BC Conservation Data Centre: Conservation Status Report
Colias hecla
Hecla Sulphur
| Scientific Name: | Colias hecla |
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| English Name: | Hecla Sulphur |
| Provincial Status Summary | |
| Status: | S2S3 |
| Date Status Assigned: | January 28, 2020 |
| Date Last Reviewed: | January 28, 2020 |
| Reasons: | This species is also known from the southern Yukon along the same highway that enters the Yukon from BC (Guppy and Shepard 2001). |
| Range | |
| Range Extent: | D = 1,000-5,000 square km |
| Range Extent Comments: | Occurrences are within close proximity to one another, along roadsides in northwestern BC. The total range extent within British Columbia is estimated at just less than 5000 square km (Guppy and Shepard 2001). |
| Area of Occupancy (km2): | U = Unknown |
| Linear Distance of Occupancy: | U = Unknown |
| Occurrences & Population | |
| Number of Occurrences: | B = 6 - 20 |
| Comments: | Colias hecla is known from the summit of Pink Mounain, Atlin, Summit Lake, Beaton River (Guppy and Shepard 2001) and from within Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Park (Guppy 2006). From within Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Park, Colias hecla is known from 1) Chilcat Pass; Nadahini Mountaineast slope, Haines Road mile 68; 2) Chilcat Pass; Kelsall Lakewest end of the lake, about Haines Road mile 77, roadside; 3) Chilcat Pass; Kelsall Lake Haines Road mile 76, roadside; and 4) Chilcat Pass; Nadahini Mountaineast slope, Haines Road mile 68 (Guppy 2006). |
| Number of Occurrences with Good Viability / Ecological Integrity: | B = 1 - 3 |
| Comments: | The species localities are likely with good viability, given there are low threats to these locations and there is additional unchecked habitat. |
| Number of Occurrences Appropriately Protected & Managed: | B = 1 - 3 |
| Comments: | This species is found in Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Park. |
| Population Size: | U = Unknown |
| Comments: | No information is available on populations. |
| Threats (to population, occurrences, or area affected) | |
| Degree of Threat: | CD = Medium - low |
| Comments: | May be impacted by roadside maintenance along highways and transportation corridors. |
| Trend (in population, range, area occupied, and/or condition of occurrences) | |
| Short-Term Trend: | G = Relatively Stable (<=10% change) |
| Long-Term Trend: | U = Unknown |
| Other Factors | |
| Intrinsic Vulnerability: | C=Not intrinsically vulnerable |
| Environmental Specificity: | B=Narrow. Specialist or community with key requirements common. |
| Comments: | The species is known to use plants of the family Fabaceae (Astragalus alpinus) as the larval foodplant (Guppy and Shepard 2001). |
| Other Rank Considerations: | This species is known from the Yukon, although sparse records exist (Guppy and Shepard 2001). |
| Information Gaps | |
| Research Needs: | Research is required to more accurately quantify specific habitat requirements (food plant density, size and habitat requirements), dispersal capabilities and recolonization capabilities, reproductive success, population viability and additional life history information. Research to assess the potential impacts of predation, parasitism, climatic variation, small population size, and population isolation and the effects of wild fire; clarify the threats to the species. |
| Inventory Needs: | Inventory of potential habitat, population size and distribution is incomplete and requires additional surveys. Monitoring of population parameters including fluctuations in size, emigration, recruitment, persistence, dispersal distance, etc. is not available. A long term monitoring program must be established and implemented. |
| Stewardship | |
| Protection: | This species should be noted and monitored in parks and protected areas. |
| Management: | Since the species occurs at roadsides along a major highway, it may be beneficial to incorporate best management practises guidelines into highway maintenance planning. |
| Version | |
| Author: | Heron, J. |
| Date: | January 28, 2020 |
| References | |
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Guppy, C. 2006. Guppy's Lepidoptera observation database.
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Guppy, C.S., and J.H. Shepard. 2001. Butterflies of British Columbia. UBC Press in collaboration with Royal B.C. Mus. 414pp.
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Please visit the website Conservation Status Ranks for information on how the CDC determines conservation status ranks. For global conservation status reports and ranks, please visit the NatureServe website http://www.natureserve.org/.
Suggested Citation:
B.C. Conservation Data Centre. 2020. Conservation Status Report: Colias hecla. B.C. Minist. of Environment. Available: https://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/eswp/ (accessed Jun 11, 2026).