The size of this comma: , . That is the size of a newly hatched Oregon silverspot butterfly (Speyeria zerene hippolyta) caterpillar. And as you can imagine, finding this tiny federally-threatened caterpillar in the wild would be next to impossible – the ultimate little brown needle in a giant meadow haystack. However, if we could find them, then a door will be opened to a previous unknown understanding of at-risk pollinator species and prairie habitats. A conservation team comprise of Federal, University, State, non-profit and private partners is making headway to start opening that door. Over the next ten years, we are developing methods in which we can consistently find wild caterpillars to monitor management effectiveness; tracking captive-reared and released individuals to enlighten the research and conservation community; and restoring native prairie habitat to support the butterfly and other native pollinators. Join us to learn more and hear about these conservation projects linked to your coastal Oregon and Washington backyard.