The frosted elfin (callophrys irus) is a globally rare butterfly historically distributed across much of the eastern united states and southern canada from new hampshire west to wisconsin and south to…

The Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Region 4 awarded the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission $643,685.20 on January 1, 2026, under the State Wildlife Grants program (CFDA 15.634) to conduct a Tier 4 Competitive SWG Project addressing the conservation of the Frosted Elfin butterfly across its southern range.

The project addresses critical data gaps identified in a 2018 species status assessment that found small population size, habitat degradation, and significant data deficiency as primary stressors. The recipient will execute five major components: improve current information on the distribution of Frosted Elfin habitat and populations across the southeastern range; determine the status and viability of select known extant populations; assess the genetic health of southern populations in partner states; improve habitat through the development of detailed site-specific restoration or enhancement plans; and establish a captive breeding and reintroduction program to safeguard populations and augment extant populations and establish new self-sustaining wild populations. The work advances the conservation strategy's focus on the 3 Rs—redundancy, resiliency, and representation.

Performance occurs in Florida, with a period of performance from January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2028. The State Wildlife Grants program funds conservation programs benefiting sensitive and imperiled wildlife and their habitats, particularly species not hunted or fished referred to as "species of greatest conservation need."

The frosted elfin (callophrys irus) is a globally rare butterfly historically distributed across much of the eastern united states and southern canada from new hampshire west to wisconsin and south to texas and florida. Over the past several decades IT has experienced precipitous declines prompting a proactive species status assessment (SSA) to determine if the species warranted federal protection under the endangered species act (C2). Small population size and degradation of habitat were identified as primary stressors negatively influencing populations along with significant data deficiency hindering condition assessment. Additional surveys and genetic analyses as well as improving and expanding suitable habitat were identified as essential needs (USFWS 2018). This is particularly true for many locations and populations across its southern range. Collectively the overall goals of this tier 4 cswg project is to directly fill these critical data gaps surrounding the spatial distribution of southern frosted elfin populations and their current and potential habitat and overall genetic and population health as well as advance key conservation actions by focusing on the 3 RS (redundancy resiliency and representation). The proposed cswg involves six (6) major components. 1) improve current information on the distribution of frosted elfin habitat and populations across the southeastern range 2) determine the status and viability of select known extant populations 3) assess the genetic health of southern frosted elfin populations in partner states where the taxon is extant 4) improve habitat through the development of detailed site specific restoration or enhancement plans and 5) establish a captive breeding and reintroduction program to safeguard populations and augment extant populations and establish new self sustaining wild populations.