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Home > Blogs > Birds and Butterflies > Archives > 2008 > December > 03 > Entry
Soldiers and Butterflies
What do National Guard soldiers and butterflies have in common? You may think nothing but that’s not the case at Fort Indiantown Gap (FTIG) Pennsylvania. Not only is FTIG the home to 2,000 employees and more than 100,000 trainees rotating through the 17,000 acre base but it is also home to over 1,000 native species of plants and animals.
One of those species is the regal fritillary. This butterfly was once very common throughout the eastern and mid western United States but due to loss of grassland habitat this butterfly has almost disappeared. What biologist found at FTIG was an area of 219 acres that was the perfect home for the regal fritillary. This area was used as a tank training ground and a parachute drop zone. The use of tracer rounds and flares would spark wildfires on occasion which encouraged the growth of native grasses and arrow-leaved violet, the major food source for the regal caterpillars.
The military has found that it is possible to balance training and conservation of land and ecosystems. Visitor can learn more about how all this works together and get a look at the regal fritillary by taking a free guided tour offered during the summer months. For more information visit www.ftig.state.pa.us.
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