The Saint Francis’ Satyr (Neonympha mitchellii francisci) butterfly is listed as a federal endangered species. It is located in the sand hills of Hoke and Cumberland counties in North Carolina and there has also been a population found in Virginia.
This butterfly had once been thought to have been collected to extinction and is still wanted by collectors despite its protected status.
The host plants include grasses, sedges, and rushes and are usually located in wet meadows. These areas require regular disturbances to maintain an open habitat. It is thought that these areas have decreased due to the loss of damming activities by beavers which have become extirpated.
For additional information regarding the Saint Francis’ Satyr, visit The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation (Photo Credit U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.)
