David L. Cuthrell

Michigan State University | MSU · Michigan State University (MSUE)

Prairie fen is a globally rare, groundwater dependent peatland community restricted to discrete portions of the glaciated north central USA. Prairie fen harbours a diverse flora composed of sedge wetland and tallgrass prairie species, which in turn support a diversity of rare insects. In Michigan, USA over 20% of the state’s insects of conservation...

Michigan’s Lakeplain Prairie and Prairie Fen natural communities contain refugia for many at-risk species of insects, including species that are federally and state listed. Wild bees are a group of insects that are crucial for maintaining robust plant-pollinator communities. Numerous species of bees are presumed to be in decline. However, baseline...

Military installations, such as The Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center (CGJMTC), serve as refuges for numerous at-risk wildlife species, including threatened and endangered species and multiple rare insect species. With many insect species continuing to decline, having current information on the status of insect species of conservation co...

We provide results from 2021 Karner blue butterfly and Frosted elfin population surveys in Michigan.

Report covers first two years of an ongoing effort to document the status of Papaipema beeriana in the Oak-openings region of SE Michigan.

Adaptive Management (AM) is a structured and iterative approach to making conservation decisions. Natural history collections can play a critical role in the development of AM strategies for invasive species, conservation of threatened and endangered species, and assessment of environmental impacts. We will present on our experience building collab...

Adaptive Management (AM) is a structured and iterative approach for making conservation decisions. Natural history collections can play a critical role in the development of AM strategies for management of invasive species, conservation of threatened and endangered species, and restoration of degraded ecosystems. We will present on our experience b...

Bumble bees (Bombus spp.) are an ecologically important group of pollinators that were not adequately addressed in Michigan’s original Wildlife Action Plan, and due to a lack of occurrence data within the Natural Heritage database, have not been assigned a state conservation rank (S-rank). In 2016-2019, the Michigan Natural Features Inventory (MNFI...

1. The Poweshiek skipperling [Oarisma poweshiek (Parker, 1870; Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae)] is a federally endangered butterfly that was historically common in prairies of the upper Midwestern United States and Southern Manitoba, Canada. Rapid declines over the last 20 years have reduced the population numbers to four verified extant sites. The cause...

The Poweshiek skipperling Oarisma poweshiek, Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae is a historically common prairie butterfly with a range extending throughout prairie systems of the upper midwestern United States and southern Manitoba, Canada. Rapid, range-wide declines have reduced the number of verified Poweshiek skipperling locations to one in Manitoba prai...

Poweshiek skipperling (Oarisma poweshiek, Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) has experienced a range-wide decline resulting in six reported extant sites. Critical knowledge gaps related to Poweshiek skipperling adult behavior, phenology, habitat structure, and potential larval host plants are limiting the ability to manage this federally endangered species....

Background Primary biodiversity data records that are open access and available in a standardised format are essential for conservation planning and research on policy-relevant time-scales. We created a dataset to document all known occurrence data for the Federally Endangered Poweshiek skipperling butterfly [Oarisma poweshiek (Parker, 1870; Lepid...

In the 2016 fi eld season, the Wildlife Division of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) commissioned Michigan Natural Features Inventory (MNFI) to conduct Michigan Forest Inventory (MiFi) Stage 1 inventory and surveys for high-quality lakeplain prairie in St. John’s Marsh SWA. Stand level mapping and lakeplain prairie surveys in 2016...

The Poweshiek skipperling Oarisma poweshiek (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) is a historically common prairie butterfly with a range extending throughout the mesic prairies and prairie fens of the upper Midwestern United States and southern Manitoba, Canada. Rapid, range-wide declines have reduced the number of verified Poweshiek skipperling locations to...

This project tested an approach of training local volunteers to assist partner organizations in conducting surveys for Hine’s emerald dragonfly (Somatochlora hineana), (HED) while simultaneously mapping and treating invasive plants. We were successful in documenting adult HED at Negwegon State Park, Thompson’s Harbor State Park and two sites in Mis...

The objective of this project was to conduct methodical, prioritized status assessments for the federally endangered American burying beetle (Nicrophorus americanus) in southern Michigan to address significant information needs and data gaps critical for recovery planning and development of five-year reviews.

In 2015, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) funded the Michigan Natural Features Inventory (MNFI) to develop an occupancy-based survey for Karner blue butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis; KBB) within Allegan and Flat River State Game Areas. The DNR currently conducts distance sampling surveys at a small number of sites occupied by...

The objective of this project was to conduct methodical, prioritized status assessments for the federally threatened Pitcher’s thistle (Cirsium pitcheri (Torr.) Torr. & A. Gray) to address information needs and data gaps critical for recovery planning and development of five-year reviews. Preliminary analysis of the Michigan natural heritage databa...

The Wildlife Division (WLD) of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is currently revising the Michigan Wildlife Action Plan. As part of this process, WLD has identified a set of Focal Species for which they will focus their conservation actions and also a set of Priority Species that will benefit from these actions. In 2014, WLD commissione...

In 2009, Michigan Natural Features Inventory (MNFI) began a two-year project to study the biotic and abiotic characteristics and conservation status of coastal fen, an imperiled wetland community associated with the Great Lakes shoreline. MNFI biologists conducted vegetation sampling, floristic inventories, and rare species surveys at eight sites s...

From 2004–2013, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Division Landowner Incentive Program (LIP) provided technical assistance and management resources for over 90 private landowners who collectively owned and managed over 20,000 acres of land, including portions of at least 42 high quality prairie fen wetlands totaling approximate...

Report Number: 2010-16 In 2010, surveys were conducted in the Waterloo Game Unit at Waterloo Recreation Area for exemplary natural communities and rare animal species. To plan this natural features inventory, we utilized IFMAP Stage 1 data, which was completed by MNFI in 2009. The surveys resulted in new occurrences for eleven elements (i.e., natur...

Softcover guide includes species descriptions and identification keys for the entire North American silphid fauna. All species are imaged in full color. Available by contacting Guy Hanley at (701) 858-3076 or email guy.hanley@minotstateu.edu