2019 ASHS Annual Conference

The Atala butterfly (Eumaeus atala Poey) is a beautiful, somewhat rare hairstreak butterfly characterized by satiny black wings featuring an iridescent turquois shimmer. It was thought to be extinct due to overharvest of its host plant, Zamia integrifolia Linnaeus. f. These beautiful butterflies are now found on coontie plants in localized colonies primarily in South Florida. In summer 2017 and 2018, Anne Loveridge with the Florida Native Plant Society contacted the UF/IFAS Extension St Lucie County to report a significant abundance of these beautiful butterflies at the Ft. Pierce Inlet State Park. Upon further study, we learned that these butterflies emerge in synchronized patterns enabling us to plan Atala butterfly field days for the Native Plant Society and interested members of the general public. These events attracted media attention and public interest that enabled us to teach people how to identify and conserve these rare butterflies.