Hermes copper - California Department of Fish and Game

F 

Fluttering to 

xtinction 

Extinction 

Story and Photos by Daniel A. Marschalek

30 OUTDOOR CALIFORNIA 

F 

Fluttering to 

xtinction 

Extinction 

Story and Photos by Daniel A. Marschalek 

May - June 2012

O THER THAN ITS DIMINUTIVE SIZE AND BRIGHTLY COLORED 

WINGS, LITTLE WAS KNOWN ABOUT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA'S 

FLIGHTY HERMES COPPER BUTTERFLY. RECENT DISCOVERIES OF NEW 

POPULATIONS FIRST DREW CELEBRATION AND THEN DESPAIR AS 

WILDFIRES SWEPT ACROSS THE SITES. NOW TIME IS RUNNING OUT 

TO LEARN MUCH MORE BEFORE FIRES CLAIM THE LAST BUTTERFLY. 

May - June 2012 OUTDOOR CALIFORNIA 31

With wings that measure a mere 

inch across and yet seem to 

sparkle in flight, the Hermes 

copper butterfly (Lycaena hermes) appears 

as colorful as it is small. In 1930, William 

S. Wright, the curator of insects at the San 

Diego Natural History Museum, described 

the species in terms of a fanciful pixie. 

He wrote, “Its beautiful combination of 

brown and yellow makes it a veritable 

fairy and gives untold joy to the collector 

fortunate enough to get one.” 

This rare butterfly species occurs only 

in the coastal sage scrub vegetation around 

San Diego and northern Mexico. It’s one 

of about 100 butterfly species present in 

San Diego County and about 170 in all of 

California. 

Biologists recognize the Hermes 

copper as a fascinating species because 

of several unique characteristics, but at 

the same time these characteristics may 


contribute to its rareness. Nearly a century 

ago, experts raised concerns that the 

species may go extinct. Today, many of 

those same concerns continue. In 1984, 

the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service took the 

first steps in a long process to ensure the 

survival of the species when it labeled the 

Hermes copper a Category 2 designation 

under the Endangered Species Act. 

Over the decades, the decline of 

the Hermes copper continued—but at 

a relatively slow pace—and warnings 

came from several sources. Wright, the 

museum curator of insects, wrote about 

the butterflies of San Diego County and 

specifically stated that Hermes copper 

faced possible extinction. Wright pointed 

to urban development as the threat to 

the butterfly’s habitat. Additionally, he 

offered a prophetic warning that wildfires 

would pose a threat to the species and 

their habitat. Over the decades, other 

biologists noticed that the numbers of 

Hermes copper remained low, eventually 

leading to a 1991 petition to list Hermes 

copper as an endangered species. 

Protection was denied due to lack of 

biological data supporting threats to the 

species. Back then, little was known about 

Hermes copper, other than the species 

lived in only a handful of places and when 

researchers encountered the butterfly the 

numbers were always low. 

Alison Anderson, an entomologist 

with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said 

little information has been developed on 

Hermes copper. 

“Immature stages are difficult to find 

and many of their habitats were difficult 

to access historically due to the thick 

vegetation and rough or nonexistent 

roads,” Anderson says. “In addition, the 

limited distribution of Hermes copper 

also contributes to our lack of knowledge. 

Because it is hard to find them where they 

are, and there are not a lot of places where 

they occur, biologists have not been able 

to learn much about their biology.” 

In 2002, the California Department 

of Fish and Game launched an eight-year 

project in cooperation with San Diego 

State University to study the elusive 

butterfly and uncover more about the 

ecology. A researcher began collecting 

basic biological information and 

discovered the only information available 

May - June 2012

came from a paper nearly four decades old; 

an author's general notes collected from 

field observations back in 1963. 

Faced with the lack of information, 

the DFG researcher quantified some of 

the observations and addressed potential 

threats to help determine the status of 

the species. The initial work took time 

but proved essential and allowed the new 

team of researchers the flexibility to adjust 

questions based on what was discovered 

during a previous year’s efforts. 

I 

In the summer of 2003, fieldwork started 

with developing a better understanding 

of basic biological characteristics of 

Hermes copper. Researchers hoped to 

track when adult butterflies start to fly, 

locate where the butterflies are occurring 

and develop an accurate count. Because 

so little was known 

about the butterfly, 

researchers contacted 

local entomologists 

for suggestions on 

where they might 

see the species. They 

learned of four 

specific areas, all 

linked by an essential 

element necessary 

for the survival 

of Hermes copper 

caterpillars. 

Diegan 

coastal sage scrub 

is the dominant 

vegetation 

association in the 

region’s upland 

open space and 

spiny redberry is 

one of the species 

characterizing 

that community. 

Researchers 

learned spiny 

redberry is 

the only plant 

Hermes copper 

caterpillars eat. 

