effect of time-since-burn on butterflies in a pine flatwoods

Several characteristics of butterfly communities were evaluated in seven pine flatwoods units that differed in time since the last prescribed burn (time-since-burn). Abundance, species richness and species diversity of common butterflies were dependent on plant diversity. These butterfly community characteristics and plant species diversity declined with time-since-burn. Atrytonopsis Manna loammii , a rare butterfly, was found during three different flight seasons in a unit that had been burned in July 1997, as well as a unit burned in February 1999, indicating that early recovery of recently burned units can provided suitable habitat for this rare species. Proper burn rotations and invertebrate surveys are recommended for the conservation of rare species.