If you visit the coastal parks of Central California between June and September, and you’re lucky — or just looking closely — you might catch a glimpse of a tiny, rare butterfly fluttering low to the ground. The Smith’s blue butterfly, with a wingspan of less than one inch, is easy to miss. But its story is anything but small. This highly endangered species reveals a much bigger picture of resilience in the face of climate change.

The Smith’s blue butterfly (Euphilotes enoptes smithi) is found only along select stretches of California’s Central Coast — places like Garrapata State Park and Fort Ord Dunes State Park — where coastal dunes, scrubby chaparral, and sandy grasslands host the fragile ecosystems it needs to survive. 

Why Is the Smith’s Blue Butterfly Endangered?  

What makes them so unique is that their entire lives unfold within a few hundred yards of two native plants: seacliff buckwheat and coast buckwheat. These aren’t just preferred plants — they’re the only plants the species has adapted to depend on. Buckwheat provides food for their caterpillars and is a primary nectar supply and perching ground for adults.  

And unlike monarch butterflies, which migrate thousands of miles across North America, the Smith’s blue is a true homebody: rarely traveling more than 30 meters from where it hatches. That hyper-local lifestyle makes it especially vulnerable to any changes in its immediate surroundings. With more than half of their native range having already disappeared, any disturbance to their habitat — whether it’s off-road vehicle use, coastal development, or creeping invasive plants — becomes an exponential issue for the population's survival.  

Plus, even though the Smith’s blue has been listed under the Endangered Species Act since 1976, protection has been inconsistent. A recovery plan was published in 1984 but has not been updated in decades. Critical habitat was proposed in the 1970s but never formally designated, and there’s still no clear recovery goal or population data in place. Climate change, habitat loss, and rising seas are accelerating the threats — and the stakes couldn’t be higher. 

The Smith’s blue butterfly may be tiny, but its survival depends on the health of California’s coastal ecosystems — and those ecosystems are under growing pressure from climate change.
 

How Can You Help the Smith’s Blue Butterfly? 

At California State Parks Foundation, we are deeply invested in habitat restoration at parks such as Garrapata State Park and Fort Ord Dunes State Park. Through our year-round, volunteer-powered projects, we help remove invasive plants, plant native species, including seacliff buckwheat and coast buckwheat, and maintain the ecological balance these parks and species like the Smith's blue depend on. It’s hands-on, tangible work — and it makes a lasting impact. Read our in-depth blog on our habitat conservation efforts at Fort Ord Dunes State Park here.  

You might not spot a Smith’s blue butterfly on every visit, but your work could help make sure they’re there for the next one. 

When you volunteer to remove invasive plants, plant native buckwheat, or simply help restore habitat along California’s coast, you're not just improving the landscape — you're creating the conditions for life to return and thrive. The next time you kneel in the sand to pull up an ice plant or water a young buckwheat seedling, think of the wings that might flutter past that very spot someday, because of you.

Volunteer to Help Save the Smith’s Blue Butterfly! 

Join us at an upcoming volunteer workday and help make a lasting impact! By participating in one of our volunteer workdays that focus on California coastal habitat restoration, you’re not just improving the environment — you're becoming a vital part of protecting endangered species like the Smith’s blue butterfly and securing a more resilient future for our state parks.  

Check out our volunteer opportunity calendar here! 

SOURCES

• Center for Biological Diversity: Smith’s Blue Butterfly
• US Fish and Wildlife Service: Smith's blue butterfly (Euphilotes enoptes smithi)
• Santa Cruz Public Libraries: Smith’s blue butterfly
• California State Parks Foundation: Climate Report
• California State Parks Foundation: Fort Ord Dune Blog
• Fair Funding for Wildlife: Smith’s blue butterfly