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POWERPOINT. According to Besty Rhodes, Public Information Officer for the SFPUC, the gate that went up recently at North Peak Montara Mountain was not put up due to the weather radar project, but because of the sensitive habitat of two rare butterflies, the San Bruno Elfin and Mission Blue.
Alternative hike: Check out the Fifield-Cahill Ridge Trail. Enjoy a 10 mile hike along the Crystal Springs Ridgeline. Map posted below, as well.
Here is the Official SFPUC Press release.
Elfins: San Bruno elfin (Callophrys mossii bayensis)
(Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae: Theclinae: Eumaneini)
Profile prepared by Scott Hoffman Black and Matthew Shepherd, The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
The San Bruno elfin inhabits rocky outcrops and cliffs in coastal scrub on the San Francisco peninsula. The San Bruno elfin is restricted to a few small populations, the largest of which occurs on San Bruno Mountain. Its habitat has been diminished by quarrying, off- road recreation, and urban development. Development pressures on the San Francisco peninsula continue to grow, and the major threats to the butterfly— increased urbanization in the area, and loss of habitat by road construction and rock and sand quarrying—reflect this. Grazing may have encouraged the growth of exotic plants in the area. In the early 1980s, a habitat conservation plan was developed to allow development on San Bruno Mountain while minimizing the adverse effects on the San Bruno elfin butterfly and other rare species in the area. This plan is currently being amended, which may result in further urban development.
The San Bruno elfin is a federally endangered species (Federal Register 41:22041- 22044; 6/1/69).
~ Click here for much, much more from XERCES on Elfins
Blues: Mission Blue (Icaricia icarioides missionensis)
(Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae: Polyommatinae: Polyommatini)
Profile prepared by Scott Hoffman Black and Mace Vaughan, The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
Formerly relatively widespread on the San Francisco and Marin peninsulas of northern California, the mission blue is now restricted to only a few sites. Preservation of existing butterfly populations relies on many factors common to butterfly conservation programs: replanting of the hostplant, removal of introduced plants, and protection from excessive recreational use and development. Probably the most important single location is San Bruno Mountain (San Mateo County), where two thousand acres of habitat are being managed by the county department of Parks and Recreation. A habitat conservation plan was developed for rare butterflies, including the Mission Blue, that occur at San Bruno Mountain. Much of the habitat of the mission blue occupies private lands that are slated for housing developments in the City of Pacifica General Plan.
The mission blue was listed as a Federal Endangered Species on June 1, 1976 (Federal Register: 41:22044).
~ Click here for much, much more from XERCES on Blues
Author: Coastside Buzz
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