USQ Students and Staff Plant Vines to Help Save Endangered Butterfly

University of Southern Queensland (USQ) students and staff have joined forces to save the endangered Richmond Birdwing Butterfly by planting a vine that is its caterpillar's only food source.

The Richmond Birdwing Butterfly is one of the largest and most beautiful butterflies in south-east Queensland but its caterpillars can only feed on the Richmond Birdwing Vine (Pararistolochia praevenosa).

President of the USQ Community Environment Group, Sarah Fitzpatrick, said the Richmond Birdwing Butterfly was once prolific in the Toowoomba area.

'Today we rarely see this beautiful butterfly in urban areas because its caterpillars' only food source has declined,' she said. 'Vine numbers have declined due to a mixture of urbanisation and the prolonged drought.

'In addition, the proliferation of the Dutchman's Pipe vine has confused the butterflies which are laying eggs on it when it's actually toxic to the larvae'.

Sarah said the Richmond Birdwing Recovery Group had developed a network for planting the vines across Queensland to help save the butterfly.

'The more people planting vines the better,' she said. "If we don't all make an effort, this beautiful creature could face extinction which would be unnecessary and tragic.'

Chair of USQ's Environment and Sustainability Committee (ESC), Dave Povey, said the planting was a great project for staff and students.

'The Environmental Committee invites people to come forward with good ideas like this one. We will do our best to enable worthwhile projects.'

The vine grows particularly well after rain and during autumn and winter when there are few or no caterpillars to feed on them. Only midges pollinate the flowers. But the vines have become rare and there is a need to plant this vine in gardens and reserves to provide sufficient food for caterpillars of the Birdwing Butterfly.

Richmond Birdwing Vines are propagated under special EPA licence by Hugh Krenske who can be contacted on 4635 1758. The plants are $6 each with all proceeds going to the Friends of the Escarpment.

Media Contact:  Ally Martel, USQ Media, +61 7 4631 2092