The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has formed a working group to study the declines in many south Florida butterfly species, including the Miami Blue.

From their press release:

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) announces the formation of the Imperiled Butterflies of South Florida Workgroup (IBWG) to directly address the significant declines experienced by a number of South Florida butterflies.  The public is invited to log on to the IBWG’s interactive Web site at http://share2.myfwc.com/IBWG/default.aspx to exchange information and to learn about the on-going efforts to protect imperiled species, including the endangered Miami blue butterfly.

Local, state and federal agencies, the North American Butterfly Association and the University of Florida joined together to form the IBWG because of conservation and management issues surrounding the Miami blue.

“This Web site aims to advance awareness and promote understanding for butterfly conservation, the habitats that sustain them and the roles they play as an indicator species in the larger environment,” said Mary Truglio, an FWC biologist and IBWG steering committee member.

The IBWG continues to work together to increase and/or stabilize imperiled butterfly populations in South Florida and to safeguard important habitats.

Jaret Daniels, a butterfly conservation expert, will be speaking this Sunday (7/27) during Butterfly Days at the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden.