Page 39 - OutdoorOK2024MayJune ONLINE

central Oklahoma with counts at one indigo patch exceeding 100 individual
adult elfins in 2022. Medium numbers of the butterfly and its host plant were
found in the northeastern portion of the study area, and the lowest numbers
were found at the most southeastern sites.
The health of individual indigo patches and their proximity to other
patches were leading factors in calculating the state’s number of elfin
populations. Prior to 2018, there were two distinct populations. Now,
there are thought to be 10 to 32 separate populations in the state.
“Every single population is either in the Choctaw Nation or the Chickasaw
Nation,” Smith said. “Both Nations will be important partners in conserving
this species.”
Though frosted elfin surveys have ended for
the time being, Smith is delighted with the results.
Not only did the surveys expand the known
frosted elfin range in Oklahoma, but Smith was
able to build a regional network of landown-
ers, agencies, and volunteers. As a result of
this exchange, the Oklahoma Department of
Transportation has incorporated conservation
mowing practices at known wild indigo sites
to reduce the impact to developing frosted
elfins; the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority has
Site investigated Frosted elfin site — “historical” (1991–2011)
protected an indigo and elfin site along the
Host plant site Frosted elfin site — project (2018–2023)
Indian Nation Turnpike; and the number of
Smith’s team investigated a number of locations in southeastern Oklahoma and
frosted elfin and yellow wild indigo records on documented frosted elfins at 52 sites in nine counties.
the public nature sharing site iNaturalist has The Oklahoma Frosted Elfin Project has been embraced by a wide
increased throughout the region. range of partners since it began in 2018. Project leader Brenda Smith
“This is the kind of project you want to be and managers Marie Stone and Bryan Reynolds conducted the bulk
involved in. It gives you hope to know your hard of the surveys along with Dr. Leah Dudley and Jose Montalva of East
work is paying off and that people are getting Central University. Colleagues from the Oklahoma Department of
the conservation message and want to help.” Transportation, Oklahoma Gas & Electric, Oklahoma State University’s
Kiamichi Forestry Research Station, Okies for Monarchs, The Nature
EDITOR’S NOTE: Smith was a steadfast force at Conservancy, Bebb Herbarium, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S.
the Oklahoma Natural Heritage Inventory, not
only in this project but in building knowledge Forest Service, Chickasaw Nation, Choctaw Nation, Weyerhaeuser,
about species like the black rail, tiger beetles, and the Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture alerted the team to
and the state’s dragonfly and damselfly commu- roadside indigo patches, facilitated searches, and granted access.
nity. She recently published “Dragonflies at a Oklahoma’s community of naturalists also shared their wild indigo and
Biogeographical Crossroads.” After more than 20 elfin sightings, and private landowners welcomed the team on their
years in Oklahoma, Smith has joined the Nevada properties and shared their enthusiasm for pollinators.
Division of Natural Heritage as an entomologist.
The Oklahoma Frosted Elfin Project was ini- In addition to conducting surveys, the East Central University
tially funded by the Oklahoma Natural Heritage survey team also collected frosted elfin DNA samples as a side
Inventory and later by ODWC and U.S. Fish project and worked with Hendrix College in Arkansas, multiple
and Wildlife Service through the Cooperative learning institutions in Florida, and the University of Massachusetts
Endangered Species Fund with matching in an attempt to determine if the subspecies of frosted elfin found
resources provided by the Oklahoma Natural in Oklahoma is a separate species.
Heritage Inventory in 2021, 2022, and 2023.

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