photos by Kim Wheeler

This tiny blue butterfly is a federally endangered subspecies of the Northern Melissa Blue (Lycaeidis idas), found only in oak and pine barrens or savannah habitats.  A good portion of Crex Meadows and Fish Lake Wildlife area include this habitat, so Karners are actually pretty common at Crex.  The Northern Blue requires different habitat and larval foodsource, and does not overlap the Karner's range, but is found in northeastern Wisconsin, parts of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Northern Minnesota, and thoughout Canada north and west to Alaska. 

The male Karner Blue is similar above to other blue butterflies, but has a definite white fringe and dark border.  Below the male and females have well-defined orange submarginal bands and white-rimmed black spots.  The females are brown above with orange submarginal bands on the hindwings, but normally do not have a well-defined orange submarginal band on the forewing (although the female in the photo above, which was photographed in 2009 at Fish Lake Wildlife Area has some unusually defined orange in the forewing). 

Karner Blue Butterflies have 2 broods, the first of which emerge in late May into mid-June.  They will only lay their eggs on Wild lupine plants, and this is generally when Lupine is in flower.  The second brood, which is generally less numerous, emerges in mid-July into early August.  The eggs that are laid from the second brood overwinter, and the caterpillars emerge the following spring. 

Much research is done at Crex Meadows, and Fish Lake Wildlife Areas to determine the numbers of Karners each year.  The survey areas are divided into sections and wildlife staff and volunteers survey the tracts for butterflies and nectar plants throughout the summer.  If you are interested in helping with this research, please contact Bob Hess with the Wisconsin DNR Bureau of Endangered Resources at robert.hess@wisconsin.gov.