Swallowtail blue wings, iridescent with a rich and deep cobalt color, were seen less and less often in the vicinity of San Francisco. This butterfly is considered one of the most beautiful and luxurious species in North America. As at the beginning of the last century, cities began to seize previously empty lands - habitats of butterflies, the blue swallowtail became less and less common, until finally it was threatened with extinction. However, a man named Tim Wong, inspired by the beauty of butterflies, decided to remedy this situation on his own.
With the permission of the California Academy of Sciences, the man collected a rare plant - the California pipevine, which provides the main food for the blue swallowtail, and began to propagate it in his backyard, creating all the necessary conditions for this.
The next, no less important step was the reproduction of butterflies. Tim found about 20 caterpillars in the vicinity and, with permission, moved them to his makeshift "nursery" with all conditions suitable for breeding butterflies.
After about 6 weeks, the hungry caterpillars turned into butterflies, which themselves began to lay tiny red eggs, and the reproduction of the blue swallowtail was finally crowned with success!
Tim Wong transported some of the butterflies to botanical gardens, and also settled them in the vicinity of San Francisco, in which, with his own hands, he planted and multiplied the main food of the blue swallowtail - the California pipevine. For 7 years, the man has grown more than 200 plants in the vicinity, without the use of pesticides or herbicides.
“Improving the habitat for local fauna is something everyone can do,” says Wong. “The conservation and reproduction of endangered species can start in your own home, in your backyard.”
