Converting Power Line Easements
to Butterfly Habitat


Contributed by Jay McRoberts, MD

Butterflies on the Potomac

 [ Promotional photographs taken 11 October 2000 by a PEPCO photographer ]


The International Butterfly Breeders Association has been working closely with Potomac Electric Power Company to convert 5.21 acres of densely-wooded power right-of-way to butterfly habitat.


Promotional photograph
Promotional photograph
Promotional photograph
Click on a picture to see enlargement


Initially, the trees were mowed down with an extremely heavy-duty rotary mower and the stumps were sprayed with an herbicide to prevent them from resprouting.  This permitted the sun to reach the soil and initiated germination of herbaceous perennial seeds that had been laying dormant for many, many years.

The next spring the area was remowed and divided into two sections.  One section was seeded with herbaceous perennial flowers and grasses and the other section was "left to Mother Nature".  At this time, it is apparent that the butterfly habitat will establish itself very rapidly without adding additional seeds.

Promotional photograph
Promotional photograph
Promotional photograph
Click on a picture to see enlargement


It will be necessary to winter mow this area each year in order to prevent the tall-growing, woody perennials from choking out the nectar-producing herbaceous perennials and larval host plants.

Promotional photograph
Promotional photograph
 Promotional photograph Promotional photograph
Click on a picture to see enlargement


In order to document the results of this project, butterfly counts were done every two weeks and all plants in bloom were documented each month.  The growth of the vegetation was so rapid that trails had to be mowed in order to walk through the new butterfly habitat.


This project has been extremely gratifying to everyone involved and it is our hope that other utility companies will institute similar projects.

Promotional photograph
Promotional photograph
Promotional photograph
Click on a picture to see enlargement

Denise Gibbs, with the Montgomery County Park system and James Benton, with the Montgomery County Forest Conservancy Board identified the plants; Barbara Farron and other members of the Washington Area Butterfly Club organized the biweekly butterfly counts and Wayne Wehling, Ph.D., Entomologist participated in the majority of these counts.  Most especially, we wish to thank Steve Genua, Senior Forester, PEPCO for making all of this happen.

Group photograph

Click to see enlargement


Table #1 documents the plants that have volunteered on this strip and Table #2 documents the species of butterflies that have been observed.

Table 1
Plants
Plants
Table 2
Butterflies
Butterflies




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