February Chapter General Meeting

Marin Chapter Meeting: “Biology and Conservation of the Endangered Myrtle’s Silverspot Butterfly”
Speakers: Richard A. Arnold and Tanya Baxter
Monday, February 9, 2026 at 7:30 pm

Hidden within the coastal scrub and prairies of West Marin lives the federally endangered Myrtle Silverspot butterfly (Speyeria zerene myrtleae). Rarely observed and exquisitely specialized, this butterfly’s life cycle is bound to one plant alone—the Western dog violet. Explore its unique biology, uncover the subtle beauty of its ecological relationships, and learn how identifying and protecting its host plant can make an impactful difference in the butterfly’s conservation.

Presentation Outline: The Myrtle’s Silverspot butterfly is found in coastal areas of Marin and Sonoma counties. We will discuss the butterfly’s historical and present-day geographic range, its life cycle, natural history, and conservation activities. Opportunities to get involved will be discussed.

Speaker Bios:
Dick Arnold is a retired entomologist who worked as an environmental consultant for 45 years specializing in rare and endangered insects. He has experience with all of the federally-listed, endangered and most of the candidate insects that occur in California. He performed habitat assessment surveys, presence-absence surveys, impact analysis, prepared and implemented mitigation measures, as well as conducted long-term population and habitat monitoring. He is the author or co-author of recovery plans for several of California’s endangered insects, including the Myrtle’s Silverspot butterfly.

Tanya Baxter M.S. is a consultant botanist and ecologist. With over fifteen years of expertise in land management she has led landscape scale restoration projects for the national park service and innovative collaborations with non-profit partners and open space. She led a multi-year grant to eradicate the most invasive species on 75,000 acres in Marin County combined with a dedicated volunteer program. She conducts rare and invasive plant surveys in the Sierra Nevada in the summer where she teaches plant taxonomy at the SFSU Field Campus in Calpine.