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Iowa Skipper Butterfly 'Canary in Coal Mine': A Warning Sign of Prairie Loss Consequences for Farmers, Wildlife Alike

August 21, 2023
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Iowa Skipper Butterfly 'Canary in Coal Mine': A Warning Sign of Prairie Loss Consequences for Farmers, Wildlife Alike

Ava Mandolia, Investigate Midwest

Nearly 250 million acres of the Great Plains have been converted to cropland as of 2020. Farmers and wildlife both suffer from the depletion of prairies.

Learn More Read more about Iowa Skipper Butterfly 'Canary in Coal Mine': A Warning Sign of Prairie Loss Consequences for Farmers, Wildlife Alike

Research Overview

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Helmers-Watkins-Liebman NSNWRThe STRIPS project began in 2003, when Iowa State University scientists began discussing the opportunity to test the effects of integrating restored prairie in crop fields with managers at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge. Together, the scientists and refuge managers established four different treatments on 12 small watersheds at Neal Smith in 2007. As of 2012, we're now also working on a growing number of commercial farm fields across Iowa and northern Missouri. Read more about the research background, farmer collaborators, and research topics here. Read more about Research Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

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diversified farmPrairie strips are a farmland conservation practice that uses strategically placed native prairie plantings in crop fields. The practice has been tested by the STRIPS team since 2007 on experimental plots at the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge and increasingly on commercial farms across Iowa. Here we present our responses to the Frequently Asked Questions we receive on prairie strips at conferences and field days, and through email. The information was prepared by team members, and will be updated over time as needed, as we continue to learn. The answers below are general in nature, and may not apply in specific situations. Resources are provided with each answer. Read more about Frequently Asked Questions

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