One gardener on a mission has spent the last few years lovingly restoring a native butterfly species to San Francisco.
Tim Wong (@timtast1c), who works as a biologist at the California Academy of Sciences, had a realization while building a pollinator garden in his backyard. The California pipevine swallowtail, a beautiful blue-winged butterfly, was common along coastal areas of the state but not around his city of San Francisco. The species used to be plentiful in the area, but as the city was developed, the butterfly's food source and natural habitat diminished. As a result, the species (also known as blue swallowtail, or Battus philenor hirsuta, the Aristolochia swallowtail, and by other names) slowly disappeared from the area.
The California pipevine swallowtail butterfly begins life as a tiny red egg that hatches into a big black-and-orange caterpillar. The butterfly, when grown, has a wingspread of 7-13 centimeters (about 3-5 inches). It sports dark wings with blue hindwings and seven bright orange dots. Like many species, the males are a little flashier than the females. They are prized by collectors for their wing patterns and colors.
Wong set out to bring the butterflies back to San Franciso. He learned that many butterflies—California pipeline swallowtails included—predominately live around and feed on one main food source. For the California pipeline swallowtails, that is the California pipeline plant. But in San Francisco, that food was sparse, so Wong sourced some from the San Francisco Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park and planted it in his garden.
Next, he acquired 20 California pipevine swallowtail caterpillars and cared for them until they began pupating and forming a chrysalis. He then tended to the chrysalis—some for weeks, others for years—until they hatched. His first crop of butterflies then laid their own eggs—and still Wong cared for them, generation after generation.
Instagram, @timtast1c
Raising butterflies is not new to Wong. As a kid, he spent days chasing butterflies through the meadow near his home.
"I first was inspired to raise butterflies when I was in elementary school," Wong told Vox. "We raised painted lady butterflies in the classroom, and I was amazed at the complete metamorphosis from caterpillar to adult."
He hopes that his efforts can inspire others to do their part. And he offers a few tips:
- Plant regionally appropriate native plants.
- Forgo the use of insecticides/pesticides.
- Remember that even small urban spaces can still support our pollinators.
- Also, if you don't have space for a garden, consider volunteering at a garden project, community garden, or other green space.
"Improving habitat for native fauna is something anyone can do," Wong told Vox. "Conservation and stewardship can start in your very own backyard."
READ MORE: Watch a Texas Woman Repair a Butterfly's Wing
