The Xerces Blue butterfly, once native to San Francisco’s coastal dunes, became the first butterfly species in the U.S. to disappear due to human development over 80 years ago.

The California Academy of Sciences used genetic testing to identify a blue butterfly species similar to the Xerces species that went extinct and disappeared from the San Francisco coastline.

SAN FRANCISCO >> More than 80 years ago, a beautiful butterfly called Xerces Blue that once fluttered among San Francisco’s coastal dunes went extinct as stately homes, museums and parks ate up ...

It became the namesake of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. So working on putting a blue butterfly back where Xerces used to fly is extremely inspiring for conservationists and ...