Conservation reserve program (CRP) plantings consisting of 13-14 year old brome, 2-3 year old switch grass, and 2-3 year old CP-25 mixture (5 species of native grasses and 10 species of native forbs) were monitored for butterflies every week from mid-June to late-July 2002 in northeastern Winneshiek County, Iowa. Transects (450 m long) in each CRP treatment (4 replicates) were established. All butterflies within a 5 m wide transect were identified and counted. Switch grass and CP-25 had greater species richness than the brome. Switch grass had the greatest abundance of butterflies. Effect of CRP plant diversity and planting age on butterfly abundance and diversity will be discussed.
Species 1: Lepidoptera Pieridae Colias eurytheme (Orange Sulfur)
Species 2: Lepidoptera Lycaenidae Everes comyntas (Eastern Tailed Blue)
Species 3: Lepidoptera Satyridae Cercyonis pegala (Common Wood Nymph)
Keywords: CRP, butterflies
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