Once upon a time, the Florida Keys were predominantly covered with tropical hardwood hammock—a plant association of broadleaf hardwood trees that is the northern extension of flora occurring on neighboring Caribbean islands, like Cuba and Hispaniola. This fascinating ecosystem is home to birds, trees and butterflies unique to South Florida and the Florida Keys. Sadly, only remnants of this once glorious forest remain today.

A rather plain looking but very special butterfly, the Zestos Skipper, Epargyreis zestos, is one of the rarest denizens of this ever-vanishing tropical forest system. The Key West Botanical Garden (KWBG), located on Stock Island, very near Key West, is believed to be one of, if not the last stronghold for this butterfly in North America.

As hardwood hammock was gradually lost to development and anti-mosquito spraying increased, the Zestos began to lose ground. This butterfly was formerly found on the southern Florida mainland and on the upper Florida Keys, but there have been no recent reliable sightings from those areas. Even sightings of the Zestos at the KWBG have become rare and sporadic.

Some butterfly caterpillars, and the Zestos Skipper's caterpillars seems to be a perfect example, are tied directly to one host plant. The Zestos’ plant is a small seldom noticed understory vine in the Pea Family, Florida Hammock Milkpea, Galactia striata.  Without this Milkpea for the voracious caterpillars of this butterfly to feed on, there is no Zestos Skipper.

The Butterflies of the West Indies and South Florida, Plate 26 Figure 11, by Smith, Miller and Miller, Oxford University Press

Florida Hammock Milkpea
Galactia striata
On Key Largo
Photo by David L Lysinger

Back to Conservation

To support and maintain the Zestos Skipper’s survival at the KWBG, it is crucial that action be taken to bolster the garden’s population of Florida Hammock Milkpea as soon as possible. In addition, it should be planted in newer areas, as this garden continues to expand and work towards its potential of becoming a major attraction in "paradise”…and who knows, perhaps someday a national treasure.

Now is the time for all good nature lovers to come to the aid of the Zestos Skipper. Collecting and growing Florida Hammock Milkpea seeds should be fast-tracked and given high priority. Institutions with the capacity to facilitate this step should become involved, and the KWBG with its corps of volunteers must plant, as soon as possible, this necessary component for the Zestos Skipper’s survival. We should all hope for and support the success of the Zestos Skipper at the Key West Botanical Garden. Its disappearance would be tragic…and on our watch!