A rare butterfly has found refuge at an unlikely place: A midstate military base
The Fort Indiantown Gap National Guard training center in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania is the only known habitat for the Regal Fritillary butterfly in the eastern U.S. (Marie Cusick/ StateImpact Pennsylvania)
(Fort Indiantown Gap) — About a million animal and plant species are threatened with extinction. A stark United Nations report earlier this year found human activities are driving the decline.
The regal fritillary, a rare butterfly that’s nearly disappeared from the eastern United States, has found refuge in a surprising place — a National Guard training center in central Pennsylvania.
The training center welcomes hundreds of people each summer who want to see the “regals.” On a recent outing, despite a mixup that led to unexpected flights from military aircraft nearby, a group of visitors was not disappointed:
StateImpact Pennsylvania is a collaboration among WITF, WHYY, and the Allegheny Front to report on the commonwealth’s energy economy.
A collection of interviews, photos, and music videos, featuring local musicians who have stopped by the WITF performance studio to share a little discussion and sound. Produced by WITF’s Joe Ulrich.
