Conservation and management of butterfly diversity in North America

Abstract

Butterfly conservation in North America began in 1971 with the formation of the Xerces Society, a group devoted to terrestrial arthropods and their conservation. In the 22 years since its founding, it has played a major role in the education of biologists, naturalists and decision-makers about the importance of invertebrates and the need for their conservation. The Society founded the North American butterfly counts, one of the first continent-wide efforts to monitor a wide array of Lepidoptera. Currently it publishes Wings, a quarterly magazine highlighting invertebrate conservation needs, and sponsors projects on behalf of Madagascar butterfly conservation and conservation of Papilio homerus (homerus swallowtail) in Jamaica.