TIMOTHY WONG

Butterfly Rescuer

Biologist Tim Wong is helping to save a rare species of butterfly—right in his own backyard

TIMOTHY WONG

BUTTERFLY HERO: Tim Wong

Tim Wong’s backyard is one of the few places in San Francisco, California, where people can glimpse California pipevine swallowtail butterflies. The species is endemic, or native, to Northern California. But habitat loss has caused the shimmering, bright-blue butterflies’ numbers to dwindle. In an effort to bring back the species locally, Wong turned his backyard into a sanctuary for swallowtails.

Wong works as a biologist at the California Academy of Sciences, where he cares for its aquarium’s tropical plants and animals. But in his spare time, he studies local butterflies. A few years ago, Wong began raising swallowtails in his backyard. He shared stunning pictures of his unusual hobby on social media, and they quickly became a hit. Science World talked to Wong to find out what it’s like to care for butterflies and the importance of restoring native species and their habitats.

TIMOTHY WONG

BACKYARD BUTTERFLIES: Wong’s idyllic haven for swallowtail butterflies (left)

BLUE BEAUTY: A swallowtail shows off its distinctive markings (right).

What sparked your passion for working with local butterflies?

I grew up in the suburbs of San Francisco. At the time, there were still a lot of open spaces. I explored nearby meadows and forests and observed native plant and animal life. These early experiences fueled a lifelong interest in nature and science.

What does it take to raise swallowtail butterflies?

The species is difficult to raise because female swallowtails lay their eggs only on one type of host plant—the California pipevine. It’s also the only native plant their caterpillars will feed on.

Pipevine isn’t easy to find in the wild, so I reached out to the San Francisco Botanical Gardens. They allowed me to take a few clippings. I transplanted them to a screened-in enclosure in my backyard along with 20 donated swallowtail caterpillars. Now I have roughly 1,000 of the butterflies in my backyard in various stages of life (see Butterfly Life Cycle).

Why is it important to you to save California pipevine swallowtails?

Every native species plays a unique role in a diverse and complex food web—the interconnecting network of what-eats-what in an ecological community. The loss of any species can dramatically change a food web’s dynamics. Swallowtails are important pollinators. Without them, some species of plants would be unable to reproduce.

Is there anything people can do where they live to help native butterflies?

People can practice habitat gardening—planting species that benefit local wildlife, rather than just plants that look beautiful—to sustain butterfly populations. Find out what native host plants local butterflies need to reproduce and what plants have flowers that adult butterflies feed on. Eliminate the use of pesticides and herbicides, which can kill off native insects and plants, respectively. In many places, you can also volunteer with local habitat restoration projects.

What advice would you give to students aspiring to become biologists?

Anyone can become a biologist. Find a topic you love, develop strong observation skills, and don’t be afraid to ask your own questions or seek out answers. There’s still so much we don’t know about all of the living things around us. Anyone can make a significant discovery.

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