Pawnee Montane Skipper Butterfly Conservation

What is a Pawnee Montane Skipper you ask?

This butterfly is native to only one area of the Colorado Front Range. Its habitat is southwest of Denver, where the South Platte River drainage meets up with its north fork. It tends to inhabit dry, open Ponderosa Pine woodland with sparse groundcover at 6,000-7,500 feet. As of right now, it only has 37.9 square miles to call its home as noted by the Denver Water Department. This species’ roaming area was bigger in the 60’s and 70’s, but with the advancement of housing developments and the expansion of Denver’s boundaries, the skipper has lost its range and some of its food sources.

In June of 2002, the Hayman Wildfires charred 138,000 acres of land. This resulted in a 40% decrease in the skipper’s habitat. Two previous fires in 1996 and 2000, Buffalo Creek and Hi Meadow, wiped out an additional 10% of skipper habitat.

The skipper is classified as a federally threatened species. The recovery plan for the Pawnee Montane Skipper was placed into effect on September 2, 1998. The recovery plan includes monitoring its habitat and removal of less than 5% loss of skipper’s habitat to developments such as roads, housing, or recreational and a heavy planting project of the Blue Grama Grass and Prairie Blazing Star. Along with the planting of feeding plants, the project is also aimed at eradicating noxious weeds like Mullen, Knapweed, Russian and Canadian Thistle, Hound’s tongue, or any other noxious plant that will compete with the skipper’s nutrient plants.

While the Pawnee Montane Skipper Conservation effort will continue to receive basic ongoing support from the CMZ Conservation Fund, we still need your volunteer support with “boots on the ground” habitat restoration. To register, go to http://www.rmfi.org/contact.

In addition, there is another way that you can help. Local artist Carol Overbeck is designing and making jewelry featuring our local butterflies. The profits will go directly toward research and habitat restoration for the Pawnee Montane Skipper. If you want to make a difference for local conservation, these opportunities are for you. Please check out the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo website for details and future updates.