 12 nights in December 2004–January 2005, one thousand two hundred and sixty caterpillars were moved. In 2005–2007 blackthorn plants in the retained and compensatory habitats were surveyed for caterpillars, signs of their feeding, and their mutualistic ants Anonychomyrma itinerans. Estimated caterpillar population sizes were calculated by multiplying the number of caterpillars found by five.

(Summarised by: Eleanor Bladon)