APPLE VALLEY, Minn. (AP) — The 20 tiny butterfly larvae being
cared for by a Minnesota Zoo biologist could represent the last
hope for a species that used to be ubiquitous across the state's
prairies. The Poweshiek Skipperling used to flit and float above
more than 2 million acres, but for reasons that aren't entirely
clear they've virtually disappeared, according to a report in
the St. Paul Pioneer Press (http://bit.ly/YJiyWt). "They just
fell off the map. It may already be extinct in the state," said
Erik Runquist, the Minnesota Zoo conservation biologist who
leads its butterfly conservation efforts. The Poweshiek, a brown
butterfly with white stripes, is about the size of a quarter as
an adult. It hasn't been seen in the state since 2007, and its
near-extinction suggests that the butterfly's habitat is ailing.
"When you consider the prairie ecosystem, and things start
dropping out, something is not right," said Robert Dana, an
ecologist with the state Department of Natural Resources. The
butterflies aren't