The future of this species is highly dependent on the people of the Palos Verdes Peninsula and their willingness to implement change. People are very likely to continue fire control practices especially when California is becoming more susceptible to wildfires with every passing year. This continuation of wildlife destruction will hinder the butterflies ability to reproduce as the locoweed and deerweed (the butterfly’s host plants) population decreases in the area. Additionally, the rapid growth of California’s population calls for constant development, meaning the habitat of the Palos Verdes Blue Butterfly will constantly be in danger of destruction.
Besides development and wildfire control practices, the drastic decrease in the butterflies population (specifically in 1983 and 1984) have been thought to be as a result of the cold winters. California is estimated to experience colder and wetter winters as a result of climate change. Also, California’s current drought is impacting the population of the Palos Verdes Blue Butterly’s two primary host plants. These various changes in the butterfly’s environment will make it more challenging for the small species to survive.
Nevertheless, the butterfly’s future is still hopeful as a result of the efforts of various organizational efforts. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service made the decision to allocate a limited amount of water to the locoweed and deerweed population in the hope that the critically endangered species will be around for many more years. As mentioned in the human impacts tab, mass rearing is also being implemented by colleges and research institutions to help the population of the Palos Verdes Blue Butterfly, alongside the proposing of a management area. Therefore, we anticipate that the continuation of efforts such as the management area and those of Moorpark College will slowly help bring the species out of endangerment.
Palos Verdes Blue Butterfly 