Insect Ecology Lab

Global change and Baltimore Checkerspots

The Baltimore Checkerspot (Euphydryas phaeton) butterfly faces multiple threats, including habitat destruction, host plant scarcity, and irregular weather patterns. As a result, severe population declines have been documented in the southern part of their range. Within the last century, some E. phaeton populations have adopted the invasive Plantago lanceolata (Plantaginaceae) as a primary host. This adoption has allowed for the survival of E. phaeton in areas where their native host, Chelone glabra, has been lost. The relatively recent host expansions documented in this herbivore, combined with its sensitivity to thermal stress, provide a model system in which to investigate the responses of a specialist herbivore to the combined effects of thermal and nutritional stress.