YACHATS, Ore. — An effort in Lincoln County by Oregon State University Extension Service Master Gardener volunteers may help stem the decline of the Oregon silverspot butterfly.
“These plants are the ones particularly appealing to Oregon silverspot butterfly but are also appealing to other butterflies, bees, hummingbirds and other pollinators. It’s a win-win situation. If we plant and we don’t attract silverspot, we’re still providing food for pollinators as a whole."
While not yet listed as endangered, the population of this pollinator has grown smaller because of the loss of its preferred habitat of salt-sea meadow land that once stretched from the Long Beach Peninsula in Washington to northern California.
Now found in only five small natural habitats — including two just south of Yachats — the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lists the Oregon silverspot butterfly as threatened.
Evie Smith, who coordinates the Extension Master Gardener and small farms programs in Lincoln County, lamented the decline of the Oregon silverspot butterfly (Speyeria zerene hippolyta).
“The loss of any species is detrimental to the environment and ecosystem that it’s native to as it fills a unique environmental niche,” Smith said. “The loss of this species would mean a loss for the coastal ecosystem.”
To help efforts by the Lincoln Soil and Water Conservation District (LSWCD), OSU Extension Master Gardener volunteers, led by Stormi Dykes, planted two small Oregon silverspot butterfly beds at the Master Gardener volunteer demonstration gardens in Lincoln City and Yachats. The goal is to draw the butterfly to a friendly place for food and shelter.
“LSWCD reached out to Lincoln County Master Gardener volunteers last May to see if we wanted to work with them to provide public outreach about Oregon silverspot butterfly pollinator environments and conduct small-scale trials that could help increase the adult’s feeding area and determine how far they will travel,” said Dykes, who took on the trials as her apprentice project. “They are known to be quite sedentary and return to the same gardens year after year.”
Mary Jane Bonelitz, Lincoln City garden lead, and Carita Edson, Yachats garden lead, were excited to incorporate the beds into the gardens they oversee, Dykes said.
Choosing and sourcing the right plants
After receiving a list of preferred plants from LSWCD, Dykes — with help from Edson and Bonelitz — researched and sourced the best plants for the small beds in each location.
Both gardens were planted with broadleaf stonecrop, common camas, fireweed, pearly everlasting and western red columbine. Yachats added nodding onion and Hall’s aster. Lincoln City also incorporated coast goldenrod, Hall’s aster, Oregon sunshine, Oregon iris and yarrow.
“These plants are the ones particularly appealing to Oregon silverspot butterfly but are also appealing to other butterflies, bees, hummingbirds and other pollinators,” Dykes said. “It’s a win-win situation. If we plant and we don’t attract silverspot, we’re still providing food for pollinators as a whole. They are all declining. We can’t lose.”
Weather challenges and renewed momentum
The combination of a June planting and persnickety weather conspired against both gardens last year, Dykes said.
“They are not the lush, vibrant Oregon silverspot butterfly oases that we would like,” she said, “but that’s what we hope to see this year. We will nurture and possibly increase the current footprint for Oregon silverspot butterflies and other pollinators.”
The benefits of the gardens motivate Dykes, who has long been interested in the environment and wildlife.
“I’m a donor to and involved with groups overseas saving endangered species,” Dykes said. “It’s been near and dear to me. When this opportunity came up in my county, it spoke to me, and I raised my hand. It was a meaty project for me to get into. We live in a beautiful area of Oregon and want to preserve what we have. Anything I can do to keep the Oregon silverspot butterfly alive and thriving is good.”
Community partnership keeps the project moving
Tyler Clouse, watershed program specialist with LSWCD, expressed gratitude to Smith and the Master Gardener volunteers for their work.
“The pollinator gardens were meant to be funded by a grant that is still pending,” Clouse said. “The Master Gardeners took it upon themselves to jump start these gardens and highlight the Oregon silverspot butterfly in numerous outreach events and newsletters. Momentum continues because of community persistence.”
Previously titled OSU Extension Master Gardeners plant plots to help save Oregon silverspot butterfly
