Endangered fire dependent creature.

Try to solve the Karner Blue Butterfly maze.

For much of the 20th century forest management techniques overlooked the need various species (such as the Karner Blue Butterfly) have on fire to ensure their survival.  An area cleared by fire (or by mowing near large buildings or along power line corridors) creates a habitat suitable for various creatures to survive.  The endangered Karner Blue Butterfly depends on a plant, the Wild Blue Lupine, that only grows in open sandy areas in pine and oak savannas.  Without the leaves of this plant for sustenance the butterfly’s larvae die.  For the Karner Blue to thrive there must be dense stands of Wild Blue Lupine.  Wildfires once ensured blankets of Wild Blue Lupine would sprout up in burned out areas.

Pine and oak forests stretch far to the south, but the Karner Blue Butterfly only occurs in the northern parts of these forests – from New York to Minnesota.  Michigan is one of the strongholds for the Karner Blue Butterfly, and in northern Michigan they can be found in the Huron-Munistee National Forest.  In cold climates with adequate snowfall the eggs survive the winter.  The snow protects them from dehydration and freezing.  In warmer climates the eggs either freeze or dry out and cannot hatch in the spring.  The butterfly can be found as far south as Ohio and Indiana.

Original artwork is copyright 2014 by Rob Hughes.  Drawn with india ink on 9″ x 12″ Bristol white vellum surface paper.  Made in Michigan with quality materials.

Download the Karner Blue Butterfly here.

Here is the solution for the Karner Blue Butterfly maze.