Adult butterflies 

drink nectar 

from flowers 

through a strawlike 

mouth 

Once researchers net a butterfly in the 

field (below) they begin the examination 

as quickly as possible with the goal to 

lower the butterfly's stress level before 

release. To ensure detailed information 

is gathered properly, (at right) field 

specialists record identical data with 

each specimen. Notes are collected on 

the point of capture, as well as the date 

and time, the sex and the order taken. 

Researchers follow the same procedures 

for both initial and subsequent captures. 

coiled tight when they are not feeding. 

Although adult butterflies survive from a 

wide variety of flowers, caterpillars usually 

must feed on specific native plants. 

The four locations of spiny redberry 

where entomologists had recorded Hermes 

copper were found and paths (transects) 

were marked. Researchers would later 

walk these transects and record butterfly 

numbers. Some required only a casual 

trail walk while other transects required 

pushing through thick shrubs. Having 

transects of equal lengths provided a fair 

way to compare butterfly numbers among 

different areas. 

Researchers elected to mark two 

additional transect locations with spiny 

redberry vegetation but without prior 

knowledge of Hermes copper presence. 

During the first summer Hermes 

copper butterflies were found at all 

six locations, even the two new sites. 

Researchers recorded the butterflies from 

mid-May to early July. The number of 

Hermes copper butterflies at each location 

varied a great deal. At one site in the 

Cleveland National Forest, researchers 

counted 75 in one day. However, at 

Sycamore Canyon County Park, a dozen 

miles to the west, the most ever observed 

in a single day was four. 

The discovery of two new populations 

provided hope that other populations 

existed and perhaps the species was not as 

imperiled as previously thought. 

Then in October 2003, following a 

successful field season, and as the species 

was in its egg-stage, wildfires raced 

through San Diego County. The inferno 

incinerated more than 280,000 acres of 


the foothills where Hermes copper existed. 

Inside the fire’s devastating footprint, 

flames consumed all the adults and all the 

butterfly eggs they had left attached to 

the lower branches of the spiny redberry 

shrubs. 

The destruction increased the concern 

over the status of the species. As the flames 

died and cleanup efforts began, even the 

media began questioning whether Hermes 

copper still existed. 

When the team of researchers 

returned where they had established the 

study sites, they discovered five of the six 

destroyed. Habitat at the one untouched 

site indicated the butterfly eggs were not 

impacted. 

R 

Researchers regrouped and shifted 

focus from finding butterflies to 

finding new locations with spiny redberry. 

They reasoned Hermes copper would 

occur where the food source existed. And 

in this case, their reasoning proved correct. 

The discovery of the butterfly in the new 

location opened up a new line of research 

exploration—primarily how far will 

Hermes copper travel. 

To record butterfly movements, 

it’s important to separate and identify 

individuals. Researchers accomplish 

this by using a net to capture and then 

carefully maneuver the individual gently 

with a gloved hand so the butterfly’s 

wings are free from the net and fingers. 

The researcher uses a felt-tipped marker to 

place colored dots on the wings. Because 

Hermes copper butterflies generally perch 

on vegetation with their wings folded 

up above their body, color dots on the 

underside of the hind wing allow easy 

viewing. 

Collecting sighting with a global 

positioning system unit allowed the team 

to download all information at the end of 

the summer to a computerized geographic 

information system, which calculated the 

distance between observations of each 

individual. Most of the marked individuals 

were considered territorial males that 

remained within a 30-foot radius. Still, 

readings showed a few adventurous 

individuals traveled as far as 600 feet. 

The marking study offered a 

population estimate, which came in less 

than most other sites that year. Researchers 

marked 38 individuals over the course of 


the study with a one-day high of 20. 

To determine if the population size 

and movement patterns changed year-toyear, 

the marking study was repeated over 

four consecutive years. Yearly weather 

patterns can greatly affect the number of 

butterflies observed in any particular year. 

Not surprisingly, the number of Hermes 

copper butterflies increased in years with 

more seasonal rainfall and decreased 

during dry years. The likely connection 

suggests that more rainfall benefits the 

spiny redberry plant, which thrives 

with increased rains and produces more 

nutrition to the caterpillars. 

In October 2007, wildfires again 

ravaged San Diego County. This time 

flames scorched an even larger portion of 

the county, including the study site found 

after the 2003 fire. Just like four years 

earlier, researchers had just completed a 

string of successful field seasons and the 

female Hermes copper had laid her eggs 

and attached them to the lower branches 

of the spiny redberry. The eggs stood no 

chance. 

Days or weeks later, however long it 

took for emergency personnel to allow 

people to reclaim what was left of their 

homes, their neighborhoods and the wide 

open foothills, the region appeared as 

desolate as the landscape on the moon. 

