San Bruno elfin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Callophrys mossii bayensis |
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Callophrys
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C. mossii
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C. m. bayensis
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| Callophrys mossii bayensis (R. M. Brown, 1939)
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The San Bruno elfin (Callophrys mossii bayensis) is a small, rare butterfly. It is an endangered type of butterfly found only in a specific area. This special butterfly lives on rocky hillsides and cliffs in the coastal areas of the San Francisco Peninsula in California. It needs a specific plant, the broadleaf stonecrop, to survive. The butterfly's home is scattered in patches, just like where its host plant grows.
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The San Bruno Elfin's Life Cycle
These amazing butterflies start to appear in February and March. This is when their favorite nectar flowers begin to bloom. After the butterflies mate, the female looks for broadleaf stonecrop plants. She lays her tiny eggs on these plants.
From Egg to Butterfly
The eggs hatch in about a week. The tiny larvae, or caterpillars, first munch on the plant's leaves. But once the stonecrop flowers open, the caterpillars move up to feed on the flowers themselves. By June, most caterpillars have finished growing. They then leave the plant to become pupae in the leaves and dirt on the ground. They stay in this resting stage until the next spring. Then, the whole life cycle starts all over again!
A Special Friendship with Ants
The San Bruno elfin's life cycle has a cool secret! Like many other butterflies in the Lycaenidae family, they have a special partnership with ants. Elfin caterpillars make a sweet liquid called honeydew. This honeydew attracts ants. In return for this sweet treat, the ants often protect the caterpillars. They guard them from creatures that might want to eat them, like predators, or tiny parasites. These enemies are a big danger to plant-eating insects.
Where the San Bruno Elfin Lives
The San Bruno elfin butterfly lives in only a few small areas. The biggest group of these butterflies is found on San Bruno Mountain. Most of their homes are on rocky slopes and ledges, especially those facing east. One of these spots is near an old quarry.
Protecting Their Home
In the past, the butterfly's habitat has been harmed by things like quarrying (digging for rocks), off-road vehicles, and new buildings. As more people move to the San Francisco Peninsula, there's a lot of pressure to build on this land. To protect the rare San Bruno elfin and another butterfly called the Mission blue butterfly, a special plan was made for San Bruno Mountain. This plan allowed some building on the lower parts of the mountain. But the higher areas were made into public land to protect the butterflies' critical habitat. This plan was a compromise after many years of talks between land developers and conservationists. Both groups valued this land, one for its natural beauty and the other for its valuable location.
Current Efforts to Help
Today, people are working hard to manage San Bruno Mountain and other areas. They are trying to use fewer pesticides, manage how people use the land for fun, and take care of the plants. Some areas where the butterflies had disappeared are now being replanted. The goal is to bring the butterflies back to these spots.
Other Butterfly Homes
Besides San Bruno Mountain, another group of San Bruno elfin butterflies lives in Montara. This is about 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of San Bruno Mountain, on coastal cliffs near the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. A third group is found near Rockaway Beach in Pacifica.
