Rattlesnake-master borer moth does not warrant Endangered Species Act protection
Today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that the rattlesnake-master borer moth, a red-brown insect with prominent white spots, does not warrant listing under the Endangered Species Act. The species is found in Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri and Oklahoma.
In 2013, the agency determined that only 16 populations of the moth remained and listing was warranted, but precluded, by species with more immediate needs. In 2019, the agency completed a second species status assessment and documented 55 populations.
The Service found that populations on nearly 90 percent of the species’ occupied habitat are highly resilient and no loss of range is expected. The agency also determined that the moth is likely to withstand catastrophic events and can adapt to changing conditions.
“While our previous work provided compelling evidence that this moth needed federal protection, new data means we can now say confidently that the species does not meet the threshold for listing,” said Lori Nordstrom, the Service’s assistant regional director for Ecological Services in the Great Lakes Region. “We continue to support conservation efforts within the species’ habitat that can benefit the moth and other species in its ecosystem.”
The rattlesnake-master borer moth is named for its reliance on the rattlesnake master, a prairie plant that is its only food source. Adult borer moths lay their eggs near the plant in the fall where the eggs overwinter under vegetation on the ground. In the spring, larvae emerge from the eggs and feed on leaves of the rattlesnake master until they are ready to burrow into the root of the plant (the plant survives this process). The moth stays in the burrow until late summer when it pupates and adults emerge again in mid-September.
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Saving the rusty patch – one garden at a time
How many times have you watched a documentary showing the plight of an endangered species sliding toward extinction and wondered what you can do to help? We at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have good news for those of you who live in the range of the rusty patched bumble bee: Helping save this endangered pollinator is something you can do without traveling far or spending much money. You don’t even need to leave home – in fact, you can do your part while gardening in your own backyard. Don’t have a yard? No problem – you can still plant containers on your porch, patio or balcony.
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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service honors midwest endangered species recovery champions
2019 Endangered Species Recovery champions Rich Baker and Tamara Smith.
We at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are pleased to announce biologists Rich Baker and Tamara Smith as the 2019 Endangered Species Recovery champions for the Great Lakes Region. Baker and Smith join individuals and teams across the United States recognized for their work last year with endangered and threatened species.
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Service seeks public comment on draft recovery plan for eastern massasauga rattlesnake
Eastern massasauga rattlesnake. Photo by Abbey Kucera/USFWS.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking public comment on a draft recovery plan for the eastern massasauga rattlesnake, a small and timid species that was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 2016. The goal of the plan is to ensure the long-term viability of the snake to the point at which it no longer warrants ESA protection.
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Draft Recovery Plans for Rusty Patched Bumble Bee and Dakota Skipper Available for Comment
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking public comment on draft plans to recover the rusty patched bumble bee, a species listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 2017 as well as the Dakota Skipper, which was listed as threatened under the ESA in 2014. The draft plans outline general management actions and criteria that indicate when the species may be considered recovered and eligible to be removed from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife.
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Partners Celebrate Successful Recovery of Beloved Songbird
Kirtland’s Warbler No Longer Needs Endangered Species Act Protection
Photo by Vince Cavalieri/USFWS
Bird enthusiasts from around the world travel to northern Michigan in hopes of catching sight of a Kirtland’s warbler, a small songbird once poised on the brink of extinction. Now the species is thriving thanks to decades of effort by a diverse group of dedicated partners. Due to the species’ remarkable recovery, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced that it no longer warrants protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
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Final Environmental Impact Statement announced for Iowa’s MidAmerican Energy Company’s wind energy facilities
Photo courtesy of MidAmerican Energy Company
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announces availability of the final environmental impact statement on an application for incidental take of threatened and endangered species at select wind facilities operated by MidAmerican Energy Company in Iowa. The documents are expected to publish in the Federal Register Monday October 7, 2019, under docket number FWS-R3-ES-2018-0037.
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