Returning biologists sought the most basic 

of answers—where does Hermes copper 

occur? How many locations—if any— 

survived? Clearly, it was evident they no 

longer occurred at sites where they once 

had. 

May - June 2012

There was always a chance the 

butterfly occurred somewhere that no 

one had found. Determining the current 

distribution of Hermes copper after two 

waves of large-scale wildfires was vital 

for assessing the status of the species. 

This developed into a timely topic after 

a second petition submitted to Fish and 

Wildlife Service called to list the species 

under the Endangered Species Act. 

Accurately determining the status of 

Hermes copper requires understanding 

where they are found today as well as 

where they were before urbanization 

and fires changed the landscape. The 

only historical data available are pinned 

specimens on display at Southern 

California museums. The collections offer 

detailed information concerning the 

The chances for researchers to 

establish an accurate population 

count of the Hermes copper seems 

questionable as its diminishing 

swath of habitat around San Diego 

continues to fuel the region's raging 

wildfires. Researchers fear the next 

sweeping firestorm could likely 

remove this delicate species from its 

only hold in California. 

date and location of historic populations. 

Interestingly, several collections date back 

to the early 1900s, and came from San 

Diego locations that now host shopping 

centers, hotels and a sports stadium. As 

San Diego’s landscape changed over the 

years, the habitat of the Hermes copper 

changed with it, effectively pushing the 

tiny butterfly out since 1950. 

R 

Researchers returned to the shrubcovered 

hillsides of San Diego County 

in 2008 to determine the current locations 

of the butterfly. They sought land where 

spiny redberry shrubs grew and where 

permission to enter was granted. For the 

most part, they were restricted to public 

lands such as DFG ecological reserves and 

wildlife areas, as well as U.S. national forest 

lands and federal wildlife refuges. 

A DFG researcher and a field crew 

under the guidance of San Diego State 

University professor Douglas Deutschman 

searched more than 40 locations where 

they knew Hermes copper had existed 

at some point. They followed the same 

pattern to search for spiny redberry. 

Deutschman’s team made two 

important findings. First, when searching 

areas impacted by the 2003 or 2007 

wildfires, Hermes copper was found at 

only one location. Reestablishing a colony 

in an area ravaged by wildfires takes a long 

time, which leaves the species vulnerable 

to future fires. The second finding was 

that distribution of Hermes copper was 

the same in either a dry or wet year. 

Deutschman said local numbers were 

higher with more rain, but that fact did 

not result in the butterfly spreading to 

other locations. 

“The range of the species is very small 

and much of its prime habitat has burned 

in the last decade,” Deutschman says. 

The ability of the adult Hermes 

copper to move across the landscape is 

critical for the survival of the species 

because of the relatively high frequency 

of wildfires in the coastal sage scrub 

habitat. Butterflies must reestablish a 

population after the vegetation has 

recovered from a fire but they need to 

do it before a fire at the former location 

kills whatever population had stayed 

behind. The current existence of Hermes 

copper provides evidence that the species 

has been able to survive in the fire- 

prone landscape of Southern California. 

However, over the last century the 

landscape has changed drastically for the 

butterfly. Additionally, shopping centers, 

hotels and sports stadiums could block 

their movements, which could prevent 

reestablishment of populations following 

wildfires. 

“The full life cycle of Hermes copper is 

poorly known,” Deutschman says. “Most 

of what we know is based on observing 

adult males. We know less about female 

behavior and habitat choice. We know 

almost nothing about the factors that 

influence the survival and growth of eggs 

and caterpillars.” 

Questions remain over the ecological 

requirements of Hermes copper that are 

critical for the survival of the species. 

Other than knowing the fact that 

caterpillars only eat spiny redberry, the 

larval requirements are unknown. The 

caterpillar stage is likely more vulnerable 

and sensitive to hardships compared to 

adult butterflies because of its immobility. 

Also related to food plants, it is unknown 

why Hermes copper is only found around 

San Diego when the plants that represent 

its food source are found throughout 

southern and central California. 

The determination to list Hermes 

copper as threatened or endangered 

remains undecided. Decision makers 

are calling for more research to address 

habitat requirements and other biological 

characteristics. The research should 

provide key information for successful 

management and conservation of the 

species. And while a healthy ecosystem 

remains the key for natural resources 

management, the benefits spread to 

people who live in the area. Residents 

collect unspecified benefits when these 

natural communities function properly. 

Efforts to maintain all the plants and 

animals within the designated areas help 

preserve the integrity and functionality 

of the ecosystems. DFG’s plan to continue 

its research on the Hermes copper will 

benefit this rare species and, at the same 

time, assist in preservation of other coastal 

sage scrub species. 

Daniel A. Marschalek serves as a scientific 

aid with the Department of Fish and Game. 

This is his first story in Outdoor California.

Hermes copper - California Department of Fish and Game

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