The U.S. has included two Upper Midwest butterfly classes to its list of endangered and threatened species ina move that pleased conservationists but caused worry to farm groups who said it would be difficult for their members to continue earning off the land.

On Thursday, the Dakota skipper was named a threatened specie by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service while the Poweshiek skipperling was listed under the Endangered Species Act. The butterfly species measure to an inch long and are colored brown and orange. The agency said the butterfly species were once abundant in the Midwestern and Plains states. However, the numbers declined due to loss of native land and prairie vegetation.

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Midwest Fish and Wildlife regional director Tom Melius said the reason that the Poweshiek skipperlings and the Dakota skippers continued to exist in the Upper Midwest is the conservation of grasslands by ranchers. He said they hope to work with landowners to conserve the butterfly species and their habitat.

Center for Biological Diversity senior scientist Tierra Curry commended the inclusion of the species to the threatened and endangered list. She said by protecting butterfly habitats, the places are kept safe along with other animals that would need these places to survive.

However, US Representative Kevin Cramer said the conservation of the butterfly species may hurt various industries including energy, farming, and transportation and ranching. Cramer said the listing is very alarming because no studies were conducted to estimate the value of public places that would be compromised. He added that no studies have been made to examine if the decline of the butterfly species population would affect the ecosystem.

Meanwhile, Executive Vice President Julie Ellingson of the North Dakota Stockmen’s Association told The Bismarck Tribune that they are worried about the harm the new listing would bring to private property rights. Ellingson said the listing would affect property owners who earn their living off their lands.

TagsDakota skipper, Poweshiek skipperlings, Tierra Curry, Midwest Fish and Wildlife center, Tom Melius, US Representative Kevin Cramer, US Fish and Wildlife Service