PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (AP) _ The rare Miami blue butterfly now has received endangered species status from Florida as well as the federal government.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on Wednesday put the insect on the state’s endangered species list.
The commission previously listed it as threatened.
The commission’s action follows a similar decision in April by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Once found as far north as Tampa and Daytona Beach, the Miami blue now has been detected only on small islands in the Key West National Wildlife Refuge west of Key West.
The commission changed the butterfly’s status under new rules designed to eliminate confusion in the listing of state and federal endangered and threatened species.
