A rare species of butterfly, the swallow tail zebra, has been seen in the high Toronto park for the first time in more than a century.
The rare butterfly was seen by Crystal Byrne, a butterfly enthusiast, when he was visiting High Park to take a look at the different species that appear at this time of the year.
“This impressive butterfly in black and white came out. And I thought, that’s a zebra tragluga tail,” said Byrne. “I never thought I was going to see one there.”
The species was last seen in 1896, said Bob Yukich, a member of the Association of Entomologists of Toronto. Metro tomorrow Wednesday.
‘Like a little gift’
Byrne, who spent days keeping the Savannah of black oak, an ecosystem in danger of extinction in High Park, felt “very lucky” of being the one that saw the rare zebra swallow tail.
“I feel that I spent a lot of time in that park … he felt like a small gift that this land returned,” said Byrne.
Around 74 species of butterflies in High Park have been found since the 1980s, According to the High Park nature center.
Byrne said it was a “lighthouse of hope” to see the rare butterfly because its guest plant, Pawpaw, is not common in the area.
Other species such as the white cabbage butterflies that surrounded the zebra swallow tail were very territorial, Byrne said.
“Every time the swallow tail landed, the white cabbage pursued it,” said Byrne.
Habitat loss A reason for decrease in butterflies species
The loss of habitat accompanied by a generalized use of insecticides has negatively affected the population of butterflies, according to the Association of Entomologists of Toronto.
Monarch butterflies are another species that has hit a “alarmingly low” population in North America And they require international cooperation between Canada, the United States and Mexico, Ryan Norris, said a professor at the University of Guelph to CBC News earlier this month.
Zebra’s candy tail was common in southwest Ontario, around Windsor at the beginning of the 20th century.
With the development and reduction of forests in the area, the gantry began to disappear, which led to a decrease in the species, said Yukich.
“They are fascinating butterflies. It’s something you no longer see,” Yukich said.
The Fishing and Wildlife Conservation Law of Ontario classifies Zebra’s candy tail as a “especially protected” species. It is illegal to damage, capture, transport or kill the butterfly, According to a report by the city of Toronto.
Yukich says it is special to see a species like Zebra’s candy tail after listening to his habitat loss for decades.
“Butterflies are decreasing and when you get something like that, it returns and does not disappear. It’s fascinating,” said Yukich.
