The Xerces Blue butterfly (Glaucopsyche xerces) was native to the coastal dunes of San Francisco, in the United States. As the city grew, much of the butterfly’s habitat was destroyed and its ...

More than eight decades ago, a mesmerizing butterfly with iridescent cobalt wings and stunning spots called the Xerces blue vanished from San Francisco. When it disappeared, the Xerces became ...

Genetic sequencing links Silvery blue butterflies to extinct Xerces blue. From March through May 2025 scientists hope to see new generation of silvery blue butterflies emerge after introduction to ...

In 1943, the gossamer-winged Xerces blue butterfly disappeared from San Francisco as housing, parks and museums completely wiped out its habitat in what is now the Richmond and the Sunset.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — 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 ...

But a key piece of the puzzle was missing — until now. The Xerces blue butterfly, which serves as both pollinator and prey in the ecosystem, has been extinct since 1943. So scientists ...

Biologist Durrell Kapan, Ph.D. of the California Academy of Sciences says the butterflies will be replacing a long-lost species called the Xerces Blue that went extinct in the 1940s. "The Xerces ...