Last Known Sacramento Mountains Checkerspot Caterpillar Dies

The last Sacramento Mountains checkerspot caterpillar held in human care has died. The Sacramento Mountains checkerspot butterfly has not been observed in the wild since 2022. The caterpillar represented the final individual of the species maintained under human care.

No additional individuals have been reported since the species last appeared in natural habitats in 2022. The death leaves no known living specimens in captivity or the wild. Conservation efforts for the butterfly had focused on maintaining the remaining caterpillar until its death.