3 varieties of butterflies native to south Florida now extinct
An entomologist who surveyed butterflies native to south Florida for six years says three varieties of the lepidopterans have become extinct.
“These are unique butterflies to Florida. This is our biological treasure. Each unique species that we lose, we won’t ever get that back again,” Marc Minno, who conducted the survey for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District, told Reuters.
The extinction of butterflies is an indication of the degradation of south Florida’s environment, he said.
“It’s indicating there are major problems, environmental harm to Florida. And this is an indication that quality for people is also degrading and people should be worried about that,” Minno said.
Miami Blue, Hemiargus thomasi, basking on twig (dorsal view of male)
Photo by David L Lysinger. Image source: Miami Blue Chapter
Additionally, two other native butterflies have left Florida for the Caribbean, and two more face extinction, he said.
- The three extinct varieties are the Florida Zestos Skipper, the Rockland Meske’s Skipper, and the Keys Zarucco Skipper, Minno said.
- The two that have moved from Florida to the Caribbean are the Bahamian Swallowtails and the Nickerbean Blues.
- The other two that are expected to become extinct are Shaus’ Swallowtail and the Miami Blue.
Other Global Disasters/ Significant Events
Severe flooding in China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region
Floods and landslides triggered by extreme rain events have killed at least a dozen people, displacing tens of thousands of others and affecting about 1/2 million people in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
- More than 12,000 hectares of farmland have been devastated by floodwaters and hundreds of houses destroyed, Xinhua reported.
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Israel plagued by hundreds of wildfires
Numerous wildfires have raged across Israel since Saturday forcing the authorities to evacuate hundreds of people.
“We have been putting out over 600 fires that have erupted since Saturday,” the Fire Fighters’ department told Xinhua.
“The cause of these fires are mainly the combination of extreme heat, strong winds, a problematic humidity situation and bonfires held as part of the holiday.”
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Syria
A bomb killed at least 13 people and injured more than 70 others in central Damascus on Tuesday
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Iraq
At least two dozen people were killed and more than 100 others injured in car bomb attacks across Iraq on Monday.
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DISASTER CALENDAR – April 30, 2013 —
SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,047 Days Left
Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.
- SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,047 Days Left to ‘Worst Day’ in the brief Human History
- The countdown began on May 15, 2011 …
GLOBAL WARNINGS
- WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
- WARNING: RAPID PLANETARY DECLINE IN PROGRESS!
- Europe: The First Phase of Collapse Has Started
- United States: The First Phase of Collapse Has Begun
Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background
Fire Earth 